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

McGill, 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 McGill surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of McGill in America

McGill is the 1282nd most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The McGill surname appeared 27,330 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 9 people would have the surname McGill.

We can also compare 2010 data for McGill 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 McGill

The surname McGill has its origins in Ireland and Scotland, where it first appeared in the 12th century. It is derived from the Gaelic personal name "Gill" or "Gille," meaning "servant" or "youth," combined with the prefix "Mac," meaning "son of." This suggests that the name originally referred to the son of someone named Gill.

The earliest recorded instances of the name can be found in Scottish and Irish historical records from the 13th and 14th centuries. One notable example is the mention of "Gillemor McGill" in the Exchequer Rolls of Scotland in 1264. The surname is also found in various forms, such as "M'Gill," "McGyll," and "Makgill," reflecting regional variations in spelling and pronunciation.

Several historical figures have borne the surname McGill. One of the earliest was Sir James McGill (1744-1813), a Scottish-born merchant and philanthropist who was a prominent figure in Montreal, Canada. He bequeathed a significant portion of his estate to establish McGill University, one of Canada's most prestigious institutions of higher learning.

Another noteworthy individual was John McGill (1809-1890), an Irish-born civil engineer who played a significant role in the construction of the Erie Canal and other major infrastructure projects in the United States during the 19th century.

In Scotland, the McGill family had a strong presence in Ayrshire, where they held lands and were involved in local affairs. One notable member was Sir David McGill (1549-1628), a Scottish courtier and diplomat who served under King James VI and I.

In Ireland, the McGill surname was particularly prevalent in County Down, where it is believed to have originated. One prominent figure was Patrick McGill (1801-1891), an Irish Catholic priest and educator who established several schools and played a key role in promoting education in the region.

While the surname McGill has its roots in the British Isles, it has since spread to various parts of the world through migration and immigration. Notable individuals with this surname have made contributions in fields such as education, engineering, business, and politics, leaving a lasting legacy associated with the name.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name McGill

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

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

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

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