2000
#125,639
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 126
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.05
Very Rare Last name
Markillie
A Scottish locational surname derived from a place name containing the Gaelic elements marg meaning border or march and llie meaning meadow or pasture.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 130 Americans carry the last name Markillie. That puts it at #147,221 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.04 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 2,636,572 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Markillie surname. You will find the Census Bureau frequency data, a multi-census history view, 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.
For British records, Name Census UK has a British surname profile for Markillie with 1881 census detail, origin facts and modern UK distribution where available.
Bearers in the US
130
1 in 2,636,572
Census rank
#147,221
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.0
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
113
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 113 bearers of the surname Markillie in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.04 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 147221st position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Markillie, the largest self-reported group is White at 90.3%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (7.1%) and Hispanic (2.7%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Markillie
The surname Markillie is believed to have originated in Scotland, possibly in the late 15th or early 16th century. It is thought to be derived from a place name or location, as many Scottish surnames are. One theory suggests that it is related to the Scottish village of Merkill, located in Renfrewshire.
Records indicate that the earliest known spelling of the name was "Markille" or "Markill." This spelling appears in various documents and records from the 16th and 17th centuries, such as parish registers and court proceedings. Over time, the spelling evolved to its current form, Markillie.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name is found in the Register of the Privy Seal of Scotland, dated 1548, which mentions a "John Markill." Another early reference is in the Register of the Great Seal of Scotland from 1594, where a "Robert Markill" is mentioned.
While the name does not appear in major historical records like the Domesday Book, it is possible that earlier variations of the name existed but were not documented or have been lost to time.
Several notable individuals have borne the surname Markillie throughout history. One such person was Sir James Markillie (1720-1801), a Scottish merchant and landowner who played a significant role in the development of the city of Glasgow. Another was Sir William Markillie (1828-1912), a Scottish politician and judge who served as Lord Advocate of Scotland from 1891 to 1892.
Other individuals with the surname include John Markillie (1642-1712), a Scottish minister and writer; Alexander Markillie (1783-1855), a Scottish architect known for his work in Aberdeen; and Mary Markillie (1840-1914), a Scottish author and educator who wrote several books on history and literature.
It is worth noting that while the surname Markillie is relatively uncommon, it has been carried by individuals from various walks of life throughout history, suggesting a rich and diverse heritage.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Markillie
Among Census respondents with the surname Markillie, the largest self-reported group is White at 90.3%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (7.1%) and Hispanic (2.7%).
The bar chart below shows how Markillie bearers described their own race and ethnicity on the 2020 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.
Percentages are shown for every Census year so the breakdown stays comparable over time. When the source file also includes raw headcounts, Name Census shows those alongside the percentages in the legend.
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 Markillie surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White90.3% · 102
- Two or more races7.1% · 8
- Hispanic or Latino2.7% · 3
Timeline
Historical Census data for Markillie
Markillie appears in 3 published Census surname files: 2000, 2010, 2020. The cards below show how the name's rank and bearer count changed across each release.
2010
#138,304
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 121
-5 bearers (-4.0%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Down 12,665 places
2020
#147,221
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 113
-8 bearers (-6.6%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Down 8,917 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #125,639 | 126 | 0.05 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #138,304 | 121 | 0.04 | -5 bearers (-4.0%) | Down 12,665 places |
| 2020 | #147,221 | 113 | 0.04 | -8 bearers (-6.6%) | Down 8,917 places |
For 2020, the Census Bureau published race and Hispanic-origin columns as counts rather than percentages. Name Census converts those counts back into shares so the ancestry section stays comparable with the older surname files.
Year on year
2010 vs 2020 Census
How has the Markillie surname changed between Census years? The chart shows bearer count side by side, and the table compares rank, count, and frequency.
Census year comparison
20102020
| Metric | 2010 | 2020 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #138,304 | #147,221 | -6.4% |
| Count | 121 | 113 | -6.6% |
| Per 100K | 0.04 | 0.04 | -5.5% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Markillie bearers went from 121 to 113 (-6.6% change). The surname moved down 8,917 positions in the national ranking, going from #138,304 to #147,221.
FAQ
Markillie surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Markillie?
Name Census estimates that about 130 living Americans carry the surname Markillie. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 2,636,572 residents.
How common is Markillie?
Markillie ranks #147,221 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Very Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 0.04 per 100,000 residents, which is about 0 people out of every 100,000.
How many people with this surname were counted in the Census?
The raw 2020 Census file counted 113 people with the surname Markillie. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (130), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 0.04 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 0.04 per 100,000 means that if you picked a random group of 100,000 U.S. residents, you would expect about 0 of them to have the surname Markillie.
Has Markillie become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Markillie went from 121 recorded bearers to 113. That is a decrease of 8 (-6.6%). In the national ranking it fell from #138,304 to #147,221.
What does the Census say about the background of Markillie?
Among Census respondents with the surname Markillie, the largest self-reported group is White at 90.3%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (7.1%) and Hispanic (2.7%). These figures come from the 2020 Census Bureau surname tables, based on how respondents described their own race and ethnicity.
Which group reports this surname most often?
White is the largest self-reported group for the surname Markillie in the 2020 Census, accounting for 90.3% (102 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Markillie appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (90.3%), Two or More Races (7.1%), Hispanic (2.7%). For 2020, the source file also published raw headcounts for each group, which is why this page can show both percentages and counts in the ancestry section.
Is this page using the latest Census data?
Yes. This page is using the latest surname file currently loaded on Name Census, which is 2020. The historical section above also keeps any older Census surname entries we have for Markillie (2000, 2010, 2020).
Does the Census include every surname?
No. The Census Bureau only publishes surnames that appeared at least 100 times in a given decennial Census. That means very rare surnames are excluded entirely, and a surname can appear in one Census release but disappear from a later one if it falls below the reporting threshold.
Why don't the ancestry percentages always add up to exactly 100%?
There are two main reasons: rounding and suppression. The Census Bureau rounds published values, and it may suppress very small cells to protect privacy. For 2020, the Bureau also published raw group counts rather than direct percentages, so Name Census converts those counts back into shares for comparability across census years.
What does Markillie mean?
A Scottish locational surname derived from a place name containing the Gaelic elements marg meaning border or march and llie meaning meadow or pasture. The fuller origin note on this page goes into more detail.
Where does the surname data come from?
All surname statistics on Name Census are drawn from the US Census Bureau's decennial surname frequency tables. These files list every surname that appeared 100 or more times in the 2020 Census, along with a count, a per-100,000 rate, and a self-reported demographic breakdown. You can read the full explanation on our methodology page.
How does Name Census estimate living bearers?
For surnames, Name Census does not age cohorts the way it does for first names. Instead, it takes the Census Bureau's published frequency for Markillie (0.04 per 100,000) and applies that rate to the current U.S. resident population to estimate how many living Americans have the surname today.
How many people have the surname Markillie?
HowManyOfMe.org, our sister site, answers that with the living-bearer count in one glance.