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

McCullen, 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 McCullen surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of McCullen in America

McCullen is the 13160th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The McCullen surname appeared 2,324 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 1 people would have the surname McCullen.

We can also compare 2010 data for McCullen 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 McCullen

The surname McCullen is of Scottish origin and is a variant of the Irish surname McCullen or MacCullen. The name is derived from the Gaelic Mac Cuilinn, meaning "son of Cuilenn," which is believed to be a personal name.

The earliest recorded instances of the name can be traced back to the 16th century in Scotland. In 1510, a John McCullen is mentioned in the records of the Barony of Renfrew. Another early reference is found in the Exchequer Rolls of Scotland, where a David McCullen is mentioned in 1532.

The McCullen surname was particularly prominent in the Scottish Highlands, especially in the regions of Argyll and Bute. Some records suggest that the name may have originated in the area around Loch Awe, where the family held lands.

In the 17th century, the McCullen name appears in various Scottish records, including the Register of the Privy Council of Scotland. In 1636, a John McCullen from Argyll was listed as a rebel against King Charles I.

One notable figure with the surname was Sir Archibald McCullen (1775-1853), a Scottish merchant and diplomat. He served as the British Consul-General in Tripoli and played a significant role in negotiating treaties with the Ottoman Empire and various North African states.

Another prominent McCullen was William McCullen (1807-1887), a Scottish-American businessman and politician. He served as the Mayor of Youngstown, Ohio, and was instrumental in the development of the city's iron and steel industries.

In the 19th century, the McCullen surname spread to other parts of the world, including the United States, Canada, and Australia, due to Scottish immigration. One notable figure from this period was John McCullen (1828-1900), an Irish-born American politician who served as the Mayor of Brooklyn, New York.

Another individual of note was James McCullen (1845-1922), a Scottish-born Australian businessman and politician. He was a member of the Victorian Legislative Assembly and played a crucial role in the development of the mining industry in Victoria.

In the United States, the McCullen name can be found in various historical records, including the American Revolutionary War records. A John McCullen from Pennsylvania served as a private in the Continental Army during the war.

Overall, the surname McCullen has a rich history and can be traced back to its Scottish roots, with various prominent individuals bearing the name throughout the centuries.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name McCullen

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

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

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

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