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

McDuffey, 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 McDuffey surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of McDuffey in America

McDuffey is the 37993rd most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The McDuffey surname appeared 584 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 McDuffey.

We can also compare 2010 data for McDuffey 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 McDuffey

The surname McDuffey is of Scottish origin, derived from the Gaelic personal name Dufach, which itself is a diminutive form of the name Duff. The prefix "Mc" or "Mac" means "son of" in Gaelic, so McDuffey essentially means "son of Duffach."

The name Duff has been traced back to the early medieval period in Scotland, with references to individuals bearing this name appearing in various historical records from the 11th century onwards. One early recorded instance is that of Duff, the Earl of Fife, who lived in the late 11th century and played a significant role in the Scottish monarchy during that time.

In the 13th century, a variant spelling of the surname, "McDuffie," is found in the Ragman Rolls, which were a series of documents recording the names of Scottish nobility who swore allegiance to King Edward I of England during the Wars of Scottish Independence.

Over the centuries, the surname has undergone various spelling variations, including McDuffie, McDuffy, McDuffee, and McDuffe, among others. These variations reflect the fluid nature of surname spellings in earlier periods, as well as regional differences in pronunciation and spelling conventions.

One notable individual with the surname McDuffey was Reverend William Edward McDuffey (1789-1836), an American politician and Methodist minister from South Carolina. He served as a member of the United States House of Representatives and was known for his oratorical skills and support for states' rights.

Another prominent figure was George McDuffie (1790-1851), an American politician and lawyer from South Carolina, who served as a U.S. Senator and Governor of South Carolina. He was a prominent advocate for nullification and states' rights during the early 19th century.

In Scotland, the surname has been associated with various noble families, including the McDuffies of Calton, a branch of the Clan MacDuff. This clan traces its roots back to the ancient Earls of Fife and played a significant role in Scottish history during the medieval period.

Other notable individuals with the surname include Alexander McDuffey (1920-2007), an American architect known for his work in modernist architecture, and Carleton McDuffey (1951-2009), an American graphic designer and artist.

While the McDuffey surname may have originated in Scotland, it has since spread to various parts of the world due to immigration and the Scottish diaspora. The name continues to be found in countries with significant Scottish heritage, such as the United States, Canada, and Australia.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name McDuffey

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

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

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

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