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

McCloud, 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 McCloud surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of McCloud in America

McCloud is the 2313th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The McCloud surname appeared 15,783 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 5 people would have the surname McCloud.

We can also compare 2010 data for McCloud 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 McCloud

The surname McCloud is of Scottish origin, originating in the 13th century from the Gaelic Mac Lòid or Mac Leòid, meaning "son of Leod". The name Leod is derived from the Old Norse name Ljótr, meaning "ugly" or "unlovely". The Clan MacLeod was one of the most powerful and influential clans in the Western Isles of Scotland, particularly on the Isle of Skye and the Outer Hebrides.

The earliest recorded reference to the name McCloud dates back to the late 13th century in the Exchequer Rolls of Scotland, where it appears as "MacLeod". The name is also found in the Ragman Rolls of 1296, a historical document recording the names of Scottish noblemen who swore fealty to King Edward I of England.

One of the most notable figures in the history of the McCloud name was Sir Torquil MacLeod (c.1330-1390), a Scottish nobleman and chief of the Clan MacLeod. He played a significant role in the Wars of Scottish Independence, fighting alongside Robert the Bruce against the English.

Another prominent McCloud was William McCloud (1590-1661), a Scottish minister and theologian who served as the Moderator of the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland in 1648. He was a leading figure in the Presbyterian Church and played a pivotal role in the Scottish Reformation.

In the 18th century, John McCloud (1734-1799) was a Scottish-born American military officer who fought in the American Revolutionary War. He served under General George Washington and was known for his bravery and leadership on the battlefield.

The name McCloud has also been associated with various place names in Scotland, such as Dunvegan Castle on the Isle of Skye, the ancestral home of the Clan MacLeod, and the town of Glenelg, where the McCloud clan had a strong presence.

Other notable individuals with the surname McCloud include Sir Norman McCloud (1878-1955), a British diplomat and colonial administrator who served as the Governor of Kenya from 1944 to 1952, and David McCloud (1945-2022), an American actor and director best known for his role in the television series "The Outer Limits".

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name McCloud

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

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

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

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