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

McGaffick, 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 McGaffick surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of McGaffick in America

McGaffick is the 115639th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The McGaffick surname appeared 151 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 McGaffick.

We can also compare 2010 data for McGaffick 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 McGaffick

The surname "McGaffick" has its origins in Ireland, dating back to the 16th century. It is believed to be derived from the Irish Gaelic words "mac" meaning "son of" and "Gafaigh" meaning "impetuous" or "headstrong". The name would have initially been bestowed upon the descendant of an individual known for their impulsive or forceful nature.

The earliest recorded mention of the McGaffick surname can be traced back to the Annals of the Four Masters, a chronicle of medieval Irish history. The annals reference a "Fergus McGaffick" in the year 1572, suggesting the name was already well-established in that era.

Throughout the 16th and 17th centuries, the McGaffick clan was predominantly located in County Donegal, in the northwestern region of Ireland. The name is closely associated with the town of Ballyshannon, where many McGaffick families resided and held land.

In the 18th century, a notable figure bearing the McGaffick surname was John McGaffick (1734-1817), a prominent Irish landowner and member of the Protestant Ascendancy in County Donegal. His estate, known as "McGaffick's Folly", still stands to this day and is a local landmark.

Another individual of note was Reverend William McGaffick (1792-1868), a Presbyterian minister who served in various parishes throughout Ulster. He was known for his dedication to education and founded several schools in the region.

During the 19th century, many McGafficks emigrated from Ireland, particularly to the United States and Canada, as a result of the Great Famine and economic hardship. One such individual was Patrick McGaffick (1825-1901), who settled in Boston, Massachusetts, and became a successful businessman and civic leader.

In more recent times, a prominent bearer of the McGaffick surname was Irish actor and playwright Brendan McGaffick (1921-2004). He was best known for his work with the Abbey Theatre in Dublin and his contributions to the Irish literary scene.

The McGaffick surname has also been recorded with variations in spelling, such as McGavick, McGavock, and McGaffigan, reflecting the fluid nature of surnames in earlier times and regional dialects.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name McGaffick

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

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

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

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