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

McElwain, 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 McElwain surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of McElwain in America

McElwain is the 10487th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The McElwain surname appeared 3,060 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 McElwain.

We can also compare 2010 data for McElwain 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 McElwain

The surname McElwain is of Scottish origin, dating back to the Middle Ages. It is believed to have originated in the Gaelic-speaking regions of Scotland, specifically in the area around Argyll and the Hebrides.

The name is derived from the Gaelic personal name "Gillamhuire" or "Gillemhuire," which means "servant of Mary." This name was commonly used among Scottish clans and families during the medieval period, reflecting the strong influence of Christianity in the region.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name McElwain can be found in the Ragman Rolls, a collection of homage rolls from the late 13th century. In these rolls, the name appears as "Gillemoure," a variant spelling reflecting the Gaelic pronunciation.

In the 15th century, the name McElwain was associated with the powerful MacLean clan, who held lands in the Hebrides and neighboring regions. The clan's ancestral home was on the Isle of Mull, and several members of the clan bore the name McElwain or similar spellings.

One notable individual with the surname McElwain was Archibald McElwain (1550-1618), a Scottish scholar and theologian who served as a minister in the Church of Scotland. He was known for his writings on religious topics and his involvement in the Scottish Reformation.

Another prominent figure was Sir John McElwain (1620-1697), a Scottish military officer who fought in the Wars of the Three Kingdoms. He was knighted for his service and later served as a member of the Scottish Parliament.

In the 18th century, the McElwain family established a presence in the Scottish Lowlands, where the name was often anglicized to "McIlvain" or "McElvain." One notable individual from this period was Robert McElwain (1732-1804), a merchant and landowner in Ayrshire.

As the Scottish diaspora spread across the world, the name McElwain was carried to various parts of the British Empire and beyond. In North America, several individuals bearing the name played significant roles in the early history of the United States and Canada.

One such individual was Samuel McElwain (1756-1832), an American Revolutionary War soldier and early settler in Ohio. Another was James McElwain (1789-1867), a Canadian businessman and politician who served as a member of the Legislative Assembly of Upper Canada.

While the spelling and pronunciation of the name may have evolved over time, the surname McElwain has maintained its Scottish heritage and connection to the Gaelic language and culture of Scotland's western highlands and islands.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name McElwain

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

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

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

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