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

McDevitt, 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 McDevitt surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of McDevitt in America

McDevitt is the 4768th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The McDevitt surname appeared 7,425 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 McDevitt.

We can also compare 2010 data for McDevitt 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 McDevitt

The surname McDevitt is of Irish origin and dates back to the Middle Ages. It is an anglicized form of the Gaelic name Mac Dhuibhidhir, which means "son of the dark one" or "son of the dark visor". The name is derived from the Gaelic words "mac" meaning "son of" and "dubh" meaning "black" or "dark".

The McDevitt name is believed to have originated in County Donegal, located in the northern part of Ireland. It was a prominent surname among the ancient Irish clans and is closely associated with the region's history and culture. The name was often found in old records and manuscripts from the 13th to 16th centuries, indicating its long-standing presence in the area.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name McDevitt can be found in the Annals of Ulster, a chronicle of medieval Irish history. In the year 1338, a man named Conor McDevitt was mentioned as a participant in a battle between rival clans. This entry provides evidence of the name's existence and its connection to the region during that time period.

During the 16th and 17th centuries, the McDevitt name was also documented in various historical records and documents related to land ownership and legal proceedings in County Donegal. One notable individual from this era was Fergus McDevitt, who was born in 1585 and served as a local chieftain and landowner in the area.

In the 19th century, the McDevitt name gained further recognition with the birth of Bernard McDevitt (1818-1892), an Irish-American politician and lawyer who served as a member of the United States House of Representatives from Pennsylvania. Another prominent figure was James McDevitt (1842-1911), a Scottish-American labor leader and co-founder of the International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers.

Other notable individuals with the surname McDevitt include:

1. Michael McDevitt (1907-1993), an Irish-American actor known for his roles in films such as "The Godfather Part II" and "The Untouchables".
2. John McDevitt (1915-1999), a Canadian professional ice hockey player who played for the Boston Bruins and the Montreal Canadiens.
3. Maureen McDevitt (born 1961), an American actress and voice artist known for her work in various animated series and video games.
4. James McDevitt (1933-2018), an American lawyer and judge who served as a United States District Judge for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania.
5. Cillian McDevitt (born 1986), an Irish professional footballer who played as a defender for various clubs in Ireland and England.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name McDevitt

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

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

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

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