2000
#9,353
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 3,197
First available Census row
Per 100,000 1.19
Rare Last name
Mcclurg
A Scottish and Irish occupational surname referring to a clerk or cleric.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 3,676 Americans carry the last name Mcclurg. That puts it at #9,670 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 1.07 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 93,241 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Mcclurg surname. You will find the Census Bureau frequency data, a multi-census history view, an ancestry and ethnicity breakdown based on self-reported demographics, the name's meaning and origin where available, and answers to the most common questions people ask about this surname.
For British records, Name Census UK has a British surname profile for Mcclurg with 1881 census detail, origin facts and modern UK distribution where available.
Bearers in the US
3.7K
1 in 93,241
Census rank
#9,670
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
1.1
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
3.2K
rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 3,206 bearers of the surname Mcclurg in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 1.07 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 9670th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Mcclurg, the largest self-reported group is White at 91.4%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (3.5%) and Hispanic (3.4%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Mcclurg
The surname McClurg is of Scottish origin, tracing its roots back to the medieval period. It is believed to have originated from the Scottish Gaelic name "Mac Lughrig," which translates to "son of the pilgrim" or "son of the wanderer."
The name first emerged in the regions of Galloway and Ayrshire, where it was closely associated with the powerful McClurg clan. The earliest recorded mention of the name dates back to the 13th century, appearing in various Scottish charters and legal documents.
One notable historical reference to the McClurg name can be found in the Ragman Rolls of 1296, which recorded the names of Scottish nobility who swore fealty to King Edward I of England. Several individuals bearing the McClurg surname are listed in this document, indicating their prominence during that era.
In the 15th century, the McClurg family established themselves as influential landowners in the parish of Dailly, Ayrshire. Sir Robert McClurg (1452-1521), a prominent member of the clan, served as the Laird of Dailly and played a crucial role in local politics and governance.
Over the centuries, the McClurg name has undergone various spelling variations, including McClerg, McClerge, and McClarg, reflecting the fluidity of surname spellings in earlier times. These variations often corresponded to different regions or branches of the family.
Among the notable individuals bearing the McClurg surname throughout history are:
1. John McClurg (1693-1748), a Scottish-born Presbyterian minister who played a significant role in the establishment of religious education in the American colonies.
2. James McClurg (1746-1823), an American Revolutionary War soldier and early settler in Kentucky.
3. Joseph McClurg (1722-1793), a Scottish-born publisher and bookseller who established one of the first publishing houses in Virginia.
4. Sir Robert McClurg (1452-1521), the aforementioned Laird of Dailly, who was a prominent figure in 15th-century Scottish politics.
5. William McClurg (1773-1846), an American businessman and politician who served as a member of the Virginia House of Delegates.
While the McClurg surname has its roots in Scotland, it has since spread to various parts of the world, particularly through Scottish emigration and the expansion of the British Empire. Despite its wide dispersion, the name remains a proud testament to its Scottish heritage and the rich history of the McClurg clan.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Mcclurg
Among Census respondents with the surname Mcclurg, the largest self-reported group is White at 91.4%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (3.5%) and Hispanic (3.4%).
The bar chart below shows how Mcclurg bearers described their own race and ethnicity on the 2020 Census form. The Census Bureau groups responses into six broad categories: White, Black or African American, Hispanic or Latino, Asian and Pacific Islander, American Indian and Alaska Native, and Two or More Races. When a category has too few respondents for a given surname, the Bureau suppresses the figure to protect individual privacy, which is why some names show fewer than six slices.
Percentages are shown for every Census year so the breakdown stays comparable over time. When the source file also includes raw headcounts, Name Census shows those alongside the percentages in the legend.
Keep in mind that these are self-reported numbers. A person's surname does not determine their race or ethnicity, and the distribution you see here reflects the specific population who happened to carry the Mcclurg surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White91.4% · 2,930
- Two or more races3.5% · 113
- Hispanic or Latino3.4% · 110
- Asian and Pacific Islander0.7% · 23
- American Indian and Alaska Native0.5% · 17
- Black or African American0.4% · 13
Timeline
Historical Census data for Mcclurg
Mcclurg appears in 3 published Census surname files: 2000, 2010, 2020. The cards below show how the name's rank and bearer count changed across each release.
