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

Makay, 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 Makay surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Makay in America

Makay is the 84748th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Makay surname appeared 221 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 Makay.

We can also compare 2010 data for Makay 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 Makay

The surname MAKAY has its origins in Scotland, tracing back to the early 13th century. It is believed to have derived from the Gaelic word "macsaidh," which translates to "son of Saydie" or "son of the Englishman." This suggests that the name may have initially referred to an individual whose father was an Englishman living in Scotland.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the MAKAY name can be found in the Exchequer Rolls of Scotland from 1264, where a certain "Gillecrist MacSay" is mentioned. This spelling variation, "MacSay," is believed to be an early form of the surname MAKAY.

In the 14th century, the MAKAY name appeared in various charters and records throughout the Scottish Highlands, particularly in the regions of Sutherland and Caithness. The name was closely associated with the clan MacKay, one of the most prominent and powerful clans in the northern Highlands.

A notable figure bearing the MAKAY surname was Iye Makay, also known as Iye Mor, who lived in the late 14th century and was the first chief of the Clan Mackay recognized by the Lord of the Isles. Iye Makay played a significant role in establishing the clan's territorial claims in Strathnaver, Sutherland.

During the 16th century, the MAKAY name gained further prominence with individuals such as Donald Makay, 11th chief of the Clan Mackay, who was born in 1550 and played a crucial role in the clan's conflicts with the Earl of Caithness. Another notable figure was Huistean Du Makay, a renowned warrior and poet who lived in the late 16th century.

In the 17th century, the MAKAY surname was carried to various parts of the world by Scottish emigrants and settlers. One such individual was Robert Makay, a Scottish merchant and colonist who was born in 1654 and helped establish the first permanent European settlement in East Jersey (now part of New Jersey, USA).

As the centuries passed, the MAKAY surname continued to spread across Scotland and beyond, with bearers of the name making significant contributions in various fields, including military service, literature, and academia.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Makay

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

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

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

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