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

McGilbra, 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 McGilbra surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of McGilbra in America

McGilbra is the 134712th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The McGilbra surname appeared 125 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 McGilbra.

We can also compare 2010 data for McGilbra 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 McGilbra

The surname MCGILBRA has its origins in the Gaelic language and is believed to have emerged in the Scottish Highlands during the 12th century. It is thought to be derived from the Gaelic words "mac" meaning "son" and "gillebrath" which translates to "servant of judgment" or "servant of wisdom."

MCGILBRA is a variant spelling of the more common Scottish surname McGillivray. The earliest recorded instances of this name can be found in the Ragman Rolls of 1296, a collection of homage agreements made with King Edward I of England. Among those listed were Gillecrist McGillebrathere and Gillemor McGillebrathere, both from the region of Argyll.

In the late 14th century, the MCGILBRA name appeared in the Book of Icolmkill, a manuscript detailing the descendants of the Lords of the Isles. Notable figures included Lachlann MCGILBRA (c. 1380-1440), a chieftain of the Clan McGillivray, and his son Eachuinn MCGILBRA (c. 1410-1475), who was recorded as leading a contingent of men in the Battle of Harlaw in 1411.

The MCGILBRA name was also found in various charters and land grants throughout the 16th and 17th centuries, indicating their presence in regions such as Inverness-shire, Aberdeenshire, and Perthshire. One prominent individual was Alasdair MCGILBRA (c. 1570-1630), a renowned poet and bard who composed many works in the Gaelic language.

During the 18th century, the MCGILBRA surname was associated with the Jacobite risings, with several members of the clan taking part in the Rebellions of 1715 and 1745. Notably, Iain MCGILBRA (c. 1700-1780) was a lieutenant in the Jacobite army and fought at the Battle of Culloden in 1746.

In more recent history, Sìne MCGILBRA (1865-1948) was a respected Scottish Gaelic scholar and educator who played a significant role in preserving and promoting the language. Her work in collecting and publishing Gaelic folk tales and songs has left a lasting impact on the cultural heritage of the Scottish Highlands.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name McGilbra

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

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

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

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