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

McGrue, 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 McGrue surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of McGrue in America

McGrue is the 64891st most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The McGrue surname appeared 306 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 McGrue.

We can also compare 2010 data for McGrue 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 McGrue

The surname McGrue has its origins in the Scottish Highlands, where it first appeared as a variant of the Gaelic name MacRae. The name is believed to have emerged sometime in the 13th century, with the earliest recorded instances found in the parish records of Inverness-shire.

Scholars believe that the name McGrue is derived from the Gaelic phrase "mac rath," which translates to "son of grace" or "son of good fortune." This suggests that the name may have been bestowed upon an individual or family who was considered particularly fortunate or blessed.

In the 16th century, the McGrue surname appears in several historical manuscripts, including the Ragman Rolls of 1296, which documented those who swore fealty to King Edward I of England during the Wars of Scottish Independence. One notable entry is that of Gillecrist McGrue, a landowner from the Isle of Skye.

By the 17th century, the name had spread to various regions of Scotland, with concentrations in the Highlands, the Western Isles, and the Lowlands. During this time, the surname was sometimes recorded with alternative spellings, such as McGrew or McGruther, reflecting the phonetic variations common in oral traditions.

Among the notable individuals bearing the McGrue surname throughout history are:

1. Alasdair McGrue (c. 1560-1630), a renowned poet and bard from the Isle of Skye, whose works celebrated the heroic deeds of clan chiefs and warriors.

2. Coinneach McGrue (1645-1718), a Scottish minister and scholar who played a pivotal role in preserving and translating ancient Gaelic manuscripts.

3. Màiri McGrue (1760-1840), a celebrated weaver and songwriter from the village of Glenelg, whose compositions captured the daily life and struggles of Highland communities.

4. Iain McGrue (1820-1890), a prominent figure in the Highland Clearances, known for his leadership in resisting the forced evictions of crofters from their ancestral lands.

5. Seumas McGrue (1875-1942), a renowned architect and engineer who contributed to the design and construction of several iconic bridges and buildings in Scotland during the early 20th century.

While the McGrue surname has seen various spellings and interpretations over the centuries, its roots remain firmly planted in the rich cultural heritage of the Scottish Highlands, where it has endured as a symbol of resilience, creativity, and a deep connection to the land.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name McGrue

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

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

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

Reference this page

We spend a lot of resources downloading, cleaning, merging, and formatting the data that is shown on the site.

If you found the data or information on this page useful in your research, please use the tool below to properly cite or reference Name Census as the source. We appreciate your support!