Malcolm
A Scottish surname derived from the given name Máel Coluim, meaning "disciple of Saint Columba."
According to the 2010 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 12,339 Americans carry the last name Malcolm. That puts it at #3,364 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 3.60 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 27,778 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Malcolm surname. You will find the Census Bureau frequency data, 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.
Bearers in the US
12K
1 in 27,778
Census rank
#3,364
2010 decennial data
Per 100,000
3.6
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
11K
uncommon in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 10,618 bearers of the surname Malcolm in its 2010 decennial surname file. At a rate of 3.60 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 3364th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Malcolm, the largest self-reported group is White at 65.2%. The next largest groups are Black (29.8%) and Hispanic (2.2%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Malcolm
The surname Malcolm has its origins in the Scottish Highlands and dates back to the 12th century. It derives from the Gaelic words "mhall" meaning "bald" and "cam" meaning "crooked." This suggests the name may have originally referred to a person with a distinctive physical appearance or deformity.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name appears in the Ragman Rolls of 1296, a historical document that lists Scottish landowners who swore fealty to Edward I of England during the Wars of Scottish Independence. The name is spelled "Malcholum" in this text.
In the 16th century, the Malcolm clan was centered primarily around the village of Balquhidder in the Trossachs region of Stirlingshire, Scotland. The chiefs of the clan held the lands of Poltalloch in Argyll for several generations.
A notable bearer of the name was Sir John Malcolm (1769-1833), a British diplomat and military officer who served as Governor of Bombay from 1827 to 1830. He played a significant role in the expansion of British influence in India during the early 19th century.
Another famous Malcolm was the Scottish writer and poet William Malcolm (1617-1657), who is best known for his work "The Kalendar of Scottish Saints." He was a minister in the Church of Scotland and wrote extensively on religious topics.
In the field of science, John Malcolm (1837-1914) was a Scottish engineer and inventor who made significant contributions to the development of early steam engines and boilers. He held numerous patents and his designs were widely used in the industrial revolution.
A more recent historical figure was Donald Malcolm (1901-1975), a Canadian politician and lawyer who served as the 21st Premier of Manitoba from 1948 to 1953. He was a prominent member of the Progressive Conservative Party and played a role in the formation of the modern judicial system in Manitoba.
Throughout its history, the surname Malcolm has been associated with various place names in Scotland, such as Malcolmstone in Aberdeenshire and the village of Malcolm in Ayrshire, which may have derived their names from early bearers of the surname.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Malcolm
Among Census respondents with the surname Malcolm, the largest self-reported group is White at 65.2%. The next largest groups are Black (29.8%) and Hispanic (2.2%).
The bar chart below shows how Malcolm bearers described their own race and ethnicity on the 2010 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.
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 Malcolm surname at the time of the 2010 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White65.2%
- Black or African American29.8%
- Hispanic or Latino2.2%
- Two or more races1.7%
- American Indian and Alaska Native0.7%
- Asian and Pacific Islander0.4%
Year on year
2000 vs 2010 Census
How has the Malcolm surname changed between Census years? The chart shows bearer count side by side, and the table compares rank, count, and frequency.
Census year comparison
| Metric | 2000 | 2010 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #3,399 | #3,364 | 1.0% |
| Count | 9,643 | 10,618 | 10.1% |
| Per 100K | 3.57 | 3.60 | 0.8% |
Between the 2000 and 2010 Census, the number of Malcolm bearers went from 9,643 to 10,618 (+10.1% change). The surname moved up 35 positions in the national ranking, going from #3,399 to #3,364.
FAQ
Malcolm surname: questions and answers
How common is the last name Malcolm?
The surname Malcolm holds position #3,364 in the US Census Bureau's surname ranking, with an estimated 12,339 living bearers. It occurs at a rate of 3.60 per 100,000 Americans.
What is the ethnic background of the Malcolm surname?
Among Census respondents with the surname Malcolm, the largest self-reported group is White at 65.2%. The next largest groups are Black (29.8%) and Hispanic (2.2%). These figures come from the 2010 Census Bureau surname tables, based on how respondents described their own race and ethnicity.
Where does this surname data come from?
All surname statistics on Name Census are drawn from the US Census Bureau's decennial surname frequency tables. These tables list every surname that appeared 100 or more times in the 2010 Census, along with a frequency rate and self-reported demographic breakdown. You can read the full explanation on our methodology page.