2000
#138,741
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 111
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.04
Very Rare Last name
Mcevily
A Scottish surname derived from Mac Gimhillín, meaning "son of the tonsured servant".
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 135 Americans carry the last name Mcevily. That puts it at #143,511 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.04 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 2,538,921 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Mcevily 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
135
1 in 2,538,921
Census rank
#143,511
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.0
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
118
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 118 bearers of the surname Mcevily in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.04 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 143511th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Mcevily, the largest self-reported group is White at 94.9%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (3.4%) and Black (0.8%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Mcevily
The surname McEvily is of Irish origin, emerging in the early 17th century. It is believed to have originated from the Gaelic "Mac Ìomhair," meaning "son of Ivor." The name Ivor itself is derived from the Old Norse name "Ivarr," meaning "archer" or "bowman."
McEvily is predominantly found in counties such as Donegal, Sligo, and Leitrim in the northwest of Ireland. Early records indicate that the name was often spelled as "MacEvilly" or "MacAvelly" before adopting its current form.
One of the earliest documented references to the name can be found in the Ulster Inquisitions of 1629, which mention a "Donell McEvilly" as a landowner in County Donegal. This suggests that the McEvily family held a prominent position in the region during that time.
In the 19th century, the McEvily name gained recognition through the works of Irish writer and poet William McEvilly (1818-1867). Born in County Leitrim, he is best known for his collection of poems titled "The Bard of Eslin" and his contributions to the preservation of Irish culture and language.
Another notable figure was John McEvilly (1853-1924), a prominent Irish-American businessman and politician from New York City. He served as a member of the New York State Assembly and played a crucial role in the development of the city's transportation infrastructure.
In the realm of athletics, Seamus McEvily (1892-1967) was a renowned hurler from County Sligo. He captained the Sligo senior hurling team and was widely regarded as one of the finest players of his era, winning numerous championships.
The McEvily name has also been associated with various place names in Ireland. For instance, the townland of McEvily's Quarter in County Donegal is believed to have been named after a prominent member of the McEvily clan who resided in that area.
Throughout history, the McEvily surname has been documented in various spellings, including McAvilly, McAvely, and McEveley, reflecting the fluidity of name transcription during the time. However, the name's roots and connection to the Gaelic "Mac Ìomhair" remain consistent across these variations.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Mcevily
Among Census respondents with the surname Mcevily, the largest self-reported group is White at 94.9%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (3.4%) and Black (0.8%).
The bar chart below shows how Mcevily 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 Mcevily surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White94.9% · 112
- Two or more races3.4% · 4
- Black or African American0.8% · 1
- Hispanic or Latino0.8% · 1
Timeline
Historical Census data for Mcevily
Mcevily 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
#150,452
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 109
-2 bearers (-1.8%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Down 11,711 places
2020
#143,511
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 118
+9 bearers (+8.3%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Up 6,941 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #138,741 | 111 | 0.04 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #150,452 | 109 | 0.04 | -2 bearers (-1.8%) | Down 11,711 places |
| 2020 | #143,511 | 118 | 0.04 | +9 bearers (+8.3%) | Up 6,941 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 Mcevily 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 | #150,452 | #143,511 | 4.6% |
| Count | 109 | 118 | 8.3% |
| Per 100K | 0.04 | 0.04 | -1.3% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Mcevily bearers went from 109 to 118 (+8.3% change). The surname moved up 6,941 positions in the national ranking, going from #150,452 to #143,511.
FAQ
Mcevily surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Mcevily?
Name Census estimates that about 135 living Americans carry the surname Mcevily. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 2,538,921 residents.
How common is Mcevily?
Mcevily ranks #143,511 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 118 people with the surname Mcevily. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (135), 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 Mcevily.
Has Mcevily become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Mcevily went from 109 recorded bearers to 118. That is an increase of 9 (+8.3%). In the national ranking it rose from #150,452 to #143,511.
What does the Census say about the background of Mcevily?
Among Census respondents with the surname Mcevily, the largest self-reported group is White at 94.9%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (3.4%) and Black (0.8%). 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 Mcevily in the 2020 Census, accounting for 94.9% (112 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Mcevily appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (94.9%), Two or More Races (3.4%), Black (0.8%). 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 Mcevily (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 Mcevily mean?
A Scottish surname derived from Mac Gimhillín, meaning "son of the tonsured servant". 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 Mcevily (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 Mcevily?
For a quick modern take, check how many Americans have the surname Mcevily on our sister site HowManyOfMe.org.