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

McCormack, 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 McCormack surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of McCormack in America

McCormack is the 2074th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The McCormack surname appeared 17,449 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 6 people would have the surname McCormack.

We can also compare 2010 data for McCormack 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 McCormack

The surname McCormack has its origins in Ireland, where it first emerged in the medieval era. It is an Anglicized form of the Gaelic name Mac Cormaic, which means "son of Cormac." Cormac was a popular personal name derived from the Old Irish words corb, meaning "chariot," and macc, meaning "son."

The McCormack name can be traced back to the 12th century, when it first appeared in ancient manuscripts and records from the province of Ulster. One of the earliest recorded bearers of the name was Fergus McCormack, a landowner and chieftain who lived in County Armagh in the early 1200s.

Over the centuries, the McCormack name spread throughout Ireland, with various spellings emerging, such as McCormick, McCormick, and McCormac. The name was particularly prevalent in Counties Armagh, Monaghan, and Fermanagh, where several prominent McCormack families established themselves.

In the 17th century, during the Plantation of Ulster, many McCormacks were displaced from their ancestral lands and scattered across Ireland and beyond. Some became soldiers and fought in various conflicts, including the Williamite Wars and the Jacobite Risings.

One notable figure bearing the McCormack name was John McCormack (1884-1945), an acclaimed Irish tenor and one of the most famous singers of the early 20th century. He was born in Athlone and had a successful international career, performing in prestigious venues around the world.

Another distinguished McCormack was John McCormack (1766-1833), an Irish-born American politician and lawyer who served as a United States Representative from Virginia from 1811 to 1833. He was a prominent figure in the early years of the United States.

In the literary realm, James McCormack (1826-1858) was an Irish poet and writer known for his contributions to the Young Ireland movement. His works, imbued with Irish nationalism, played a significant role in the cultural revival of the 19th century.

John McCormack (1858-1941), an Irish-born American prelate, served as the Bishop of Altoona, Pennsylvania, from 1904 to 1918. He was a respected figure in the Catholic Church and played a key role in the growth of the diocese during his tenure.

Another notable bearer of the McCormack name was John McCormack (1834-1901), an Irish-born American businessman and philanthropist. He amassed a considerable fortune in the mining industry and dedicated much of his wealth to charitable causes, supporting education and the arts.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name McCormack

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

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

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

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