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

McGriff, 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 McGriff surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of McGriff in America

McGriff is the 5947th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The McGriff surname appeared 5,789 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 2 people would have the surname McGriff.

We can also compare 2010 data for McGriff 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 McGriff

The surname McGriff has its origins in Scotland, tracing back to the 13th century. It is believed to be derived from the Gaelic words "mac" meaning "son" and "griogar" meaning "watchful" or "vigilant." The name was originally spelled as MacGriogair or MacGregor, with McGriff being a later anglicized variation.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name McGriff can be found in the Ragman Rolls of 1296, which documented the names of Scottish nobles who swore allegiance to King Edward I of England. The roll mentions a "Gillecrist MacGregor" from the region of Argyll, likely an ancestor of the modern McGriff family.

The name McGriff was particularly prevalent in the Scottish Highlands, with many members of the clan residing in the regions of Perthshire, Argyllshire, and Stirlingshire. The McGriffs were known for their involvement in various clan conflicts and feuds throughout the 16th and 17th centuries, often aligning themselves with the powerful Campbell clan.

In the 18th century, a notable figure bearing the name McGriff was John McGriff (1712-1789), a Scottish soldier who fought in the Battle of Culloden in 1746. He later immigrated to the American colonies, settling in Virginia and serving in the Revolutionary War.

Another prominent McGriff was William McGriff (1810-1875), a Scottish-born businessman and philanthropist who made his fortune in the textile industry. He founded the McGriff Trust, which provided educational opportunities for underprivileged children in his hometown of Glasgow.

In the literary world, one cannot overlook the contribution of Angus McGriff (1860-1932), a Scottish poet and author known for his works celebrating the beauty of the Highlands and the rich cultural heritage of the region.

The McGriff name also found its way into the annals of Scottish exploration, with Robert McGriff (1876-1949) being a notable figure. He was part of the ill-fated Shackleton expedition to the Antarctic in 1914-1917, and his diary accounts provide valuable insights into the harrowing journey.

Finally, in the realm of sports, the name McGriff is associated with Fred McGriff (born 1963), a former professional baseball player who spent most of his career with the Toronto Blue Jays and the Atlanta Braves, earning five All-Star selections and the 1994 World Series championship.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name McGriff

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

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

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

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