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

McCurty, 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 McCurty surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of McCurty in America

McCurty is the 65593rd most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The McCurty surname appeared 302 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 McCurty.

We can also compare 2010 data for McCurty 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 McCurty

The surname McCurty has its origins in the Scottish Highlands, with records of the name dating back to the 16th century. It is believed to be derived from the Gaelic words "mac" meaning "son" and "curaidh" meaning "hero" or "champion." This suggests that the name may have originally been bestowed upon the son of a brave warrior or clan chieftain.

One of the earliest known references to the McCurty name can be found in the Scottish Clan Ross manuscripts from the late 1500s, where it is recorded as "McCurdy." This spelling variation was common in those times due to the lack of standardized orthography for surnames.

The McCurty name has been associated with the regions of Argyll and the Western Isles, particularly the Isle of Skye. Some historians suggest that the name may have originated from the Clan MacDonald, one of the most powerful clans in the Scottish Highlands during the Middle Ages.

In the 17th century, a notable figure bearing the McCurty name was Duncan McCurty, a prominent landowner and chieftain of a branch of the Clan Ross in Wester Ross, Scotland. He was born around 1620 and played a significant role in the Wars of the Three Kingdoms, supporting the Royalist cause.

Another notable McCurty was John McCurty, born in 1734 in Inverness, Scotland. He was a renowned scholar and linguist, fluent in several languages including Gaelic, Latin, and Greek. McCurty served as a professor at the University of Edinburgh and was recognized for his contributions to the study of Celtic languages.

In the 19th century, the McCurty name gained prominence in the United States, particularly in the state of Pennsylvania. One notable individual was William McCurty, born in 1812 in Allegheny County, Pennsylvania. He was a successful businessman and philanthropist, known for his significant contributions to the development of Pittsburgh's infrastructure and public works projects.

The name McCurty also has connections to Ireland, where it is believed to have been introduced by Scottish settlers during the Plantation of Ulster in the 17th century. One of the earliest recorded McCurtys in Ireland was Patrick McCurty, born in 1780 in County Donegal. He was a prominent landowner and played a role in local politics during the tumultuous period of the Irish Rebellion of 1798.

Despite its Scottish origins, the McCurty surname has since spread across various parts of the world, including North America, Australia, and New Zealand, owing to the migration patterns of Scottish and Irish immigrants over the centuries.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name McCurty

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

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

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

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