2000
#117,538
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 137
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.05
Very Rare Last name
Mcgibboney
An Anglicized form of the Irish surname Mac Giobúin, meaning "son of the pale or fair one."
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 139 Americans carry the last name Mcgibboney. That puts it at #141,309 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.04 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 2,465,859 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Mcgibboney 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.
Bearers in the US
139
1 in 2,465,859
Census rank
#141,309
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.0
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
121
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 121 bearers of the surname Mcgibboney in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.04 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 141309th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Mcgibboney, the largest self-reported group is Black at 48.8%. The next largest groups are White (45.5%) and Hispanic (3.3%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Mcgibboney
The surname MCGIBBONEY is of Irish and Scottish Gaelic origin, and it is believed to have originated in the 16th century. The name is derived from the Gaelic words "mac" meaning "son of" and "Gibboney," which is thought to be a variant of the personal name "Gilbride" or "Giolla Bhrighde," meaning "servant of St. Bridget."
The earliest known records of the MCGIBBONEY surname date back to the late 16th century in County Donegal, Ireland. The name is believed to have originated in the area around the town of Raphoe, where it was associated with a prominent family of landowners and local gentry.
In the 17th century, the MCGIBBONEY name appears in various historical records, including the Hearth Money Rolls of 1665, which were tax records compiled by the English authorities in Ireland. One notable entry from this period is that of Patrick MCGIBBONEY, who was listed as a landowner in the parish of Raphoe in 1666.
As the MCGIBBONEY family expanded and members migrated to other parts of Ireland and Scotland, variations in the spelling of the name emerged, such as McGibboney, McGiboney, and McGuibney. Some of these variations were likely influenced by local dialects and the interpretation of the original Gaelic spelling.
In the 18th century, several MCGIBBONEY individuals gained recognition for their achievements. For example, John MCGIBBONEY (1712-1788) was a prominent merchant and landowner in County Donegal, known for his philanthropic contributions to the local community.
During the 19th century, the MCGIBBONEY name appeared in various historical records and publications. One notable figure was Michael MCGIBBONEY (1823-1901), an Irish-born journalist and author who emigrated to the United States and became a respected writer and editor in New York City.
Another notable MCGIBBONEY was William MCGIBBONEY (1845-1912), a Scottish-born engineer and inventor who made significant contributions to the development of early steam engines and industrial machinery.
In the 20th century, the MCGIBBONEY surname continued to be associated with notable individuals, such as Mary MCGIBBONEY (1901-1988), an Irish-American educator and advocate for women's rights, and Patrick MCGIBBONEY (1920-2005), a renowned Irish playwright and screenwriter whose works explored themes of identity and social justice.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Mcgibboney
Among Census respondents with the surname Mcgibboney, the largest self-reported group is Black at 48.8%. The next largest groups are White (45.5%) and Hispanic (3.3%).
The bar chart below shows how Mcgibboney 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 Mcgibboney surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- Black or African American48.8% · 59
- White45.5% · 55
- Hispanic or Latino3.3% · 4
- Two or more races1.7% · 2
- American Indian and Alaska Native0.8% · 1
Timeline
Historical Census data for Mcgibboney
Mcgibboney 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
#129,047
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 132
-5 bearers (-3.6%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Down 11,509 places
2020
#141,309
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 121
-11 bearers (-8.3%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Down 12,262 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #117,538 | 137 | 0.05 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #129,047 | 132 | 0.04 | -5 bearers (-3.6%) | Down 11,509 places |
| 2020 | #141,309 | 121 | 0.04 | -11 bearers (-8.3%) | Down 12,262 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 Mcgibboney 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 | #129,047 | #141,309 | -9.5% |
| Count | 132 | 121 | -8.3% |
| Per 100K | 0.04 | 0.04 | 1.2% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Mcgibboney bearers went from 132 to 121 (-8.3% change). The surname moved down 12,262 positions in the national ranking, going from #129,047 to #141,309.
FAQ
Mcgibboney surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Mcgibboney?
Name Census estimates that about 139 living Americans carry the surname Mcgibboney. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 2,465,859 residents.
How common is Mcgibboney?
Mcgibboney ranks #141,309 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Very Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 0.04 per 100,000 residents, which is about 0 people out of every 100,000.
How many people with this surname were counted in the Census?
The raw 2020 Census file counted 121 people with the surname Mcgibboney. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (139), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 0.04 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 0.04 per 100,000 means that if you picked a random group of 100,000 U.S. residents, you would expect about 0 of them to have the surname Mcgibboney.
Has Mcgibboney become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Mcgibboney went from 132 recorded bearers to 121. That is a decrease of 11 (-8.3%). In the national ranking it fell from #129,047 to #141,309.
What does the Census say about the background of Mcgibboney?
Among Census respondents with the surname Mcgibboney, the largest self-reported group is Black at 48.8%. The next largest groups are White (45.5%) and Hispanic (3.3%). 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?
Black is the largest self-reported group for the surname Mcgibboney in the 2020 Census, accounting for 48.8% (59 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Mcgibboney appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are Black (48.8%), White (45.5%), Hispanic (3.3%). 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 Mcgibboney (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 Mcgibboney mean?
An Anglicized form of the Irish surname Mac Giobúin, meaning "son of the pale or fair one." 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 Mcgibboney (0.04 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 Mcgibboney?
See how many people are called Mcgibboney on HowManyOfMe.org, our sister site built around that single question.