2000
#11,762
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 2,440
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.90
Rare Last name
Mcconkey
A Scottish or Irish surname derived from the Gaelic "Mac Donnchadha," meaning "son of Donnchadh" (brown-haired warrior).
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 2,648 Americans carry the last name Mcconkey. That puts it at #12,759 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.77 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 129,439 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Mcconkey 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 Mcconkey with 1881 census detail, origin facts and modern UK distribution where available.
Bearers in the US
2.6K
1 in 129,439
Census rank
#12,759
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.8
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
2.3K
rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 2,309 bearers of the surname Mcconkey in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.77 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 12759th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Mcconkey, the largest self-reported group is White at 92.6%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (2.6%) and Hispanic (2.2%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of 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.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Mcconkey
Among Census respondents with the surname Mcconkey, the largest self-reported group is White at 92.6%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (2.6%) and Hispanic (2.2%).
The bar chart below shows how Mcconkey 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 Mcconkey surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White92.6% · 2,137
- Two or more races2.6% · 60
- Hispanic or Latino2.2% · 51
- Asian and Pacific Islander1.1% · 26
- American Indian and Alaska Native1.1% · 26
- Black or African American0.4% · 9
Timeline
Historical Census data for Mcconkey
Mcconkey 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
#11,663
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 2,688
+248 bearers (+10.2%)
Per 100,000 0.91
Rank movement Up 99 places
2020
#12,759
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 2,309
-379 bearers (-14.1%)
Per 100,000 0.77
Rank movement Down 1,096 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #11,762 | 2,440 | 0.90 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #11,663 | 2,688 | 0.91 | +248 bearers (+10.2%) | Up 99 places |
| 2020 | #12,759 | 2,309 | 0.77 | -379 bearers (-14.1%) | Down 1,096 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 Mcconkey 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 | #11,663 | #12,759 | -9.4% |
| Count | 2,688 | 2,309 | -14.1% |
| Per 100K | 0.91 | 0.77 | -15.1% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Mcconkey bearers went from 2,688 to 2,309 (-14.1% change). The surname moved down 1,096 positions in the national ranking, going from #11,663 to #12,759.
FAQ
Mcconkey surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Mcconkey?
Name Census estimates that about 2,648 living Americans carry the surname Mcconkey. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 129,439 residents.
How common is Mcconkey?
Mcconkey ranks #12,759 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 0.77 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 2,309 people with the surname Mcconkey. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (2,648), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 0.77 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 0.77 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 Mcconkey.
Has Mcconkey become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Mcconkey went from 2,688 recorded bearers to 2,309. That is a decrease of 379 (-14.1%). In the national ranking it fell from #11,663 to #12,759.
What does the Census say about the background of Mcconkey?
Among Census respondents with the surname Mcconkey, the largest self-reported group is White at 92.6%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (2.6%) and Hispanic (2.2%). 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 Mcconkey in the 2020 Census, accounting for 92.6% (2,137 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Mcconkey appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (92.6%), Two or More Races (2.6%), Hispanic (2.2%). 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 Mcconkey (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 Mcconkey mean?
A Scottish or Irish surname derived from the Gaelic "Mac Donnchadha," meaning "son of Donnchadh" (brown-haired warrior). 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 Mcconkey (0.77 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 many people are called Mcconkey?
You can see how many people are called Mcconkey on our sister site HowManyOfMe.org — same data roots, lighter UI.