Find out how popular the last name MacLeod is in the United States and learn more about the meaning, history, and race and ethnic origin of people in America who are named MacLeod.

MacLeod, like all of the last names we have data for, is identified by the U.S. Census Bureau as a surname which has more than 100 occurrences in the United States in the Decennial Census survey. The most recent statistics we have for the MacLeod surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of MacLeod in America

MacLeod is the 4495th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The MacLeod surname appeared 7,886 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 3 people would have the surname MacLeod.

We can also compare 2010 data for MacLeod to data from the previous census in 2000. The table below contains all of the statistics for both years in a side-by-side comparison.

The history of the last name MacLeod

The surname MacLeod is of Scottish origin, originating from the Isle of Lewis in the Outer Hebrides. It is derived from the Gaelic "Mac Leòid," meaning "son of Leod," with Leod being an old Norse personal name. The name first appeared in records during the 13th century.

The MacLeods were a powerful clan in the Scottish Highlands, with their ancestral home being Dunvegan Castle on the Isle of Skye. The clan played a significant role in various conflicts and battles throughout history, including the Wars of Scottish Independence in the 13th and 14th centuries.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name MacLeod can be found in the Exchequer Rolls of Scotland from 1264, where Tormod MacLeod is mentioned as the chief of the clan. In the 15th century, the Clan MacLeod was divided into two branches: the MacLeods of Harris and the MacLeods of Lewis.

The MacLeods of Harris were led by Alasdair Crotach (Alexander the Hunchback), who was born around 1457 and played a crucial role in the feuds between the clans of the Western Isles. The MacLeods of Lewis were led by Torquil MacLeod, who was born in the late 15th century and fought alongside the MacDonalds in various conflicts.

Notable individuals with the surname MacLeod include:

1. John MacLeod (1759-1801), a Scottish merchant and colonist in Nova Scotia, Canada.
2. Sir Reginald MacLeod (1847-1935), a British lawyer and judge who served as the Chief Justice of Bombay.
3. William Macleod Raine (1871-1954), an American novelist known for his Western fiction.
4. Alistair MacLeod (1936-2014), a Canadian novelist and short story writer, best known for his book "No Great Mischief."
5. Mary Elizabeth MacLeod (1912-2000), the mother of former U.S. President Donald Trump, who was born on the Isle of Lewis.

The MacLeod surname has maintained its strong presence throughout history, with various branches and individuals leaving their mark across different regions and fields.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name MacLeod

We also have some data on the ancestry of people with the surname MacLeod.

The below race categories are the modified race categories used in the Census Bureau's population estimates program. All people were categorized into six mutually exclusive racial and Hispanic origin groups:

1. White only
2. Black only
3. American Indian and Alaskan Native only
4. Asian and Pacific Islander only
5. Hispanic
6. Two or More Races

For the most recent 2010 census data, the race/ethnic origin breakdown for MacLeod was:

Note: Any fields showing (S) means the data was suppressed for privacy so that the data does not in any way identify any specific individuals.

Since we have data from the previous census in 2000, we can also compare the values to see how the popularity of MacLeod has changed in the 10 years between the two census surveys.

Data source

The last name data and ethnic breakdown of last names is sourced directly from the Decennial Census survey, conducted every 10 years by the United States Census Bureau.

The history and meaning of the name MacLeod was researched and written by our team of onomatology and genealogy experts.

If you have a correction or suggestion to improve the history of MacLeod, please contact us.

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