2000
#4,893
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 6,592
First available Census row
Per 100,000 2.44
Rare Last name
Macon
A French toponymic surname derived from various places in France named Mâcon, meaning "mason" or "stonecutter."
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 7,699 Americans carry the last name Macon. That puts it at #5,062 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 2.25 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 44,519 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Macon surname. You will find the Census Bureau frequency data, a multi-census history view, an ancestry and ethnicity breakdown based on self-reported demographics, the name's meaning and origin where available, and answers to the most common questions people ask about this surname.
For British records, Name Census UK has a British surname profile for Macon with 1881 census detail, origin facts and modern UK distribution where available.
Bearers in the US
7.7K
1 in 44,519
Census rank
#5,062
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
2.2
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
6.7K
rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 6,714 bearers of the surname Macon in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 2.25 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 5062nd position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Macon, the largest self-reported group is Black at 59.5%. The next largest groups are White (30.2%) and Two or More Races (6.0%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Macon
The surname Macon originated in France during the Middle Ages, deriving from the Old French word "macon" which meant "mason" or "bricklayer". This occupational surname was initially given to those who worked as masons, building structures such as houses, castles, and churches.
The earliest known recorded use of the surname Macon can be traced back to the 12th century in the region of Burgundy, France. Historical records from this era mention individuals with the name Macon, suggesting the surname's established presence in the area.
As the name Macon spread across France, it evolved into various spellings, including Masson, Massonne, and Massion. These variations were often influenced by regional dialects and the preferences of local record-keepers.
In the 13th century, the name Macon appeared in the Domesday Book, a comprehensive survey of landowners and properties in England commissioned by William the Conqueror. This indicates that individuals bearing the surname had likely migrated from France to England during the Norman Conquest.
One notable figure bearing the surname Macon was Jean Macon, a renowned French architect born in 1515. He was responsible for designing several notable buildings, including the Château d'Anet and the Château de Vallery. His contributions to French Renaissance architecture solidified the Macon name in the annals of history.
Another individual of historical significance was Guillaume Macon, a French playwright and poet born in 1570. His works, which included plays and poetry collections, were celebrated during the French Renaissance period.
In the 18th century, Jacques Macon, born in 1720, gained recognition as a prominent French merchant and trader. His commercial endeavors extended across Europe, contributing to the economic development of the time.
The name Macon also found its way to various place names, such as the city of Mâcon in Burgundy, France. This city, known for its wine production, likely derived its name from the occupational surname, indicating a historical connection between the name and the region.
Lastly, Robert Macon, born in 1795, was a notable American politician and statesman from North Carolina. He served in the United States House of Representatives and played a significant role in shaping policies during the early years of the American republic.
These examples illustrate the rich history and geographic spread of the surname Macon, originating from its humble occupational beginnings in medieval France and eventually leaving its mark on various aspects of society across different eras and regions.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Macon
Among Census respondents with the surname Macon, the largest self-reported group is Black at 59.5%. The next largest groups are White (30.2%) and Two or More Races (6.0%).
The bar chart below shows how Macon bearers described their own race and ethnicity on the 2020 Census form. The Census Bureau groups responses into six broad categories: White, Black or African American, Hispanic or Latino, Asian and Pacific Islander, American Indian and Alaska Native, and Two or More Races. When a category has too few respondents for a given surname, the Bureau suppresses the figure to protect individual privacy, which is why some names show fewer than six slices.
Percentages are shown for every Census year so the breakdown stays comparable over time. When the source file also includes raw headcounts, Name Census shows those alongside the percentages in the legend.
Keep in mind that these are self-reported numbers. A person's surname does not determine their race or ethnicity, and the distribution you see here reflects the specific population who happened to carry the Macon surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- Black or African American59.5% · 3,998
- White30.2% · 2,025
- Two or more races6.0% · 403
- Hispanic or Latino3.4% · 225
- American Indian and Alaska Native0.5% · 33
- Asian and Pacific Islander0.4% · 30
Timeline
Historical Census data for Macon
Macon appears in 3 published Census surname files: 2000, 2010, 2020. The cards below show how the name's rank and bearer count changed across each release.
