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

McCleod, 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 McCleod surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of McCleod in America

McCleod is the 38214th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The McCleod surname appeared 580 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 McCleod.

We can also compare 2010 data for McCleod 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 McCleod

The surname MCCLEOD originated in Scotland and can be traced back to the 13th century. It is a Gaelic name derived from the old Gaelic words "mac" meaning son, and "Leòid" which is a variant of the Old Norse word "ljótr" meaning ugly or unpleasant person. The name likely refers to an ancestor who may have had an unpleasant appearance or demeanor.

The MCCLEOD name is closely associated with the Clan MacLeod, one of the oldest and most powerful clans in the Scottish Highlands. The clan's ancestral lands were on the Isle of Skye and the nearby mainland areas of Ross-shire and Sutherland. The earliest recorded chief of the clan was Leod, who lived in the late 13th century.

In the 14th century, the name appeared in the Exchequer Rolls of Scotland, which were ancient records of the Scottish government's financial accounts. The rolls mention several individuals with the MCCLEOD name, including Gillemor Maccleod in 1325 and Torkyll Maccleod in 1342.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the MCCLEOD name is in the Book of Clanranald, an ancient manuscript from the late 14th century that chronicles the history of the MacDonalds of Clanranald. The manuscript mentions a "Torquil MacLeod" who was a chieftain in the late 13th century.

Notable historical figures with the MCCLEOD surname include Sir Rory Mor MCCLEOD (c.1570-1626), who was the 16th Chief of the Clan MacLeod and a renowned warrior. Mary MCCLEOD (1775-1862) was a Scottish-American pioneer who settled in the United States and established a community in North Carolina. Alexander MCCLEOD (1774-1840) was a Scottish-American trader and explorer who played a significant role in the early fur trade in the Pacific Northwest.

Other notable individuals with the MCCLEOD surname include Norman MCCLEOD (1812-1872), a Scottish minister and author, and Sir Fitzroy MCCLEOD (1909-1982), a British diplomat and colonial administrator who served as Governor of several territories.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name McCleod

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

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

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

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