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

McFarlin, 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 McFarlin surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of McFarlin in America

McFarlin is the 7453rd most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The McFarlin surname appeared 4,471 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 2 people would have the surname McFarlin.

We can also compare 2010 data for McFarlin 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 McFarlin

The surname McFarlin is of Scottish origin and can be traced back to the 16th century. It is believed to have originated from the Gaelic name "Mac Pharlain," which means "son of Parlan." Parlan was a personal name derived from the Old Gaelic word "parlan" meaning "leper" or "one who suffered from leprosy."

The earliest known record of the name McFarlin is found in the Scottish Exchequer Rolls from 1538, where it appears as "Makferland." This spelling variation suggests that the name was likely pronounced differently in those early times. The name is also found in other historical documents such as the Register of the Privy Council of Scotland from the late 16th century.

The McFarlin surname is closely associated with the Highland region of Scotland, particularly the areas of Argyll and Bute. It is believed that the name originated in this region, where a significant number of McFarlins resided in the 16th and 17th centuries.

One of the earliest recorded individuals with the surname McFarlin was John McFarlin, who was born in Argyllshire, Scotland, in the late 16th century. He was a prominent figure in the local community and served as a magistrate in the town of Inveraray.

Another notable McFarlin was Duncan McFarlin, who lived in the 17th century and was a renowned poet and songwriter. His works were widely celebrated in the Scottish Highlands and helped preserve the region's rich cultural heritage.

In the 18th century, the McFarlin name was associated with several influential families in the Scottish Highlands. One such family was the McFarlins of Lochgilphead, who were landowners and played a significant role in local politics and community affairs.

Another prominent McFarlin was Robert McFarlin, born in 1712 in Argyllshire. He was a successful merchant and trader, and his business ventures took him across the Atlantic Ocean to the American colonies, where he established trading posts and connections.

During the 19th century, many McFarlins emigrated from Scotland to various parts of the world, including North America, Australia, and New Zealand. One notable McFarlin from this period was William McFarlin, born in 1845 in Glasgow, Scotland. He was a renowned architect and designed several iconic buildings in his hometown, including the Kelvingrove Art Gallery and Museum.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name McFarlin

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

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

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

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