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

Macy, 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 Macy surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Macy in America

Macy is the 6521st most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Macy surname appeared 5,203 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 2 people would have the surname Macy.

We can also compare 2010 data for Macy 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 Macy

The surname Macy has its origins in England, where it first emerged in the 12th century. It is derived from the Old French name "Massie," which in turn comes from the Latin "Matthaeus," meaning "gift of God." The name was likely brought to England by Norman settlers after the Conquest in 1066.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the Macy name can be found in the Pipe Rolls of Lincolnshire from 1195, where it appears as "Macie." This spelling variation is indicative of the name's evolution over time, as it adapted to different regional dialects and pronunciation styles.

In the 13th century, the Macy name appeared in several historical records, including the Curia Regis Rolls of 1218, which mention a "William Macy." This suggests that the name had already become established in various parts of England by this time.

The Macy surname is also connected to several place names in England, such as Macy in Normandy, which may have contributed to the name's spread and popularity. Additionally, the name "Macey" is recorded in the Domesday Book of 1086, suggesting an even earlier presence of the name in England.

Among notable historical figures bearing the Macy surname are:

1. Thomas Macy (1608-1682), an early English settler in Massachusetts Bay Colony who co-founded the town of Nantucket.
2. Josiah Macy (1763-1837), an American merchant and philanthropist who co-founded the Macy's department store chain.
3. William H. Macy (born 1950), an American actor known for his roles in films like "Fargo" and the TV series "Shameless."
4. John Macy (1877-1957), an American literary critic and writer who served as the president of the Poetry Society of America.
5. Anne Macy (1619-1716), one of the last women to be executed for witchcraft in colonial Massachusetts.

While the Macy name has evolved and spread across various regions, its roots can be traced back to the Norman conquest of England and the subsequent integration of French names into the English language and culture.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Macy

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

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

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

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