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

McFeely, 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 McFeely surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of McFeely in America

McFeely is the 29171st most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The McFeely surname appeared 812 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 0 people would have the surname McFeely.

We can also compare 2010 data for McFeely 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 McFeely

The surname McFeely is of Scottish origin, with roots dating back to the 13th century. It is derived from the Gaelic word "feamaileach," meaning "modest" or "humble." The prefix "Mc" signifies "son of," indicating that the original bearer of the name was the son of someone known for their modesty.

The earliest known record of the name McFeely can be found in the Ragman Rolls of 1296, a series of historical documents containing the names of Scottish nobles who swore allegiance to Edward I of England. The name appears as "MacFelie," which is believed to be an early spelling variation.

During the 16th and 17th centuries, the McFeely clan was primarily located in the region of Galloway, situated in the southwestern part of Scotland. Several historical documents from this period reference individuals bearing the McFeely name, including parish records and land charters.

One notable figure from this era was John McFeely (1560-1625), a renowned scholar and theologian who served as the rector of the University of Glasgow. His contributions to the field of education and religious studies were widely celebrated during his lifetime.

In the 18th century, the McFeely name began to appear in various parts of Ireland as well, likely due to the migration of Scottish settlers during the Plantation of Ulster. One prominent individual from this time was Patrick McFeely (1720-1795), a successful merchant and landowner in County Donegal.

As the McFeely clan dispersed throughout the centuries, different spelling variations emerged, such as McFeeley, McFeelie, and McFeelay. These variations were often influenced by regional dialects and scribal errors in historical records.

Another notable figure was Robert McFeely (1823-1891), a Scottish-born politician who served as a member of the Canadian House of Commons, representing the district of Shefford, Quebec, from 1867 to 1872.

In the 20th century, the name McFeely gained recognition through the achievements of various individuals, including James McFeely (1908-1995), an American author and historian who penned several biographies of notable figures such as Ulysses S. Grant and Frederick Douglass.

Throughout its history, the surname McFeely has been carried by individuals from various walks of life, including scholars, merchants, politicians, and authors, reflecting the diverse backgrounds and contributions of those who bear this name.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name McFeely

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

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

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

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