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

McElhaney, 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 McElhaney surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of McElhaney in America

McElhaney is the 8547th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The McElhaney surname appeared 3,853 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 1 people would have the surname McElhaney.

We can also compare 2010 data for McElhaney 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 McElhaney

The surname MCELHANEY originated in Scotland during the Middle Ages. It is derived from the Gaelic personal name Gille Adhánáin, which means "servant of the Lord." The name was initially spelled in various forms, including MacIlheny, MacIlhenney, and MacElheneye.

One of the earliest recorded references to this surname can be found in the Ragman Rolls of 1296, which documented Scottish nobles who swore allegiance to King Edward I of England. Among those listed was Gillemichel McIlheny from Argyll.

During the 16th century, the MCELHANEY family was prominent in the Scottish Highlands, particularly in the regions of Argyll and Perthshire. Notable figures from this period include Donald McElheny (1530-1598), who was a prominent clergyman and served as the Bishop of Argyll.

As the MCELHANEY clan expanded, they established settlements in various parts of Scotland, leading to the emergence of place names such as McElhaney's Glen in Perthshire and McElhaney's Croft in Argyll.

In the 17th century, the MCELHANEY surname appeared in the records of the Scottish Parliament. One notable member was Sir Archibald McElhaney (1620-1690), who represented Argyll and played a significant role in the Scottish Reformation.

During the 18th and 19th centuries, many MCELHANEY families immigrated to North America, particularly to the United States and Canada. One notable figure from this period was William McElhaney (1785-1861), a Scottish-born American politician who served as a member of the United States House of Representatives from Pennsylvania.

Other notable individuals bearing the MCELHANEY surname include:

1. James McElhaney (1812-1887), a Scottish-American businessman and philanthropist from Ohio.
2. Margaret McElhaney (1860-1938), a Canadian author and women's rights activist.
3. David McElhaney (1901-1976), an American military officer who served in World War II and the Korean War.
4. John McElhaney (1915-2005), a Scottish-born Canadian physicist and academic.
5. Robert McElhaney (born 1952), an American actor and filmmaker known for his roles in television series and movies.

The MCELHANEY surname has a rich history rooted in Scotland, with branches spreading across various parts of the world. It has been carried by individuals from diverse backgrounds, including clergy, politicians, entrepreneurs, academics, and artists, contributing to the cultural tapestry of their respective communities.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name McElhaney

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

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

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

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