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

McElveen, 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 McElveen surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of McElveen in America

McElveen is the 8768th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The McElveen surname appeared 3,740 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 McElveen.

We can also compare 2010 data for McElveen 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 McElveen

The surname McElveen has its origins in Scotland, dating back to the 16th century. It is believed to be derived from the Gaelic words "Mac Gille Bhàin," which translate to "son of the fair-haired lad." This suggests that the name was initially given as a descriptive nickname to someone with fair or blonde hair.

The name is thought to have originated in the Argyll region of western Scotland, where many individuals with this surname were documented in historical records. Some of the earliest recorded instances of the name can be found in the Parish Registers of Argyll, dating back to the late 1500s.

One notable historical reference to the name McElveen is found in the Ragman Rolls of 1296, a series of documents that recorded the names of Scottish nobles and landed gentry who swore allegiance to King Edward I of England. The name "Gillebane McElveen" appears in these rolls, indicating that individuals bearing this surname were present in Scotland during that time period.

The earliest known bearer of the name McElveen was John McElveen, born around 1550 in Argyll, Scotland. He was a landowner and prominent figure in the local community. Another early individual of note was Angus McElveen, born in 1612, who served as a captain in the Scottish army during the Wars of the Three Kingdoms.

During the 17th and 18th centuries, many individuals with the surname McElveen migrated from Scotland to Ireland, particularly to the counties of Antrim and Down. This led to the establishment of McElveen families in Ulster, and the name became associated with Northern Irish heritage as well.

One notable figure with the surname McElveen was William McElveen, born in 1745 in County Antrim, Ireland. He was a prominent merchant and landowner who played a significant role in the economic development of the region.

Another individual of note was James McElveen, born in 1798 in Scotland. He was a renowned poet and writer, known for his works that celebrated Scottish culture and tradition.

In the 19th century, the McElveen surname began to spread more widely as Scottish and Irish immigrants brought the name to various parts of the world, including North America, Australia, and New Zealand.

Overall, the surname McElveen has a rich history rooted in Scotland, with connections to Ireland as well. It has evolved from its Gaelic origins and has been carried across the globe by individuals of Scottish and Irish descent.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name McElveen

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

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

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

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