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

McGaster, 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 McGaster surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of McGaster in America

McGaster is the 151532nd most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The McGaster surname appeared 108 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 McGaster.

The history of the last name McGaster

The surname MCGASTER has its origins in Scotland, with the earliest known records dating back to the late 16th century. It is believed to be derived from the Gaelic words "mac" meaning "son of" and "gaster" which is thought to be a corrupted form of the Latin word "castor" meaning "beaver."

This suggests that the name may have originally been a descriptive surname given to someone who lived near a beaver dam or worked with beavers in some capacity. The name is predominantly found in the regions of Aberdeenshire and Angus, where there were numerous rivers and streams inhabited by beavers during that time.

One of the earliest known references to the name can be found in the parish records of Banchory-Ternan, Aberdeenshire, where a William McGaster was listed as a witness to a land transaction in 1598. Another early record is from the Burgh Records of Aberdeen, where a John McGaster is mentioned as a merchant in the city in 1622.

In the 17th century, the name appears to have spread to other parts of Scotland, with mentions of a Thomas McGaster from Stirlingshire in 1643 and a Robert McGaster from Fife in 1671. During this period, variations in spelling such as "McGaister" and "McGaistor" were also common.

One notable bearer of the name was Captain James McGaster (1720-1801), a Scottish naval officer who served in the Royal Navy during the Seven Years' War and the American Revolutionary War. He was commended for his bravery and leadership in several battles, including the Battle of Quiberon Bay in 1759.

Another prominent figure was Sir Alexander McGaster (1776-1858), a Scottish businessman and landowner who made his fortune in the textile industry. He was also a keen philanthropist and donated large sums of money to various charitable causes, including the construction of several churches and schools in his native Aberdeenshire.

In the 19th century, the name spread further with Scottish emigrants, and there are records of MCGASTER families settling in Canada, the United States, and Australia. One such individual was John McGaster (1823-1892), a Scottish-born farmer who emigrated to Ontario, Canada in the 1840s and became a prominent figure in the local community.

While not as common as some other Scottish surnames, the name MCGASTER has a rich history and has been carried by individuals from various walks of life, including soldiers, businessmen, farmers, and tradesmen.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name McGaster

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

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 McGaster 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.

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

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

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