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

McElvaney, 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 McElvaney surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of McElvaney in America

McElvaney is the 83541st most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The McElvaney surname appeared 225 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 McElvaney.

We can also compare 2010 data for McElvaney 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 McElvaney

The surname MCELVANEY has its origins in Ireland, with the name emerging in the early medieval period. The name is derived from the Gaelic 'Mac Giolla Bhánaidh', which translates to 'son of the fair-haired servant' or 'son of the servant of the fair-haired one'. The name is believed to have originated in the northern regions of Ireland, particularly in counties such as Tyrone and Donegal.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the surname MCELVANEY can be found in the Annals of Ulster, a chronicle of medieval Irish history. The name appears in entries dating back to the 13th century, often in reference to individuals from the region of Tyrone. The surname is also present in various Irish genealogical records and manuscripts from the 16th and 17th centuries.

In the 18th century, the MCELVANEY name gained prominence with several notable individuals. John McElvaney (1720-1794), a prominent merchant and landowner in County Tyrone, was instrumental in establishing trade routes between Ireland and the Americas. Another notable figure was Patrick McElvaney (1742-1812), a Catholic priest who played a significant role in the struggle for religious freedom in Ireland during the late 18th century.

As the Irish diaspora spread across the world, the MCELVANEY surname was carried to various parts of the globe. In the 19th century, James McElvaney (1824-1897), a successful businessman and philanthropist, settled in Philadelphia, USA, and established a prominent family line there. Meanwhile, in Australia, Thomas McElvaney (1856-1932) gained recognition as a pioneering farmer and community leader in the state of Victoria.

The 20th century saw the name MCELVANEY continue to be associated with notable individuals. One such figure was Mary McElvaney (1902-1988), a renowned educator and advocate for women's rights in Ireland. She was instrumental in establishing several educational institutions and promoting gender equality in the country.

Throughout its history, the MCELVANEY surname has undergone various spelling variations, such as McElvany, McIlvenny, and McIlwaine, reflecting the diversity of regional dialects and scribal interpretations. Despite these variations, the name has maintained its distinctive Irish heritage and continues to be a source of pride for those who bear it.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name McElvaney

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

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

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

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