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

McGuire, 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 McGuire surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of McGuire in America

McGuire is the 521st most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The McGuire surname appeared 64,327 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 22 people would have the surname McGuire.

We can also compare 2010 data for McGuire 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 McGuire

The surname McGuire is of Irish origin, deriving from the Gaelic surname "Mag Uidhir" or "Mac Uidhir," meaning "son of Odhar" or "son of the dun-colored one." This name first appeared in County Fermanagh, Ulster, in the northern part of Ireland, as early as the 10th century.

In Irish tradition, the name McGuire was associated with the Clan Uidhir, a prominent Ulster family who held lands and territories in Fermanagh. The McGuires were renowned for their military prowess and played a significant role in the many conflicts that took place in Ulster during the medieval and early modern periods.

One of the earliest recorded references to the name McGuire can be found in the Annals of Ulster, a chronicle of medieval Irish history. In 1256, the Annals mention "Aedh Mac Uidhir," which is believed to be one of the first documented instances of the surname.

Throughout the centuries, the name has undergone various spellings, including MacGuire, Maguire, and McGuyre, reflecting the fluidity of surname spellings in earlier times. Additionally, the name is sometimes associated with places like Enniskillen and Fermanagh, where the Clan Uidhir held significant influence.

Notable individuals with the surname McGuire include:

1. Thomas McGuire (1892-1923), an American World War I fighter pilot and one of the highest-scoring American aces of the war.
2. Butterfly McQueen (1911-1995), an American actress best known for her role as Prissy in the film "Gone with the Wind."
3. Paul McGuire (1904-1993), an American actor and singer who appeared in numerous films and television shows.
4. Dominick McGuire (1835-1923), an Irish-American prelate who served as the Bishop of Glasgow from 1892 to 1923.
5. Philip McGuire (1890-1952), an American actor known for his roles in films like "The Wizard of Oz" and "It Happened One Night."

The surname McGuire has a rich history rooted in the ancient Irish clans and has maintained its presence throughout the centuries, spanning various regions and fields of influence.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name McGuire

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

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

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

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