2000
#4,021
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 8,105
First available Census row
Per 100,000 3.00
Rare Last name
Mccreary
An Irish surname derived from the Gaelic "Mac Ruidhrí," meaning "son of Ruaidhrí" (Rory), a personal name meaning "red king."
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 9,144 Americans carry the last name Mccreary. That puts it at #4,307 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 2.67 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 37,484 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Mccreary 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 Mccreary with 1881 census detail, origin facts and modern UK distribution where available.
Bearers in the US
9.1K
1 in 37,484
Census rank
#4,307
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
2.7
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
8.0K
rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 7,974 bearers of the surname Mccreary in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 2.67 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 4307th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Mccreary, the largest self-reported group is White at 71.7%. The next largest groups are Black (19.5%) and Two or More Races (4.6%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Mccreary
The surname McCreary is of Scottish origin, originating from the region of Argyll in the western Highlands. It derives from the Gaelic "Mac Rìghreamhair," meaning "son of the grey-browed man" or "son of the fortunate one." This name likely originated as a descriptive surname, referring to an ancestor's physical attributes or personality.
The McCreary name can be traced back to the 13th century, with records showing the family's presence in the Argyll region during this time. One of the earliest documented references to the name is found in the Ragman Rolls of 1296, which recorded those who swore fealty to King Edward I of England. The name appeared as "McRyrewar."
In the 16th century, various spellings of the name emerged, including McCreary, McCreray, and McCreerie. These variations reflect the fluidity of surname spellings during this period, as they were often recorded phonetically by scribes.
The McCreary family played a significant role in the Clan Campbell, one of the most powerful clans in the Highlands. In the 17th century, John McCreary, born in 1620, was a notable member of the clan and served as a trusted advisor to the chief.
Another notable bearer of the name was Robert McCreary, born in 1675, who was a respected minister in the Church of Scotland. He was known for his powerful sermons and influential writings on religious matters.
In the 18th century, the McCreary name spread beyond Scotland as some family members immigrated to North America. One such individual was James McCreary, born in 1745, who settled in Virginia and became a prosperous farmer.
During the 19th century, the McCreary name gained prominence in both Scotland and North America. William McCreary, born in 1820 in Argyll, was a successful merchant and philanthropist who played a significant role in the development of Glasgow.
In the United States, John McCreary, born in 1835 in Pennsylvania, was a prominent politician who served as the 26th governor of Kentucky from 1875 to 1879.
McCreary has remained a respected surname throughout history, with bearers of the name contributing to various fields, including politics, religion, business, and the arts. Its Scottish roots and rich heritage continue to be a source of pride for those who carry the McCreary name.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Mccreary
Among Census respondents with the surname Mccreary, the largest self-reported group is White at 71.7%. The next largest groups are Black (19.5%) and Two or More Races (4.6%).
The bar chart below shows how Mccreary 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 Mccreary surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White71.7% · 5,721
- Black or African American19.5% · 1,555
- Two or more races4.6% · 370
- Hispanic or Latino2.9% · 235
- Asian and Pacific Islander0.7% · 57
- American Indian and Alaska Native0.5% · 36
Timeline
Historical Census data for Mccreary
Mccreary 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
#4,285
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 8,298
+193 bearers (+2.4%)
Per 100,000 2.81
Rank movement Down 264 places
2020
#4,307
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 7,974
-324 bearers (-3.9%)
Per 100,000 2.67
Rank movement Down 22 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #4,021 | 8,105 | 3.00 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #4,285 | 8,298 | 2.81 | +193 bearers (+2.4%) | Down 264 places |
| 2020 | #4,307 | 7,974 | 2.67 | -324 bearers (-3.9%) | Down 22 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 Mccreary 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 | #4,285 | #4,307 | -0.5% |
| Count | 8,298 | 7,974 | -3.9% |
| Per 100K | 2.81 | 2.67 | -5.1% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Mccreary bearers went from 8,298 to 7,974 (-3.9% change). The surname moved down 22 positions in the national ranking, going from #4,285 to #4,307.
FAQ
Mccreary surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Mccreary?
Name Census estimates that about 9,144 living Americans carry the surname Mccreary. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 37,484 residents.
How common is Mccreary?
Mccreary ranks #4,307 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 2.67 per 100,000 residents, which is about 3 people out of every 100,000.
How many people with this surname were counted in the Census?
The raw 2020 Census file counted 7,974 people with the surname Mccreary. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (9,144), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 2.67 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 2.67 per 100,000 means that if you picked a random group of 100,000 U.S. residents, you would expect about 3 of them to have the surname Mccreary.
Has Mccreary become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Mccreary went from 8,298 recorded bearers to 7,974. That is a decrease of 324 (-3.9%). In the national ranking it fell from #4,285 to #4,307.
What does the Census say about the background of Mccreary?
Among Census respondents with the surname Mccreary, the largest self-reported group is White at 71.7%. The next largest groups are Black (19.5%) and Two or More Races (4.6%). 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 Mccreary in the 2020 Census, accounting for 71.7% (5,721 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Mccreary appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (71.7%), Black (19.5%), Two or More Races (4.6%). 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 Mccreary (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 Mccreary mean?
An Irish surname derived from the Gaelic "Mac Ruidhrí," meaning "son of Ruaidhrí" (Rory), a personal name meaning "red king." 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 Mccreary (2.67 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 share the surname Mccreary?
For a quick modern estimate, our sister site HowManyOfMe.org answers that in one glance, with the living-bearer count front and centre.