Mcallister
A Scottish occupational surname meaning "son of Alasdair" or "son of Alexander," likely referring to a clan chief.
According to the 2010 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 34,344 Americans carry the last name Mcallister. That puts it at #1,197 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 10.02 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 9,980 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Mcallister 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
34K
1 in 9,980
Census rank
#1,197
2010 decennial data
Per 100,000
10.0
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
30K
uncommon in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 29,544 bearers of the surname Mcallister in its 2010 decennial surname file. At a rate of 10.02 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 1197th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Mcallister, the largest self-reported group is White at 78.3%. The next largest groups are Black (16.1%) and Hispanic (2.3%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Mcallister
The surname McAllister is of Scottish origin, deriving from the Gaelic "Mac Alasdair" or "son of Alasdair." Alasdair is the Scottish form of the name Alexander. The name is thought to have originated in the Argyll region of western Scotland during the Middle Ages, where the Clan McAllister held lands.
The earliest recorded instances of the name appear in the 13th century, with references to individuals such as Gillecrist MacAleystyr in 1263. The name was often spelled in various ways, including McAlister, McCalyster, and McCallaster, reflecting regional dialects and scribal variations.
One notable early bearer of the name was Angus McAllister, a Scottish knight who fought alongside Robert the Bruce at the Battle of Bannockburn in 1314. He was granted lands in Kintyre for his service.
In the 16th century, the McAllisters were involved in conflicts with the Campbells, a powerful neighboring clan. In 1586, a bloody feud erupted between the two clans, leading to the Battle of Glenlussa, where the McAllisters suffered significant losses.
The name McAllister is also found in Irish records, likely due to migration from Scotland to Ulster during the Plantation of Ulster in the 17th century. Notable Irish McAllisters include John McAllister (1753-1795), an early Presbyterian minister and educator in Pennsylvania.
Other notable individuals with the surname include Archibald McAllister (1824-1896), a Canadian politician and businessman, and Walter Bruce McAllister (1900-1997), an American artist known for his Western landscapes.
Throughout history, variations of the name, such as McAlester, have also been prominent. This includes Miles McAlester (1856-1898), a Confederate soldier and recipient of the Confederate Medal of Honor during the American Civil War.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Mcallister
Among Census respondents with the surname Mcallister, the largest self-reported group is White at 78.3%. The next largest groups are Black (16.1%) and Hispanic (2.3%).
The bar chart below shows how Mcallister 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 Mcallister surname at the time of the 2010 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White78.3%
- Black or African American16.1%
- Hispanic or Latino2.3%
- Two or more races2.1%
- Asian and Pacific Islander0.6%
- American Indian and Alaska Native0.5%
Year on year
2000 vs 2010 Census
How has the Mcallister 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 | #1,122 | #1,197 | -6.7% |
| Count | 28,586 | 29,544 | 3.4% |
| Per 100K | 10.60 | 10.02 | -5.5% |
Between the 2000 and 2010 Census, the number of Mcallister bearers went from 28,586 to 29,544 (+3.4% change). The surname moved down 75 positions in the national ranking, going from #1,122 to #1,197.
Notable bearers
Famous people with the surname Mcallister
FAQ
Mcallister surname: questions and answers
How common is the last name Mcallister?
The surname Mcallister holds position #1,197 in the US Census Bureau's surname ranking, with an estimated 34,344 living bearers. It occurs at a rate of 10.02 per 100,000 Americans.
What is the ethnic background of the Mcallister surname?
Among Census respondents with the surname Mcallister, the largest self-reported group is White at 78.3%. The next largest groups are Black (16.1%) and Hispanic (2.3%). 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.