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

MacVittie, 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 MacVittie surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of MacVittie in America

MacVittie is the 117480th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The MacVittie surname appeared 148 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 0 people would have the surname MacVittie.

We can also compare 2010 data for MacVittie 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 MacVittie

The surname MACVITTIE is of Scottish origin, originating from the Gaelic Mac Bheatha, meaning "son of life". It is believed to have originated in the late 12th or early 13th century, primarily in the Highlands and Islands regions of Scotland.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name can be found in the Scottish Exchequer Rolls of 1264, where a "Malcolm McVittie" is mentioned as a landowner in the Argyll region. The name also appears in various charters and records from the 13th and 14th centuries, with variations in spelling such as MacVittie, McVittie, and MacVitie.

In the 16th century, the MACVITTIE name was particularly prominent in the Isle of Islay and the surrounding areas. A notable figure from this period was John MACVITTIE, a respected clan chieftain who played a role in the Islay Rebellion of 1589 against the Earl of Argyll.

During the 17th and 18th centuries, the MACVITTIE name spread across Scotland, with branches of the family settling in various regions, including the Lowlands. One notable individual from this period was Robert MACVITTIE (1650-1723), a Presbyterian minister and author who served as the Moderator of the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland in 1718.

In the 19th century, the MACVITTIE name gained further prominence with the rise of the MACVITTIE biscuit and confectionery company, founded in Edinburgh by Robert MACVITTIE (1809-1883). The company became renowned for its shortbread and other baked goods, and its products were exported to various parts of the British Empire.

Other notable individuals with the MACVITTIE surname include:

1. James MACVITTIE (1775-1845), a Scottish politician and merchant who served as Lord Provost of Edinburgh from 1837 to 1840.
2. Alexander MACVITTIE (1820-1892), a Scottish-born Australian pastoralist and politician who served as a member of the Legislative Council of New South Wales.
3. William MACVITTIE (1844-1920), a Scottish-born Canadian businessman and politician who served as a member of the Legislative Assembly of Manitoba.
4. Thomas MACVITTIE (1871-1944), a Scottish-born Australian politician and member of the New South Wales Legislative Assembly.
5. Jean MACVITTIE (1904-1986), a Scottish author and playwright known for her works set in the Highlands and Islands of Scotland.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name MacVittie

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

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

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

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