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

McConkey, 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 McConkey surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of McConkey in America

McConkey is the 11663rd most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The McConkey surname appeared 2,688 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 1 people would have the surname McConkey.

We can also compare 2010 data for McConkey 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 McConkey

The surname McConkey has its origins in Ireland, specifically in the region of Ulster. It is thought to have emerged during the late Middle Ages, around the 14th or 15th century. The name is derived from the Gaelic "Mac Cuinneagáin," which literally translates to "son of the hound."

This surname is believed to have been initially adopted by a family or clan who lived in the vicinity of County Antrim, Northern Ireland. Historical records suggest that the McConkeys were a prominent clan in this region, with some members holding positions of influence and authority within their local communities.

One of the earliest documented references to the McConkey name can be found in the Annals of Ulster, a medieval chronicle that recorded significant events in Ireland from the 5th to the 16th century. In this text, there are mentions of individuals bearing variations of the name, such as "MacCuinneagáin" and "MacConkey."

Another notable historical reference to the McConkey surname can be found in the Fiants of the Tudor Sovereigns, a collection of official documents from the reigns of Henry VIII, Edward VI, Mary I, and Elizabeth I. These records include several mentions of individuals with the surname McConkey or similar spellings, often in relation to land grants or legal proceedings.

One of the earliest recorded individuals with the McConkey surname was Donal McConkey, who lived in County Antrim in the late 16th century. He is mentioned in various historical documents as a landowner and prominent figure in the local community.

Throughout the centuries, the McConkey surname has been associated with several notable individuals. For instance, Patrick McConkey (1762-1843) was an Irish Presbyterian minister and author who served as the moderator of the General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church in Ireland in 1822.

Another prominent figure was James McConkey (1858-1937), a Scottish-born American businessman and philanthropist. He co-founded the McConkey Auction Company in New York City, which became one of the largest auction houses in the United States at the time.

In the literary world, John McConkey (1925-2008) was an acclaimed Irish poet and playwright. He was a recipient of the prestigious Eric Gregory Award for Poetry and is celebrated for his contributions to Irish literature.

Additionally, Claudius McConkey (1885-1957) was a British aircraft designer and engineer who played a significant role in the development of early military aircraft during World War I and World War II.

Lastly, Matthew McConkey (born 1990) is a contemporary Irish professional golfer who has competed on various tours, including the European Tour and the PGA Tour.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name McConkey

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

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

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

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