2010
#5,013
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 7,008
+416 bearers (+6.3%)
Per 100,000 2.38
Rank movement Down 120 places
2020
#5,062
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 6,714
-294 bearers (-4.2%)
Per 100,000 2.25
Rank movement Down 49 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #4,893 | 6,592 | 2.44 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #5,013 | 7,008 | 2.38 | +416 bearers (+6.3%) | Down 120 places |
| 2020 | #5,062 | 6,714 | 2.25 | -294 bearers (-4.2%) | Down 49 places |
For 2020, the Census Bureau published race and Hispanic-origin columns as counts rather than percentages. Name Census converts those counts back into shares so the ancestry section stays comparable with the older surname files.
Year on year
2010 vs 2020 Census
How has the Macon surname changed between Census years? The chart shows bearer count side by side, and the table compares rank, count, and frequency.
Census year comparison
20102020
| Metric | 2010 | 2020 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #5,013 | #5,062 | -1.0% |
| Count | 7,008 | 6,714 | -4.2% |
| Per 100K | 2.38 | 2.25 | -5.6% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Macon bearers went from 7,008 to 6,714 (-4.2% change). The surname moved down 49 positions in the national ranking, going from #5,013 to #5,062.
FAQ
Macon surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Macon?
Name Census estimates that about 7,699 living Americans carry the surname Macon. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 44,519 residents.
How common is Macon?
Macon ranks #5,062 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 2.25 per 100,000 residents, which is about 2 people out of every 100,000.
How many people with this surname were counted in the Census?
The raw 2020 Census file counted 6,714 people with the surname Macon. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (7,699), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 2.25 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 2.25 per 100,000 means that if you picked a random group of 100,000 U.S. residents, you would expect about 2 of them to have the surname Macon.
Has Macon become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Macon went from 7,008 recorded bearers to 6,714. That is a decrease of 294 (-4.2%). In the national ranking it fell from #5,013 to #5,062.
What does the Census say about the background of Macon?
Among Census respondents with the surname Macon, the largest self-reported group is Black at 59.5%. The next largest groups are White (30.2%) and Two or More Races (6.0%). These figures come from the 2020 Census Bureau surname tables, based on how respondents described their own race and ethnicity.
Which group reports this surname most often?
Black is the largest self-reported group for the surname Macon in the 2020 Census, accounting for 59.5% (3,998 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Macon appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are Black (59.5%), White (30.2%), Two or More Races (6.0%). For 2020, the source file also published raw headcounts for each group, which is why this page can show both percentages and counts in the ancestry section.
Is this page using the latest Census data?
Yes. This page is using the latest surname file currently loaded on Name Census, which is 2020. The historical section above also keeps any older Census surname entries we have for Macon (2000, 2010, 2020).
Does the Census include every surname?
No. The Census Bureau only publishes surnames that appeared at least 100 times in a given decennial Census. That means very rare surnames are excluded entirely, and a surname can appear in one Census release but disappear from a later one if it falls below the reporting threshold.
Why don't the ancestry percentages always add up to exactly 100%?
There are two main reasons: rounding and suppression. The Census Bureau rounds published values, and it may suppress very small cells to protect privacy. For 2020, the Bureau also published raw group counts rather than direct percentages, so Name Census converts those counts back into shares for comparability across census years.
What does Macon mean?
A French toponymic surname derived from various places in France named Mâcon, meaning "mason" or "stonecutter." The fuller origin note on this page goes into more detail.
Where does the surname data come from?
All surname statistics on Name Census are drawn from the US Census Bureau's decennial surname frequency tables. These files list every surname that appeared 100 or more times in the 2020 Census, along with a count, a per-100,000 rate, and a self-reported demographic breakdown. You can read the full explanation on our methodology page.
How does Name Census estimate living bearers?
For surnames, Name Census does not age cohorts the way it does for first names. Instead, it takes the Census Bureau's published frequency for Macon (2.25 per 100,000) and applies that rate to the current U.S. resident population to estimate how many living Americans have the surname today.
How many people have the surname Macon?
For a faster, more casual read, check HowManyOfMe.org — our sister site built around that single question.