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

McDavis, 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 McDavis surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of McDavis in America

McDavis is the 75069th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The McDavis surname appeared 257 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 McDavis.

We can also compare 2010 data for McDavis 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 McDavis

The surname McDavis has its origins in the Scottish Highlands, dating back to the 12th century. It is a patronymic name, derived from the Gaelic "Mac Dabhaidh," meaning "son of David." This suggests that the earliest bearers of the name were descendants of a man named David.

The McDavis name is closely associated with the Clan MacDavid, a Highland Scottish clan with roots in the regions of Badenoch and Lochaber. The clan's ancestral lands were centered around the areas of Glengarry and Knoydart.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the McDavis name appears in the Exchequer Rolls of Scotland from 1264, where a person named "Gilbert MacDavid" is mentioned. This suggests that variations of the name were in use by the mid-13th century.

During the 16th century, the McDavis name was also found in various legal documents and charters from the Scottish Highlands. For example, a "John McDavis of Glengarry" is mentioned in a charter from 1586, indicating the family's presence in the Glengarry region.

Notable bearers of the McDavis name throughout history include:

1. Angus McDavis (c. 1490-1558), a Scottish chieftain and leader of the Clan MacDavid, known for his involvement in the Battle of Flodden in 1513.

2. Duncan McDavis (c. 1620-1689), a Scottish Episcopalian clergyman and scholar who served as the Bishop of Ross from 1676 until his death.

3. Iain McDavis (1772-1843), a Scottish poet and Gaelic scholar, known for his contributions to the preservation of traditional Scottish literature and culture.

4. Alasdair McDavis (1832-1912), a Scottish military officer who served in the British Army and fought in the Crimean War and the Indian Rebellion of 1857.

5. Margaret McDavis (1887-1960), a Scottish-born American educator and advocate for women's rights, known for her work in establishing educational opportunities for women in the United States.

While the McDavis name has evolved over time, with various spellings such as MacDavid, MacDavitt, and McDavitt, its Scottish roots and connection to the Clan MacDavid remain a significant part of its historical legacy.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name McDavis

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

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

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

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