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

McAdams, 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 McAdams surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of McAdams in America

McAdams is the 3122nd most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The McAdams surname appeared 11,547 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 4 people would have the surname McAdams.

We can also compare 2010 data for McAdams 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 McAdams

The surname McAdams originated in Scotland and is derived from the Gaelic Mac Adhamh, meaning "son of Adam." This name is believed to have been first used in the Scottish Highlands during the Middle Ages, around the 12th or 13th century.

McAdams is considered a patronymic surname, which means it was originally formed by combining the prefix "Mac" (meaning "son of") with a personal name, in this case, Adam. This naming convention was common in Scotland and other parts of the British Isles during that time period.

The earliest recorded instances of the name McAdams can be found in various Scottish historical records and charters from the 13th and 14th centuries. One notable mention is in the Exchequer Rolls of Scotland from the year 1264, which includes a reference to a "Gillebride MacAdame."

In the 16th century, the McAdams family was prominent in the Scottish Borders region, with several members holding positions of influence and landowners. One notable figure from this era was John McAdams, who served as the Provost (Mayor) of Jedburgh in the late 16th century.

As the name spread beyond Scotland, variations in spelling and pronunciation emerged, including McAdam, McAdams, and Adams. In Ireland, the McAdams name is associated with County Antrim and County Down, where it is believed to have been introduced by Scottish settlers during the Plantation of Ulster in the 17th century.

Throughout history, several notable individuals have borne the surname McAdams, including:

1. Robert McAdams (1799-1865), an American politician and lawyer who served as a U.S. Senator from Illinois.
2. William McAdams (1810-1891), an American politician and jurist who served as a U.S. Representative from Pennsylvania.
3. John McAdams (1819-1886), a Scottish-born Canadian businessman and politician who served as a member of the Legislative Assembly of Manitoba.
4. Leila McAdams (1893-1965), an American actress and vaudeville performer who appeared in several Broadway productions and films.
5. Rachel McAdams (born 1978), a Canadian actress known for her roles in films such as "Mean Girls," "The Notebook," and "Spotlight."

The surname McAdams continues to be widely distributed across various parts of the world, with significant populations in countries like the United States, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand, reflecting the Scottish diaspora and migration patterns over the centuries.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name McAdams

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

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

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

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