2000
#2,750
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 12,044
First available Census row
Per 100,000 4.46
Uncommon Last name
Mccurdy
A surname of Scottish and Irish origin, derived from the Gaelic "Mac Mhuircheartaigh," meaning "son of Mhuircheartach" (sea-ruler).
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 13,766 Americans carry the last name Mccurdy. That puts it at #2,932 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 4.02 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 24,899 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Mccurdy 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 Mccurdy with 1881 census detail, origin facts and modern UK distribution where available.
Bearers in the US
14K
1 in 24,899
Census rank
#2,932
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
4.0
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
12K
uncommon in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 12,005 bearers of the surname Mccurdy in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 4.02 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 2932nd position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Mccurdy, the largest self-reported group is White at 80.9%. The next largest groups are Black (10.5%) and Two or More Races (3.8%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Mccurdy
The surname McCurdy is of Scottish origin, with its roots traced back to the medieval period in the Scottish Highlands. It is derived from the Gaelic personal name "Curaidh," meaning "champion" or "brave warrior." This name was commonly bestowed upon individuals who exhibited exceptional courage and prowess in battle.
The earliest recorded instances of the McCurdy surname can be found in the ancient charters and records of Scotland from the 13th century onwards. One notable early bearer of this name was Gilchrist McCurdy, a prominent Scottish landowner and chieftain who lived in the 14th century and was mentioned in the Ragman Rolls of 1296.
The McCurdy name has been associated with several notable figures throughout history. One such individual was Sir John McCurdy (1550-1628), a Scottish soldier and diplomat who served as Ambassador to the Court of France during the reign of King James VI of Scotland.
Another significant bearer of the McCurdy surname was Robert McCurdy (1742-1814), an Irish-born merchant and politician who played a pivotal role in the establishment of the United States Merchant Marine and served as a member of the Pennsylvania State Legislature.
In the realm of literature, the McCurdy name is represented by the renowned Canadian author and poet, Lori McCurdy (born 1958), whose works have garnered critical acclaim and numerous literary awards.
The McCurdy surname has also been associated with several place names in Scotland, such as McCurdy's Hill in Dumfries and Galloway, and McCurdy's Loch in the Scottish Highlands. These place names serve as a testament to the historical presence and influence of the McCurdy clan in various regions of Scotland.
One notable figure from more recent times is Gordon McCurdy (1907-1993), a Canadian aviator and entrepreneur who played a pioneering role in the development of commercial aviation in Canada. He founded the company that later became Canadian Airlines International.
Throughout its history, the McCurdy surname has been closely tied to the rich cultural heritage of Scotland, with its bearers contributing to various aspects of society, from warfare and diplomacy to literature and aviation. The name continues to be carried proudly by individuals of Scottish descent around the world, serving as a reminder of their ancestral roots and the valor of their forebears.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Mccurdy
Among Census respondents with the surname Mccurdy, the largest self-reported group is White at 80.9%. The next largest groups are Black (10.5%) and Two or More Races (3.8%).
The bar chart below shows how Mccurdy 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 Mccurdy surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White80.9% · 9,712
- Black or African American10.5% · 1,264
- Two or more races3.8% · 458
- Hispanic or Latino3.7% · 445
- Asian and Pacific Islander0.6% · 69
- American Indian and Alaska Native0.5% · 57
Timeline
Historical Census data for Mccurdy
Mccurdy 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
#2,880
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 12,463
+419 bearers (+3.5%)
Per 100,000 4.23
Rank movement Down 130 places
2020
#2,932
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 12,005
-458 bearers (-3.7%)
Per 100,000 4.02
Rank movement Down 52 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #2,750 | 12,044 | 4.46 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #2,880 | 12,463 | 4.23 | +419 bearers (+3.5%) | Down 130 places |
| 2020 | #2,932 | 12,005 | 4.02 | -458 bearers (-3.7%) | Down 52 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 Mccurdy 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 | #2,880 | #2,932 | -1.8% |
| Count | 12,463 | 12,005 | -3.7% |
| Per 100K | 4.23 | 4.02 | -5.0% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Mccurdy bearers went from 12,463 to 12,005 (-3.7% change). The surname moved down 52 positions in the national ranking, going from #2,880 to #2,932.
FAQ
Mccurdy surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Mccurdy?
Name Census estimates that about 13,766 living Americans carry the surname Mccurdy. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 24,899 residents.
How common is Mccurdy?
Mccurdy ranks #2,932 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Uncommon." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 4.02 per 100,000 residents, which is about 4 people out of every 100,000.
How many people with this surname were counted in the Census?
The raw 2020 Census file counted 12,005 people with the surname Mccurdy. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (13,766), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 4.02 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 4.02 per 100,000 means that if you picked a random group of 100,000 U.S. residents, you would expect about 4 of them to have the surname Mccurdy.
Has Mccurdy become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Mccurdy went from 12,463 recorded bearers to 12,005. That is a decrease of 458 (-3.7%). In the national ranking it fell from #2,880 to #2,932.
What does the Census say about the background of Mccurdy?
Among Census respondents with the surname Mccurdy, the largest self-reported group is White at 80.9%. The next largest groups are Black (10.5%) and Two or More Races (3.8%). 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 Mccurdy in the 2020 Census, accounting for 80.9% (9,712 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Mccurdy appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (80.9%), Black (10.5%), Two or More Races (3.8%). 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 Mccurdy (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 Mccurdy mean?
A surname of Scottish and Irish origin, derived from the Gaelic "Mac Mhuircheartaigh," meaning "son of Mhuircheartach" (sea-ruler). 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 Mccurdy (4.02 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 common is the surname Mccurdy?
For a quick modern take, check how many people have the surname Mccurdy on our sister site HowManyOfMe.org.