2000
#9,845
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 3,028
First available Census row
Per 100,000 1.12
Rare Last name
Mcgary
Anglicized form of a Gaelic surname meaning "son of Gadhra," derived from a personal name meaning "hound" or "dog."
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 3,409 Americans carry the last name Mcgary. That puts it at #10,312 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.99 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 100,544 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Mcgary 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.
For British records, Name Census UK has a British surname profile for Mcgary with 1881 census detail, origin facts and modern UK distribution where available.
Bearers in the US
3.4K
1 in 100,544
Census rank
#10,312
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
1.0
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
3.0K
rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 2,973 bearers of the surname Mcgary in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.99 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 10312th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Mcgary, the largest self-reported group is White at 65.4%. The next largest groups are Black (25.4%) and Two or More Races (5.1%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Mcgary
The surname MCGARY is of Scottish origin, with roots dating back to the 12th century. It is believed to have originated from the Gaelic word "MacGearaidh," which translates to "son of Gerard." This suggests that the name may have been derived from a personal name or patronymic, indicating the lineage of the family.
MCGARY can be traced back to the ancient Scottish Highlands, where it was predominantly found in the regions of Argyll and the Isles. The name's earliest recorded spelling was "MacGerrie," which was documented in the Ragman Rolls of 1296, a significant historical record that lists Scottish nobles and landowners who pledged allegiance to King Edward I of England.
During the 16th century, the MCGARY name appeared in various legal documents and charters in the Highlands, often associated with land grants and property ownership. One notable mention was in the Exchequer Rolls of Scotland in 1528, where a John McGary was listed as a landowner in the county of Argyll.
As the centuries passed, the name evolved into different spellings, such as McGarry, McGarrie, and McGarrigle, reflecting the phonetic variations common in the era. In the 17th century, a branch of the MCGARY family settled in the Scottish Lowlands, particularly in the regions of Ayrshire and Renfrewshire.
Among the notable individuals bearing the MCGARY surname throughout history are:
1. John McGary (c. 1600-1670), a Scottish soldier who fought in the English Civil War and later served as a member of the Parliament of Scotland.
2. William McGary (1760-1825), a Scottish-American pioneer and Revolutionary War veteran, who played a crucial role in the settlement of Kentucky.
3. Hugh McGary (1805-1881), an American politician and lawyer from Tennessee, who served as a member of the United States House of Representatives.
4. Robert McGary (1880-1952), a Scottish-born American industrialist and businessman, known for his contributions to the automotive industry in Detroit.
5. Eileen McGary (1920-2005), an American actress and singer, who appeared in numerous Broadway productions and television shows during the mid-20th century.
The MCGARY name has a rich history deeply rooted in Scottish heritage, with its origins dating back to the medieval era. Despite various spelling variations over time, the surname has maintained its distinct identity and has been carried by individuals who have made significant contributions in various fields, from military service to politics, business, and the arts.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Mcgary
Among Census respondents with the surname Mcgary, the largest self-reported group is White at 65.4%. The next largest groups are Black (25.4%) and Two or More Races (5.1%).
The bar chart below shows how Mcgary 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 Mcgary surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White65.4% · 1,945
- Black or African American25.4% · 756
- Two or more races5.1% · 151
- Hispanic or Latino3.3% · 97
- Asian and Pacific Islander0.5% · 15
- American Indian and Alaska Native0.3% · 9
Timeline
Historical Census data for Mcgary
Mcgary 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
#10,219
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 3,154
+126 bearers (+4.2%)
Per 100,000 1.07
Rank movement Down 374 places
2020
#10,312
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 2,973
-181 bearers (-5.7%)
Per 100,000 0.99
Rank movement Down 93 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #9,845 | 3,028 | 1.12 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #10,219 | 3,154 | 1.07 | +126 bearers (+4.2%) | Down 374 places |
| 2020 | #10,312 | 2,973 | 0.99 | -181 bearers (-5.7%) | Down 93 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 Mcgary 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 | #10,219 | #10,312 | -0.9% |
| Count | 3,154 | 2,973 | -5.7% |
| Per 100K | 1.07 | 0.99 | -7.0% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Mcgary bearers went from 3,154 to 2,973 (-5.7% change). The surname moved down 93 positions in the national ranking, going from #10,219 to #10,312.
FAQ
Mcgary surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Mcgary?
Name Census estimates that about 3,409 living Americans carry the surname Mcgary. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 100,544 residents.
How common is Mcgary?
Mcgary ranks #10,312 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 0.99 per 100,000 residents, which is about 1 people out of every 100,000.
How many people with this surname were counted in the Census?
The raw 2020 Census file counted 2,973 people with the surname Mcgary. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (3,409), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 0.99 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 0.99 per 100,000 means that if you picked a random group of 100,000 U.S. residents, you would expect about 1 of them to have the surname Mcgary.
Has Mcgary become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Mcgary went from 3,154 recorded bearers to 2,973. That is a decrease of 181 (-5.7%). In the national ranking it fell from #10,219 to #10,312.
What does the Census say about the background of Mcgary?
Among Census respondents with the surname Mcgary, the largest self-reported group is White at 65.4%. The next largest groups are Black (25.4%) and Two or More Races (5.1%). 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 Mcgary in the 2020 Census, accounting for 65.4% (1,945 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Mcgary appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (65.4%), Black (25.4%), Two or More Races (5.1%). 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 Mcgary (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 Mcgary mean?
Anglicized form of a Gaelic surname meaning "son of Gadhra," derived from a personal name meaning "hound" or "dog." 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 Mcgary (0.99 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 Mcgary?
For a quick modern take, check how many people have the surname Mcgary on our sister site HowManyOfMe.org.