Mcconaughey
Irish surname referring to a descendant of Conchobhar, an ancient Irish personal name meaning "high desire".
According to the 2010 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 480 Americans carry the last name Mcconaughey. That puts it at #49,268 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.14 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 714,072 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Mcconaughey surname. You will find the Census Bureau frequency data, 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.
Bearers in the US
480
1 in 714,072
Census rank
#49,268
2010 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.1
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
427
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 427 bearers of the surname Mcconaughey in its 2010 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.14 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 49268th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Mcconaughey, the largest self-reported group is White at 94.2%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (3.5%) and Two or More Races (1.2%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Mcconaughey
The surname McConaughey is of Irish origin, derived from the Gaelic surname Mac Conmhidhe, which means "son of the descendant of hound" or "son of the wolf-dog." It is believed to have originated in the 16th century in the northern counties of Ireland, particularly in County Donegal.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name can be found in the Annals of the Four Masters, a renowned Irish chronicle that spans from the earliest times to 1616. The name is mentioned in an entry dated 1590, referring to a member of the McConaughey clan.
The McConaugheys were part of the Gaelic nobility in Ireland and were associated with the territories of East Donegal and West Tyrone. They were known as a powerful sept (clan) in the region and were allies of the influential O'Neill family.
In the 17th century, during the Plantation of Ulster, many Irish families, including the McConaugheys, were dispossessed of their lands, leading to their dispersal throughout Ireland and eventually to other parts of the world, including North America and Australia.
One notable figure in the McConaughey family history is John McConaughey (1725-1807), an Irish-born Presbyterian minister who emigrated to America in the mid-18th century and became a prominent figure in the American Revolutionary War.
Another notable McConaughey is James McConaughey (1789-1869), a Scottish-born Canadian businessman and politician who served as a member of the Legislative Assembly of Upper Canada (now Ontario) in the early 19th century.
In the 19th century, the surname McConaughey began to appear in various spellings, such as McConaghy, McConaghay, and McConoghie, reflecting the variations in pronunciation and spelling that occurred as the name spread across different regions.
One of the most well-known bearers of the McConaughey surname in modern times is Matthew McConaughey (born 1969), the Academy Award-winning American actor known for his roles in films such as "Dallas Buyers Club," "Interstellar," and "The Wolf of Wall Street."
Other notable individuals with the McConaughey surname include John McConaughey (1933-2022), an American businessman and philanthropist, and Suzanna McConaughey (born 1945), an American singer and songwriter.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Mcconaughey
Among Census respondents with the surname Mcconaughey, the largest self-reported group is White at 94.2%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (3.5%) and Two or More Races (1.2%).
The bar chart below shows how Mcconaughey bearers described their own race and ethnicity on the 2010 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.
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 Mcconaughey surname at the time of the 2010 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White94.2%
- Hispanic or Latino3.5%
- Two or more races1.2%
- Unknown or suppressed1.2%
Year on year
2000 vs 2010 Census
How has the Mcconaughey surname changed between Census years? The chart shows bearer count side by side, and the table compares rank, count, and frequency.
Census year comparison
| Metric | 2000 | 2010 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #47,838 | #49,268 | -3.0% |
| Count | 416 | 427 | 2.6% |
| Per 100K | 0.15 | 0.14 | -6.7% |
Between the 2000 and 2010 Census, the number of Mcconaughey bearers went from 416 to 427 (+2.6% change). The surname moved down 1,430 positions in the national ranking, going from #47,838 to #49,268.
Notable bearers
Famous people with the surname Mcconaughey
FAQ
Mcconaughey surname: questions and answers
How common is the last name Mcconaughey?
The surname Mcconaughey holds position #49,268 in the US Census Bureau's surname ranking, with an estimated 480 living bearers. It occurs at a rate of 0.14 per 100,000 Americans.
What is the ethnic background of the Mcconaughey surname?
Among Census respondents with the surname Mcconaughey, the largest self-reported group is White at 94.2%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (3.5%) and Two or More Races (1.2%). These figures come from the 2010 Census Bureau surname tables, based on how respondents described their own race and ethnicity.
Where does this surname data come from?
All surname statistics on Name Census are drawn from the US Census Bureau's decennial surname frequency tables. These tables list every surname that appeared 100 or more times in the 2010 Census, along with a frequency rate and self-reported demographic breakdown. You can read the full explanation on our methodology page.