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

McAuley, 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 McAuley surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of McAuley in America

McAuley is the 7906th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The McAuley surname appeared 4,186 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 1 people would have the surname McAuley.

We can also compare 2010 data for McAuley 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 McAuley

The surname McAuley has its origins in Ireland, particularly in the northern part of the country. It is believed to have emerged sometime around the 12th or 13th century. The name is derived from the Gaelic words "mac" meaning "son" and "Amhalghaidh" which is a personal name, likely meaning "servant of the rock" or "follower of the king."

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name can be found in the Annals of the Four Masters, a chronicle of medieval Irish history compiled in the 17th century. This manuscript mentions a "MacAuley" as early as the 14th century. The name was also found in various historical records from counties such as Armagh and Tyrone, where it was particularly prevalent.

In the 16th century, a notable figure bearing the McAuley name was Felim McAuley, who was a renowned Irish bard and poet from County Tyrone. He was known for his works that celebrated Irish culture and history. Another noteworthy individual was Sir Auley McAuley, who lived in the late 16th and early 17th centuries and was a prominent leader during the Nine Years' War in Ireland.

The spelling of the name has evolved over time, with variations such as MacAuley, McAwley, and McAughley appearing in different historical records. Some of these variations may have been influenced by regional dialects or the phonetic interpretation of the name by scribes or record-keepers.

In the 18th century, a distinguished member of the McAuley family was Richard McAuley, who was born in County Armagh in 1706. He was a prominent merchant and landowner, and his family played a significant role in the economic and social life of the region.

Another notable figure from the 19th century was Thomas McAuley, born in 1823 in County Tyrone. He was a renowned scholar and author who wrote extensively on Irish history and literature, making important contributions to the preservation of Irish cultural heritage.

As the McAuley name spread beyond Ireland, it was also associated with various place names, such as McAuley's Falls in County Antrim, which was named after a local landowner. The name has also been found in historical records from other parts of the British Isles, including Scotland and England, where Irish immigrants settled.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name McAuley

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

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

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

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