2010
#9,778
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 3,314
+117 bearers (+3.7%)
Per 100,000 1.12
Rank movement Down 425 places
2020
#9,670
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 3,206
-108 bearers (-3.3%)
Per 100,000 1.07
Rank movement Up 108 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #9,353 | 3,197 | 1.19 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #9,778 | 3,314 | 1.12 | +117 bearers (+3.7%) | Down 425 places |
| 2020 | #9,670 | 3,206 | 1.07 | -108 bearers (-3.3%) | Up 108 places |
For 2020, the Census Bureau published race and Hispanic-origin columns as counts rather than percentages. Name Census converts those counts back into shares so the ancestry section stays comparable with the older surname files.
Year on year
2010 vs 2020 Census
How has the Mcclurg surname changed between Census years? The chart shows bearer count side by side, and the table compares rank, count, and frequency.
Census year comparison
20102020
| Metric | 2010 | 2020 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #9,778 | #9,670 | 1.1% |
| Count | 3,314 | 3,206 | -3.3% |
| Per 100K | 1.12 | 1.07 | -4.2% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Mcclurg bearers went from 3,314 to 3,206 (-3.3% change). The surname moved up 108 positions in the national ranking, going from #9,778 to #9,670.
FAQ
Mcclurg surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Mcclurg?
Name Census estimates that about 3,676 living Americans carry the surname Mcclurg. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 93,241 residents.
How common is Mcclurg?
Mcclurg ranks #9,670 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 1.07 per 100,000 residents, which is about 1 people out of every 100,000.
How many people with this surname were counted in the Census?
The raw 2020 Census file counted 3,206 people with the surname Mcclurg. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (3,676), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 1.07 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 1.07 per 100,000 means that if you picked a random group of 100,000 U.S. residents, you would expect about 1 of them to have the surname Mcclurg.
Has Mcclurg become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Mcclurg went from 3,314 recorded bearers to 3,206. That is a decrease of 108 (-3.3%). In the national ranking it rose from #9,778 to #9,670.
What does the Census say about the background of Mcclurg?
Among Census respondents with the surname Mcclurg, the largest self-reported group is White at 91.4%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (3.5%) and Hispanic (3.4%). These figures come from the 2020 Census Bureau surname tables, based on how respondents described their own race and ethnicity.
Which group reports this surname most often?
White is the largest self-reported group for the surname Mcclurg in the 2020 Census, accounting for 91.4% (2,930 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Mcclurg appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (91.4%), Two or More Races (3.5%), Hispanic (3.4%). For 2020, the source file also published raw headcounts for each group, which is why this page can show both percentages and counts in the ancestry section.
Is this page using the latest Census data?
Yes. This page is using the latest surname file currently loaded on Name Census, which is 2020. The historical section above also keeps any older Census surname entries we have for Mcclurg (2000, 2010, 2020).
Does the Census include every surname?
No. The Census Bureau only publishes surnames that appeared at least 100 times in a given decennial Census. That means very rare surnames are excluded entirely, and a surname can appear in one Census release but disappear from a later one if it falls below the reporting threshold.
Why don't the ancestry percentages always add up to exactly 100%?
There are two main reasons: rounding and suppression. The Census Bureau rounds published values, and it may suppress very small cells to protect privacy. For 2020, the Bureau also published raw group counts rather than direct percentages, so Name Census converts those counts back into shares for comparability across census years.
What does Mcclurg mean?
A Scottish and Irish occupational surname referring to a clerk or cleric. The fuller origin note on this page goes into more detail.
Where does the surname data come from?
All surname statistics on Name Census are drawn from the US Census Bureau's decennial surname frequency tables. These files list every surname that appeared 100 or more times in the 2020 Census, along with a count, a per-100,000 rate, and a self-reported demographic breakdown. You can read the full explanation on our methodology page.
How does Name Census estimate living bearers?
For surnames, Name Census does not age cohorts the way it does for first names. Instead, it takes the Census Bureau's published frequency for Mcclurg (1.07 per 100,000) and applies that rate to the current U.S. resident population to estimate how many living Americans have the surname today.
How common is the surname Mcclurg?
Find out how common the surname Mcclurg is on our sister site HowManyOfMe.org — a quick modern estimate with the living-bearer count front and centre.