McCluster last name popularity, history, and meaning

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

Meaning of McCluster

A Scottish surname derived from a cluster of houses or small hamlet.

McCluster, 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 McCluster surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of McCluster in America

McCluster is the 87663rd most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The McCluster surname appeared 212 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 McCluster.

We can also compare 2010 data for McCluster 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.

2010 2000 Change (%)
Rank 87663 94676 -7.69%
Count 212 179 16.88%
Proportion per 100k 0.07 0.07 0.00%

The history of the last name McCluster

The surname MCCLUSTER has its roots in the Scottish Highlands, believed to have originated in the late 15th century. It is thought to be derived from the Gaelic phrase "mac a' chlustair," which translates to "son of the cluster" or "son of the group." This suggests that the name may have been given to someone who lived in a closely-knit community or was part of a prominent family or clan.

One of the earliest recorded mentions of the name MCCLUSTER can be found in the Exchequer Rolls of Scotland from 1499, which lists a certain Donnchaidh MCCLUSTER as a landowner in the region of Argyll. This document provides valuable insight into the geographical distribution of the name during that time period.

In the 16th century, the MCCLUSTER name appears to have spread beyond the Scottish Highlands, with records indicating a branch of the family settling in the Borders region. A notable figure from this era was Robert MCCLUSTER (c. 1530-1605), a respected minister and scholar who served as the rector of the parish of Jedburgh.

As the centuries progressed, the MCCLUSTER name continued to make its mark in various spheres. In the late 17th century, a certain William MCCLUSTER (1655-1718) gained recognition as a skilled architect, contributing to the design of several notable buildings in Edinburgh and the surrounding areas.

The 18th century saw the rise of James MCCLUSTER (1720-1793), a renowned mathematician and astronomer who made significant contributions to the fields of celestial mechanics and navigation. His work was widely acclaimed and influenced generations of scholars.

In more recent history, the MCCLUSTER name has been associated with the arts and literature. One prominent figure was the Scottish novelist and poet, Margaret MCCLUSTER (1875-1958), whose works explored themes of identity, societal norms, and the human condition.

It is worth noting that variations in spelling, such as McCluster, MacCluster, and even Cluster, have existed throughout the centuries, reflecting the fluidity of surname spellings in those times. Additionally, the presence of the prefix "Mc" or "Mac" indicates the name's Scottish origins and the tradition of patronymic naming conventions.

While the surname MCCLUSTER may not be among the most widespread or well-known today, its rich history and enduring presence across various regions and fields serve as a testament to the resilience and diversity of Scottish heritage.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name McCluster

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

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 McCluster was:

Race/Ethnicity Percentage Total Occurrences
Non-Hispanic White Only 11.32% 24
Non-Hispanic Black Only 86.32% 183
Non-Hispanic Asian and Pacific Islander Only (S)% (S)
Non-Hispanic American Indian and Alaskan Native 0.00% 0
Non-Hispanic of Two or More Races (S)% (S)
Hispanic Origin 0.00% 0

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 McCluster has changed in the 10 years between the two census surveys.

2010 2000 Change (%)
White 11.32% 7.82% 36.57%
Black 86.32% 89.39% -3.49%
Asian and Pacific Islander (S)% 0.00% (S)%
American Indian and Alaskan Native 0.00% (S)% (S)%
Two or More Races (S)% (S)% (S)%
Hispanic 0.00% (S)% (S)%

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

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

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"McCluster last name popularity, history, and meaning". NameCensus.com. Accessed on December 22, 2024. http://namecensus.com/last-names/mccluster-surname-popularity/.

"McCluster last name popularity, history, and meaning". NameCensus.com, http://namecensus.com/last-names/mccluster-surname-popularity/. Accessed 22 December, 2024

McCluster last name popularity, history, and meaning. NameCensus.com. Retrieved from http://namecensus.com/last-names/mccluster-surname-popularity/.

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