2000
#136,783
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 113
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.04
Very Rare Last name
Mcdown
A surname derived from the Gaelic Mac Duibhne, meaning "son of the dark one".
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 122 Americans carry the last name Mcdown. That puts it at #152,339 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.04 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 2,809,462 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Mcdown 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.
Bearers in the US
122
1 in 2,809,462
Census rank
#152,339
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.0
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
106
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 106 bearers of the surname Mcdown in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.04 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 152339th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Mcdown, the largest self-reported group is White at 81.1%. The next largest groups are Black (5.7%) and Two or More Races (4.7%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Mcdown
The surname MCDOWN is of Scottish origin, emerging in the late 13th century from the Gaelic 'Mac Dùghain' or 'son of Doughan'. Doughan was a personal name derived from the Gaelic word 'dubh', meaning dark or swarthy. The name was prominent in the Hebrides and western coastal regions of Scotland.
Early records show the name appearing as 'MacDoughan' and 'MacDowghan' before evolving into the more modern spelling of MCDOWN. One of the earliest known references is in the Exchequer Rolls of Scotland from 1292, where a 'Douenaldus MacDoughan' is mentioned.
The MCDOWN surname can be traced back to the Isle of Islay, where the clan held lands in the parish of Kilchoman. In the 16th century, a notable bearer of the name was Angus MCDOWN, known as the 'Constable of the Isles', who played a pivotal role in resolving disputes between the powerful Clan Donald and the Scottish Crown.
In the 17th century, the surname spread to other parts of Scotland, including the Highlands and Lowlands. One prominent figure was Robert MCDOWN (1605-1679), a Presbyterian minister and theologian who served as the Principal of the University of Glasgow from 1660 until his death.
During the 18th century, several members of the MCDOWN clan emigrated to North America, settling in regions such as Nova Scotia and the American colonies. One notable individual was Archibald MCDOWN (1726-1790), a successful merchant and landowner in Philadelphia who played a role in the American Revolutionary War.
The 19th century saw the MCDOWN name continue to spread across the British Empire. John MCDOWN (1819-1892), a Scottish architect, designed several notable buildings in Melbourne, Australia, including the Old Melbourne Mint and the Royal Arcade.
In more recent times, the MCDOWN surname has been associated with various fields, including academia, literature, and the arts. One notable figure was James MCDOWN (1914-1987), a renowned Scottish poet and playwright whose works explored themes of identity, landscape, and social commentary.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Mcdown
Among Census respondents with the surname Mcdown, the largest self-reported group is White at 81.1%. The next largest groups are Black (5.7%) and Two or More Races (4.7%).
The bar chart below shows how Mcdown 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 Mcdown surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White81.1% · 86
- Black or African American5.7% · 6
- Two or more races4.7% · 5
- Hispanic or Latino3.8% · 4
- American Indian and Alaska Native3.8% · 4
- Asian and Pacific Islander0.9% · 1
Timeline
Historical Census data for Mcdown
Mcdown 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
#143,149
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 116
+3 bearers (+2.7%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Down 6,366 places
2020
#152,339
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 106
-10 bearers (-8.6%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Down 9,190 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #136,783 | 113 | 0.04 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #143,149 | 116 | 0.04 | +3 bearers (+2.7%) | Down 6,366 places |
| 2020 | #152,339 | 106 | 0.04 | -10 bearers (-8.6%) | Down 9,190 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 Mcdown 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 | #143,149 | #152,339 | -6.4% |
| Count | 116 | 106 | -8.6% |
| Per 100K | 0.04 | 0.04 | -11.3% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Mcdown bearers went from 116 to 106 (-8.6% change). The surname moved down 9,190 positions in the national ranking, going from #143,149 to #152,339.
FAQ
Mcdown surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Mcdown?
Name Census estimates that about 122 living Americans carry the surname Mcdown. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 2,809,462 residents.
How common is Mcdown?
Mcdown ranks #152,339 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Very Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 0.04 per 100,000 residents, which is about 0 people out of every 100,000.
How many people with this surname were counted in the Census?
The raw 2020 Census file counted 106 people with the surname Mcdown. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (122), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 0.04 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 0.04 per 100,000 means that if you picked a random group of 100,000 U.S. residents, you would expect about 0 of them to have the surname Mcdown.
Has Mcdown become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Mcdown went from 116 recorded bearers to 106. That is a decrease of 10 (-8.6%). In the national ranking it fell from #143,149 to #152,339.
What does the Census say about the background of Mcdown?
Among Census respondents with the surname Mcdown, the largest self-reported group is White at 81.1%. The next largest groups are Black (5.7%) and Two or More Races (4.7%). 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 Mcdown in the 2020 Census, accounting for 81.1% (86 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Mcdown appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (81.1%), Black (5.7%), Two or More Races (4.7%). 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 Mcdown (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 Mcdown mean?
A surname derived from the Gaelic Mac Duibhne, meaning "son of the dark one". 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 Mcdown (0.04 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 many people share the surname Mcdown?
For a faster, more casual read, check HowManyOfMe.org — our sister site built around that single question.