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

McEwan, 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 McEwan surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of McEwan in America

McEwan is the 11804th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The McEwan surname appeared 2,652 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 McEwan.

We can also compare 2010 data for McEwan 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 McEwan

The surname McEwan has its origins in Scotland, tracing back to the medieval era. It is a variant of the Gaelic name 'Mac-Iain,' meaning 'son of Ian' or 'son of John.' The prefix 'Mac' denotes a patronymic name, indicating the surname's lineage from a particular ancestor.

The McEwan name is closely associated with the Scottish Highlands, particularly in areas such as Argyll and the Western Isles. It is believed to have emerged as a distinct surname in the 13th or 14th century, as the use of hereditary surnames became more prevalent in Scotland.

One of the earliest known references to the McEwan surname can be found in the 'Ragman Rolls' of 1296, a series of documents recording the swearing of fealty to King Edward I of England by Scottish nobles and landowners. This historical record includes the name 'Gillemor McEwan,' indicating the presence of the McEwan family during that period.

In the 16th century, the McEwan surname appeared in various records related to the Clan MacDonald, suggesting a connection between the two families. The 'Annals of the Kingdom of Ireland' from 1616 mentions a 'Donald McEwan,' who was a prominent figure within the clan.

One of the most notable individuals bearing the McEwan surname was Sir John McEwan (1652-1724), a Scottish merchant and philanthropist. He played a significant role in the establishment of the Merchants' Company in Edinburgh, which aimed to support widows and children of deceased merchants.

Another notable figure was Reverend William McEwan (1736-1819), a Scottish minister and author. He published several works, including 'The Grace and Duty of Being Spiritually Minded' and 'The Revelation of St. John the Divine Explained.'

In the literary world, Ian McEwan (born 1948) is a renowned British novelist and screenwriter. He has won numerous prestigious awards, including the Man Booker Prize for his novel 'Amsterdam' in 1998. Some of his other notable works include 'Atonement,' 'On Chesil Beach,' and 'Nutshell.'

William McEwan (1827-1913) was a Scottish brewer and entrepreneur who founded the McEwan's Brewery in Edinburgh. The brewery became one of the largest in Scotland and played a significant role in the city's brewing industry during the 19th century.

Finally, Mary McEwan (1865-1915) was a Scottish educator and campaigner for women's rights. She founded the Scottish Association of Teachers of Domestic Subjects and played a crucial role in advocating for the inclusion of domestic science education in Scottish schools.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name McEwan

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

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

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

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