2000
#138,741
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 111
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.04
Very Rare Last name
Mccostlin
An Irish surname indicating one from a coastal village or town.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 131 Americans carry the last name Mccostlin. That puts it at #146,495 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.04 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 2,616,445 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Mccostlin 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.
Bearers in the US
131
1 in 2,616,445
Census rank
#146,495
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.0
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
114
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 114 bearers of the surname Mccostlin in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.04 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 146495th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Mccostlin, the largest self-reported group is White at 84.2%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (7.9%) and Two or More Races (7.9%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Mccostlin
The surname MCCOSTLIN originated from the Scottish Gaelic language, deriving from the words 'mac' meaning 'son of' and 'Coistlin', a personal name likely referring to a person's physical stature or character trait. It is believed to have first appeared in the Highlands region of Scotland during the late 12th century.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name MCCOSTLIN can be found in the Ragman Rolls of 1296, a historical record of Scottish landowners who were forced to swear allegiance to King Edward I of England. The name appears as 'MacCoistlin', indicating its Scottish origin and Gaelic roots.
In the 14th century, the name MCCOSTLIN gained prominence in the Scottish Lowlands, particularly in the regions of Ayrshire and Lanarkshire. The name was often associated with families of landed gentry and minor nobility, with some members holding positions of influence in local communities.
During the 16th century, a notable figure bearing the MCCOSTLIN name was Sir William MCCOSTLIN (1520-1589), a Scottish landowner and courtier who served as a household official under King James VI of Scotland. He was known for his loyalty and dedication to the crown.
In the 17th century, the MCCOSTLIN family had a presence in the Scottish Borders region, with records showing a John MCCOSTLIN (1635-1701) who was a prominent merchant and landowner in the town of Jedburgh.
As the MCCOSTLIN name spread throughout Scotland, variations in spelling emerged, including MCCOSTLINE, MCCOSTLYN, and MCCOSTLYNE. These variations were often influenced by regional dialects and the preferences of individual families.
One of the most notable figures with the MCCOSTLIN surname was Sir Robert MCCOSTLIN (1780-1853), a Scottish military officer who served in the British Army during the Napoleonic Wars. He gained recognition for his bravery and leadership on the battlefield, earning several honors and distinctions.
Throughout history, the MCCOSTLIN name has been associated with various professions and occupations, including landowners, merchants, military personnel, and clergymen. While the surname has maintained a strong presence in Scotland, it has also spread to other parts of the world through migration and emigration.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Mccostlin
Among Census respondents with the surname Mccostlin, the largest self-reported group is White at 84.2%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (7.9%) and Two or More Races (7.9%).
The bar chart below shows how Mccostlin 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 Mccostlin surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White84.2% · 96
- Hispanic or Latino7.9% · 9
- Two or more races7.9% · 9
Timeline
Historical Census data for Mccostlin
Mccostlin 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
#139,228
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 120
+9 bearers (+8.1%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Down 487 places
2020
#146,495
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 114
-6 bearers (-5.0%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Down 7,267 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #138,741 | 111 | 0.04 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #139,228 | 120 | 0.04 | +9 bearers (+8.1%) | Down 487 places |
| 2020 | #146,495 | 114 | 0.04 | -6 bearers (-5.0%) | Down 7,267 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 Mccostlin 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 | #139,228 | #146,495 | -5.2% |
| Count | 120 | 114 | -5.0% |
| Per 100K | 0.04 | 0.04 | -4.6% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Mccostlin bearers went from 120 to 114 (-5.0% change). The surname moved down 7,267 positions in the national ranking, going from #139,228 to #146,495.
FAQ
Mccostlin surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Mccostlin?
Name Census estimates that about 131 living Americans carry the surname Mccostlin. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 2,616,445 residents.
How common is Mccostlin?
Mccostlin ranks #146,495 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Very Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 0.04 per 100,000 residents, which is about 0 people out of every 100,000.
How many people with this surname were counted in the Census?
The raw 2020 Census file counted 114 people with the surname Mccostlin. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (131), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 0.04 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 0.04 per 100,000 means that if you picked a random group of 100,000 U.S. residents, you would expect about 0 of them to have the surname Mccostlin.
Has Mccostlin become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Mccostlin went from 120 recorded bearers to 114. That is a decrease of 6 (-5.0%). In the national ranking it fell from #139,228 to #146,495.
What does the Census say about the background of Mccostlin?
Among Census respondents with the surname Mccostlin, the largest self-reported group is White at 84.2%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (7.9%) and Two or More Races (7.9%). 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 Mccostlin in the 2020 Census, accounting for 84.2% (96 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Mccostlin appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (84.2%), Hispanic (7.9%), Two or More Races (7.9%). 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 Mccostlin (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 Mccostlin mean?
An Irish surname indicating one from a coastal village or town. 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 Mccostlin (0.04 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 Americans have the surname Mccostlin?
For a quick modern estimate, our sister site HowManyOfMe.org answers that in one glance, with the living-bearer count front and centre.