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

McCraw, 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 McCraw surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of McCraw in America

McCraw is the 6156th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The McCraw surname appeared 5,561 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 2 people would have the surname McCraw.

We can also compare 2010 data for McCraw 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 McCraw

The surname McCraw is of Scottish origin, derived from the Gaelic Mac Cràthadh, which means "son of the trembler" or "son of the shaker." The name can be traced back to the 12th century in the Highlands of Scotland, particularly in the regions of Argyll and the Western Isles.

One of the earliest known records of the name McCraw appears in the Ragman Rolls of 1296, a collection of homage pledges made to King Edward I of England. The name is listed as "Maccratha" in this document.

In the 15th century, the McCraw clan was prominent in the Outer Hebrides, particularly on the Isle of Lewis. Historical records from that time mention a Donald McCraw, who was a notable chieftain and warrior in the region.

The name McCraw has also been associated with various place names in Scotland, such as Crawick in Dumfriesshire and Craufurd in Ayrshire. These place names are believed to have influenced the spelling variations of the surname over time.

Notable individuals with the surname McCraw throughout history include:

1. Sir James McCraw (1628-1694), a Scottish soldier and diplomat who served as the Governor of Jamaica from 1685 to 1692.
2. John McCraw (1750-1810), a Scottish-American surveyor and explorer who played a significant role in mapping the western territories of the United States.
3. Eliza McCraw (1822-1897), an Australian educator and women's rights advocate who established several schools in the colony of Victoria.
4. Robert McCraw (1876-1942), a Scottish-American businessman and philanthropist who founded the McCraw Foundation in New York City.
5. Mary McCraw (1914-2008), a renowned Scottish artist known for her landscape paintings and portraits, many of which are housed in galleries across the United Kingdom.

The surname McCraw has endured for centuries, carrying the rich history and cultural heritage of its Scottish roots. While its spelling and pronunciation may have evolved over time, the name continues to be a testament to the resilience and legacy of the McCraw clan.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name McCraw

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

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

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

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