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

McCurtain, 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 McCurtain surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of McCurtain in America

McCurtain is the 54055th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The McCurtain surname appeared 382 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 0 people would have the surname McCurtain.

We can also compare 2010 data for McCurtain 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 McCurtain

The surname McCurtain originates from Ireland, tracing its roots back to the 16th century. It is derived from the Irish Gaelic words "mac" meaning "son" and "Cruitín," which was a personal name derived from the word "cruiteachán" meaning "harpist" or "harper."

The McCurtain name was particularly prominent in County Cork, Ireland, where it is believed to have originated. The earliest recorded instances of the name can be found in the Fiants of the Reign of Elizabeth I, which were administrative records from the 16th century Irish government.

In the 17th century, the McCurtain family was one of the most influential clans in the region of West Munster, particularly in the baronies of Muskerry and Beare. The family held significant land and political power during this period.

One notable figure from the McCurtain lineage was Donough McCurtain, who was executed in 1617 for his participation in the Irish Rebellion of 1598-1603. He was a member of the influential McCurtain clan and fought against English rule in Ireland.

Another prominent individual bearing the McCurtain surname was Green McCurtain, a chief of the Beare Peninsula in the early 17th century. He was known for his resistance against the English during the Plantation of Munster.

In the 18th century, the McCurtain name appeared in various historical records, including the Hearth Money Rolls of 1665-1666, which were tax records compiled during the reign of Charles II.

One of the earliest recorded spellings of the name is "McCruttyn," which appeared in the Annals of the Four Masters, a celebrated chronicle of medieval Irish history, in the year 1598.

Despite its Irish origins, the McCurtain surname has also been found in other parts of the world due to Irish emigration. For instance, Thomas McCurtain, an Irish republican and Lord Mayor of Cork, was born in 1884 and played a significant role in the Irish War of Independence before being assassinated in 1920.

Overall, the McCurtain surname has a rich history deeply rooted in Irish culture and tradition, with a lineage that can be traced back to the 16th century and prominent figures who played important roles in Ireland's turbulent past.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name McCurtain

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

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

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

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