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

McCalister, 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 McCalister surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of McCalister in America

McCalister is the 18144th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The McCalister surname appeared 1,534 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 McCalister.

We can also compare 2010 data for McCalister 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 McCalister

The surname McCalister is of Scottish origin, derived from the Gaelic name "MacAlasdair" which means "son of Alasdair." The name Alasdair is the Scottish Gaelic form of the name Alexander, which ultimately comes from the Greek name "Alexandros" meaning "defender of men."

The McCalister surname first appeared in the historical records of Scotland in the late 12th century, with the earliest known bearer being Gillebride MacAlasdair, who was a witness to a charter granted by King William the Lion in 1195. The name was particularly prominent in the regions of Argyll and the Western Isles, where many bearers of the name were part of the Clan Donald.

In the late 13th century, the name appeared in the Exchequer Rolls of Scotland, which were financial records of the royal household. One entry from 1292 mentions a "Gillecrist MacAlasdair" who was a tenant of the crown lands in Ayrshire. This spelling variation highlights the fluidity of surnames in medieval times, as they were often based on patronymics and could change with each generation.

By the 16th century, the McCalister surname had begun to spread throughout other parts of Scotland, as well as into Ireland, particularly in the province of Ulster. One notable bearer of the name was Sir William McCalister, who was a Scottish soldier and courtier during the reign of King James VI. He was born around 1550 and served as a Gentleman of the Privy Chamber to the king.

Another significant figure in the history of the McCalister name was John McCalister, a Scottish minister and writer who lived from 1679 to 1758. He was the author of several religious works, including "The Doctrine of the Holy Apostolic Catholic Church" and "A Treatise on the Divine Authority of the Holy Scriptures."

In the 18th century, the McCalister surname began to appear in the records of the American colonies, as many Scottish and Irish immigrants settled in the New World. One such immigrant was James McCalister, who was born in Scotland in 1720 and later settled in Pennsylvania. He fought in the American Revolutionary War and is believed to have been present at the Battle of Monmouth in 1778.

During the 19th century, the McCalister name continued to spread across the United States and Canada, with many bearers of the name becoming prominent in various fields. One notable figure was John McCalister, a Canadian politician who served as a member of the Legislative Assembly of Manitoba from 1874 to 1878.

Throughout its long history, the McCalister surname has maintained its Scottish roots and connections to the Clan Donald, while also spreading to various parts of the world through immigration and migration. Its origins can be traced back to the medieval period in Scotland, where it was borne by individuals of both noble and common birth.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name McCalister

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

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

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

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