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

McCulloch, 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 McCulloch surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of McCulloch in America

McCulloch is the 4312th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The McCulloch surname appeared 8,244 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 3 people would have the surname McCulloch.

We can also compare 2010 data for McCulloch 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 McCulloch

The surname McCulloch has its origins in Scotland, tracing back to the 13th century. It is derived from the Gaelic words "mac" meaning "son" and "cuilloch" meaning "boar" or "young boar." This suggests that the name may have been a descriptive nickname for an ancestor who possessed boar-like characteristics or lived in an area populated by these animals.

The name McCulloch is closely related to the Scottish clan MacCulloch, which held lands in the counties of Wigtownshire and Kirkcudbrightshire. One of the earliest recorded mentions of the name can be found in the Ragman Rolls of 1296, a document containing a list of Scottish nobles who swore allegiance to King Edward I of England. Among the names listed is "Patricii Makculochi."

In the 14th century, a branch of the McCulloch family settled in the parish of Plunton, near Stirling. This is evidenced by a charter from 1368 that mentions "Robert McCulloch of Plunton." The name also appears in the Exchequer Rolls of Scotland in the 15th century, where a "John McCulloch" is recorded as holding lands in Wigtown.

One of the notable McCullochs in history was Sir Humphrey McCulloch (c. 1470-1536), a Scottish diplomat and clergyman who served as the Lord Privy Seal of Scotland under King James V. He played a significant role in the negotiations that led to the marriage of James V to Princess Madeleine of France.

Another prominent figure was Benjamin McCulloch (1811-1862), a Texan soldier and officer in the Confederate States Army during the American Civil War. He was born in Tennessee and gained fame for his military exploits, particularly his victory at the Battle of Valverde in 1862, before being killed later that year at the Battle of Pea Ridge.

In the literary world, John McCulloch (1789-1864) was a Scottish geographer, statistician, and author who published numerous works on geography, economics, and history. His most notable work was "A Descriptive and Statistical Account of the British Empire" (1824).

The name McCulloch has also been associated with several place names in Scotland, such as McCulloch's Castle in Wigtownshire and the village of McCulloch Bridge in Kirkcudbrightshire, further emphasizing the family's historical ties to the region.

While variations in spelling, such as McCullough and McCullagh, exist, the McCulloch surname has maintained a strong connection to its Scottish heritage and has been carried by individuals of note throughout history.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name McCulloch

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

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

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

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