2000
#121,780
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 131
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.05
Very Rare Last name
Mcelory
An Irish surname derived from the Gaelic 'Mac Giolla Rí' meaning 'son of the servant of the king'.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 136 Americans carry the last name Mcelory. That puts it at #142,788 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.04 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 2,520,252 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Mcelory 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
136
1 in 2,520,252
Census rank
#142,788
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.0
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
119
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 119 bearers of the surname Mcelory in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.04 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 142788th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Mcelory, the largest self-reported group is White at 53.8%. The next largest groups are Black (33.6%) and Hispanic (5.9%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Mcelory
The surname MCELORY has its origins in the Scottish Highlands, dating back to the 16th century. It is believed to have derived from the Gaelic words "Mac" meaning "son of" and "Elroy," an ancient personal name derived from the Irish "Ailrioch" or "Elbric," meaning "noble."
The earliest known record of the MCELORY name appears in the Scottish Clan records of 1568, where a John MCELORY is listed as a member of the Clan MacDonald. This suggests that the name may have originated as a sept or branch of the powerful MacDonald Clan, with members adopting the MCELORY surname to distinguish themselves.
In the 17th century, several MCELORY families were recorded in the parishes of Argyll and Inverness-shire, indicating that the name had spread throughout the Scottish Highlands. The name was often anglicized to various spellings such as McElroy, MacElroy, and McIlroy during this period.
One notable historical figure bearing the MCELORY name was John MCELORY (1705-1773), a Scottish philosopher and scholar who studied at the University of Glasgow. He published several works on metaphysics and ethics, and his writings influenced the Scottish Enlightenment.
Another prominent MCELORY was Angus MCELORY (1810-1892), a Scottish-born explorer and surveyor who played a significant role in mapping the Canadian wilderness. He was responsible for mapping large portions of what is now Ontario and Manitoba, and his work facilitated the expansion of the Canadian Pacific Railway.
In the 19th century, the MCELORY name also emerged in parts of Ireland, particularly in County Down and County Antrim. This may be attributed to Scottish settlers or individuals of Scottish descent who migrated to Ireland during this period.
One noteworthy Irish MCELORY was Patrick MCELORY (1832-1914), a businessman and philanthropist from County Down. He amassed a considerable fortune through his successful linen trade and contributed significantly to the development of education and healthcare in his local community.
Another individual of note was Mary MCELORY (1865-1942), a Scottish-born writer and suffragist who campaigned for women's rights in the United Kingdom. Her autobiographical works shed light on the struggles and experiences of women during the late 19th and early 20th centuries.
Throughout its history, the MCELORY surname has been associated with various professions and achievements, reflecting the diverse backgrounds and contributions of those who have borne this name.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Mcelory
Among Census respondents with the surname Mcelory, the largest self-reported group is White at 53.8%. The next largest groups are Black (33.6%) and Hispanic (5.9%).
The bar chart below shows how Mcelory 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 Mcelory surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White53.8% · 64
- Black or African American33.6% · 40
- Hispanic or Latino5.9% · 7
- Two or more races5.0% · 6
- American Indian and Alaska Native1.7% · 2
Timeline
Historical Census data for Mcelory
Mcelory 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
#146,201
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 113
-18 bearers (-13.7%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Down 24,421 places
2020
#142,788
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 119
+6 bearers (+5.3%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Up 3,413 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #121,780 | 131 | 0.05 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #146,201 | 113 | 0.04 | -18 bearers (-13.7%) | Down 24,421 places |
| 2020 | #142,788 | 119 | 0.04 | +6 bearers (+5.3%) | Up 3,413 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 Mcelory 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 | #146,201 | #142,788 | 2.3% |
| Count | 113 | 119 | 5.3% |
| Per 100K | 0.04 | 0.04 | -0.5% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Mcelory bearers went from 113 to 119 (+5.3% change). The surname moved up 3,413 positions in the national ranking, going from #146,201 to #142,788.
FAQ
Mcelory surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Mcelory?
Name Census estimates that about 136 living Americans carry the surname Mcelory. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 2,520,252 residents.
How common is Mcelory?
Mcelory ranks #142,788 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 119 people with the surname Mcelory. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (136), 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 Mcelory.
Has Mcelory become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Mcelory went from 113 recorded bearers to 119. That is an increase of 6 (+5.3%). In the national ranking it rose from #146,201 to #142,788.
What does the Census say about the background of Mcelory?
Among Census respondents with the surname Mcelory, the largest self-reported group is White at 53.8%. The next largest groups are Black (33.6%) and Hispanic (5.9%). 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 Mcelory in the 2020 Census, accounting for 53.8% (64 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Mcelory appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (53.8%), Black (33.6%), Hispanic (5.9%). 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 Mcelory (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 Mcelory mean?
An Irish surname derived from the Gaelic 'Mac Giolla Rí' meaning 'son of the servant of the king'. 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 Mcelory (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 common is the surname Mcelory?
You can see how many people have the last name Mcelory on our sister site HowManyOfMe.org — same data roots, lighter UI.