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

McAlpine, 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 McAlpine surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of McAlpine in America

McAlpine is the 102197th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The McAlpine surname appeared 176 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 0 people would have the surname McAlpine.

We can also compare 2010 data for McAlpine 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 McAlpine

The surname McCalpine has its origins in Scotland, dating back to the late 12th century. It is believed to have originated from the Gaelic words "maccalpain," which translates to "the son of the chaplain" or "the son of the devotional servant." The name is closely associated with the Scottish Highlands and the Isle of Islay.

The earliest recorded instances of the McCalpine surname can be traced back to the Ragman Rolls of 1296, a collection of homage rolls made during the reign of King Edward I of England. In these rolls, several individuals bearing the name McCalpine were documented as swearing fealty to the English monarch.

One notable historical figure with the McCalpine surname was Sir John McCalpine, who lived during the 15th century and served as a prominent military leader in the Scottish Wars of Independence against the English. He played a crucial role in the Battle of Sark in 1448, earning recognition for his bravery and tactical prowess.

Another significant individual was Robert McCalpine, born in 1816 in Ayrshire, Scotland. He was a renowned civil engineer and contractor responsible for constructing several notable landmarks, including the Ribblehead Viaduct on the Settle-Carlisle Railway line and the Conwy Tubular Bridge in Wales.

In the 19th century, the McCalpine surname gained prominence through the work of Sir Alfred McCalpine, a prominent British civil engineering contractor. He was born in 1865 and his company, Sir Alfred McAlpine & Son, was responsible for numerous infrastructural projects throughout the United Kingdom and beyond.

The McCalpine name has also been associated with various place names in Scotland, such as the village of McCalpine in Dumfries and Galloway, and the McCalpine Islands located off the coast of Argyll and Bute.

Other notable individuals bearing the McCalpine surname include Robert McCalpine, a Scottish writer and journalist born in 1846, and William McCalpine, a Scottish painter and etcher active in the late 19th century.

Throughout its history, the McCalpine surname has maintained its roots in Scotland, with many families continuing to reside in the Highlands and various regions of the country. The name has also gained recognition globally, reflecting the migration patterns of Scottish families over the centuries.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name McAlpine

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

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

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

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