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

McClaney, 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 McClaney surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of McClaney in America

McClaney is the 141140th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The McClaney surname appeared 118 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 McClaney.

We can also compare 2010 data for McClaney 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 McClaney

The surname McClaney is of Scottish origin, derived from the Gaelic Mac Gille Fhaolain, meaning "son of the servant of St. Fillan." The name is believed to have originated in the region of Perthshire, Scotland, in the Middle Ages.

The earliest recorded instance of the surname McClaney can be traced back to the 16th century in Scottish parish records. In 1534, a John McGillefallane was mentioned in the records of Dunblane, near Stirling.

The name underwent various spelling variations over time, including McGillevallane, McGillevallich, and McGillivalloch, before evolving into the modern-day McClaney. These variations reflect the challenges of transcribing Gaelic names into written English during that period.

One notable bearer of the McClaney name was Robert McClaney (c. 1610-1680), a Scottish Presbyterian minister who emigrated to Ireland and became a prominent figure in the Scots-Irish community. He played a significant role in the establishment of Presbyterian congregations in Ulster.

In the 18th century, the McClaney surname appeared in the records of the Scottish Highlands. In 1743, a Donald McClaney was listed as a tenant on the estate of the Duke of Gordon in Strathspey, in the Scottish Highlands.

As the Scottish diaspora spread to other parts of the world, the McClaney name traveled with it. In the late 18th century, several McClaney families settled in the American colonies, particularly in Pennsylvania and the Carolinas.

One of the earliest recorded McClaneys in America was James McClaney (c. 1750-1820), a Revolutionary War soldier from Pennsylvania who fought in several major battles, including the Battle of Brandywine.

Another notable figure was John McClaney (1784-1862), an Irish-born soldier who served in the British Army during the Napoleonic Wars and later settled in Canada. He became a prominent figure in the early days of the city of Toronto.

In the 19th century, the McClaney name also appeared in Australia, with several families settling in the state of Victoria during the gold rush era. One of the earliest recorded McClaneys in Australia was Thomas McClaney (1820-1892), a miner who arrived in Ballarat, Victoria, in the 1850s.

Overall, the surname McClaney has a rich history rooted in the Scottish Highlands, with its origins dating back to the Middle Ages. Despite its relatively rare occurrence, the name has been carried by notable figures across various professions and locations throughout the centuries.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name McClaney

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

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

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

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