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

MacRae, 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 MacRae surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of MacRae in America

MacRae is the 13138th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The MacRae surname appeared 2,330 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 1 people would have the surname MacRae.

We can also compare 2010 data for MacRae 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 MacRae

The surname MACRAE has its origins in the Scottish Highlands, tracing back to the 13th century. It is derived from the Gaelic name "MacRath," which means "son of grace" or "son of fortune." The name is believed to have originated in the region of Ross-shire, particularly around the areas of Easter Ross and the Black Isle.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name can be found in the Ragman Rolls of 1296, a collection of homages rendered to King Edward I of England. The name appears as "MacRath," suggesting its ancient Gaelic roots. Over time, the spelling evolved into various forms, such as MacRae, MacRae, and MacCrae, before settling on the modern spelling of MACRAE.

The MACRAE name has been linked to several historical figures and events. In the 16th century, a branch of the clan played a prominent role in the Battle of Pinkie Cleugh in 1547, where they fought alongside the Scottish forces against the English army. One notable MACRAE from this period was Reverend Christopher MACRAE (1552-1622), a Scottish minister and author who wrote extensively on religious matters.

During the 17th century, the MACRAE clan was involved in the Wars of the Three Kingdoms, with many members supporting the Royalist cause. One of the most famous figures from this era was Sir Colin MACRAE (1604-1689), a Scottish soldier and chief of the MACRAE clan, who fought alongside the Marquis of Montrose in the Scottish Civil War.

In the 18th century, the MACRAE name gained further prominence with the exploits of Gillies MACRAE (1734-1808), a Scottish soldier and adventurer who served in the British Army during the American Revolutionary War. He is known for his daring escape from a British prison ship and his subsequent efforts to aid the patriot cause.

Another notable MACRAE was John MACRAE (1808-1892), a Scottish-born explorer and naturalist who made significant contributions to the study of natural history in Australia. He is renowned for his extensive collections of plant and animal specimens, as well as his detailed observations of the Australian landscape and indigenous cultures.

Throughout history, the MACRAE surname has been associated with various place names in Scotland, such as Inverinate in Ross-shire, where the MACRAE clan had a significant presence. The name has also been linked to locations like Clachan Srath in Badenoch, which was once a MACRAE stronghold.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name MacRae

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

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 MacRae 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 MacRae 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 MacRae was researched and written by our team of onomatology and genealogy experts.

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

Reference this page

We spend a lot of resources downloading, cleaning, merging, and formatting the data that is shown on the site.

If you found the data or information on this page useful in your research, please use the tool below to properly cite or reference Name Census as the source. We appreciate your support!