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

McGowan, 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 McGowan surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of McGowan in America

McGowan is the 1046th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The McGowan surname appeared 33,340 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 11 people would have the surname McGowan.

We can also compare 2010 data for McGowan 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 McGowan

The surname McGowan has its origins in Ireland, with the name first appearing in historical records during the 12th century. It is derived from the Gaelic words "Mag Gobhann," which translates to "son of the smith." This suggests that the name may have been originally held by a family of blacksmiths or metalworkers.

The name McGowan is believed to have originated in County Cavan, located in the northern part of Ireland. County Cavan was once part of the ancient Irish kingdom of Bréifne, which was ruled by the O'Rourke clan. It is possible that the McGowans were members of this clan or associated with them in some way.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name McGowan can be found in the Annals of Ulster, a chronicle of medieval Irish history. In an entry from the year 1181, a man named "Conchobhar Mac Gobhann" is mentioned as being involved in a conflict between rival Irish clans.

During the 16th and 17th centuries, many Irish families, including those with the surname McGowan, were forced to leave their homeland due to the English colonization of Ireland and the subsequent suppression of Irish culture and language. This led to the spread of the name across other parts of the British Isles and eventually to other parts of the world.

Notable individuals with the surname McGowan throughout history include:

1. William McGowan (1796-1853), an Irish-born American lawyer and politician who served as the 16th Governor of Delaware.
2. John McGowan (1826-1902), an Irish-born Australian politician and businessman who played a key role in the development of the city of Ballarat.
3. Edward Ambrose McGowan (1863-1917), an American prelate of the Roman Catholic Church who served as the Bishop of Richmond, Virginia.
4. James McGowan (1873-1952), an Irish-born American labor leader and political activist who played a significant role in the establishment of the American Federation of Labor.
5. John McGowan (1918-2003), an American actor and writer who appeared in numerous films and television shows, including the popular sitcom "The Beverly Hillbillies."

While these are just a few examples, the surname McGowan has been borne by many notable individuals throughout history, reflecting its deep roots and enduring legacy.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name McGowan

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

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

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

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