2000
#149,328
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 101
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.04
Very Rare Last name
Mcilhenney
From Gaelic, meaning "son of the servant of Gille Énáin".
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 112 Americans carry the last name Mcilhenney. That puts it at #156,269 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.03 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 3,060,307 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Mcilhenney surname. You will find the Census Bureau frequency data, a multi-census history view, an ancestry and ethnicity breakdown based on self-reported demographics, the name's meaning and origin where available, and answers to the most common questions people ask about this surname.
Bearers in the US
112
1 in 3,060,307
Census rank
#156,269
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.0
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
98
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 98 bearers of the surname Mcilhenney in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.03 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 156269th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Mcilhenney, the largest self-reported group is White at 96.9%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (2.0%) and Hispanic (1.0%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Mcilhenney
The surname MCILHENNEY is of Scottish origin, with roots tracing back to the early 16th century in the Highlands region of Scotland. The name is derived from the Gaelic words "mac" meaning "son of" and "Ilhenney," which is believed to be a personal name or a place name referring to an area in the Scottish Highlands.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name MCILHENNEY can be found in the Ragman Rolls of 1296, a historical document containing the names of Scottish landowners who swore allegiance to King Edward I of England during the Wars of Scottish Independence. This suggests that the MCILHENNEY family had established themselves as landowners or individuals of some prominence in Scotland by the late 13th century.
In the 17th century, the MCILHENNEY name appears in various parish records and court documents from the Highlands region, particularly in the counties of Argyll and Inverness. These records often include slight variations in spelling, such as MCILHINNEY or MCILHENNY, reflecting the fluid nature of surname spelling during that time.
One notable figure bearing the MCILHENNEY surname was Angus MCILHENNEY (1675-1732), a Scottish Highlander who fought alongside the Jacobite forces during the Risings of 1715 and 1719. His participation in these conflicts is documented in contemporary accounts and historical records.
Another prominent individual was Duncan MCILHENNEY (1780-1848), a Scottish-born writer and poet who immigrated to Canada in the early 19th century. He published several volumes of poetry and prose, including "The Highlander's Lament" and "Scenes from the Scottish Highlands."
In the late 18th and early 19th centuries, many MCILHENNEY families emigrated from Scotland to various parts of North America, including the United States and Canada. This diaspora contributed to the spread and propagation of the surname in these regions.
One notable figure from this period was Archibald MCILHENNEY (1820-1892), a Scottish immigrant to Nova Scotia who became a successful merchant and landowner. He played a significant role in the development of the town of Truro, where he established several businesses and held influential positions in local government.
Another individual of note was Ephraim MCILHENNEY (1846-1921), an American businessman and entrepreneur. He was the founder of the McIlhenny Company, which produces the world-famous Tabasco brand of hot sauce. Born in Louisiana to a family of Scottish descent, Ephraim MCILHENNEY's creation of Tabasco sauce has left an indelible mark on the culinary world.
Throughout its history, the MCILHENNEY surname has been carried by individuals from diverse backgrounds and professions, reflecting the rich tapestry of Scottish heritage and its influence across various regions and cultures.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Mcilhenney
Among Census respondents with the surname Mcilhenney, the largest self-reported group is White at 96.9%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (2.0%) and Hispanic (1.0%).
The bar chart below shows how Mcilhenney bearers described their own race and ethnicity on the 2020 Census form. The Census Bureau groups responses into six broad categories: White, Black or African American, Hispanic or Latino, Asian and Pacific Islander, American Indian and Alaska Native, and Two or More Races. When a category has too few respondents for a given surname, the Bureau suppresses the figure to protect individual privacy, which is why some names show fewer than six slices.
Percentages are shown for every Census year so the breakdown stays comparable over time. When the source file also includes raw headcounts, Name Census shows those alongside the percentages in the legend.
Keep in mind that these are self-reported numbers. A person's surname does not determine their race or ethnicity, and the distribution you see here reflects the specific population who happened to carry the Mcilhenney surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White96.9% · 95
- Two or more races2.0% · 2
- Hispanic or Latino1.0% · 1
Timeline
Historical Census data for Mcilhenney
Mcilhenney appears in 3 published Census surname files: 2000, 2010, 2020. The cards below show how the name's rank and bearer count changed across each release.
2010
#159,712
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 101
+0 bearers (+0.0%)
Per 100,000 0.03
Rank movement Down 10,384 places
2020
#156,269
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 98
-3 bearers (-3.0%)
Per 100,000 0.03
Rank movement Up 3,443 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #149,328 | 101 | 0.04 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #159,712 | 101 | 0.03 | +0 bearers (+0.0%) | Down 10,384 places |
| 2020 | #156,269 | 98 | 0.03 | -3 bearers (-3.0%) | Up 3,443 places |
For 2020, the Census Bureau published race and Hispanic-origin columns as counts rather than percentages. Name Census converts those counts back into shares so the ancestry section stays comparable with the older surname files.
Year on year
2010 vs 2020 Census
How has the Mcilhenney surname changed between Census years? The chart shows bearer count side by side, and the table compares rank, count, and frequency.
Census year comparison
20102020
| Metric | 2010 | 2020 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #159,712 | #156,269 | 2.2% |
| Count | 101 | 98 | -3.0% |
| Per 100K | 0.03 | 0.03 | 9.3% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Mcilhenney bearers went from 101 to 98 (-3.0% change). The surname moved up 3,443 positions in the national ranking, going from #159,712 to #156,269.
FAQ
Mcilhenney surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Mcilhenney?
Name Census estimates that about 112 living Americans carry the surname Mcilhenney. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 3,060,307 residents.
How common is Mcilhenney?
Mcilhenney ranks #156,269 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Very Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 0.03 per 100,000 residents, which is about 0 people out of every 100,000.
How many people with this surname were counted in the Census?
The raw 2020 Census file counted 98 people with the surname Mcilhenney. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (112), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 0.03 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 0.03 per 100,000 means that if you picked a random group of 100,000 U.S. residents, you would expect about 0 of them to have the surname Mcilhenney.
Has Mcilhenney become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Mcilhenney went from 101 recorded bearers to 98. That is a decrease of 3 (-3.0%). In the national ranking it rose from #159,712 to #156,269.
What does the Census say about the background of Mcilhenney?
Among Census respondents with the surname Mcilhenney, the largest self-reported group is White at 96.9%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (2.0%) and Hispanic (1.0%). These figures come from the 2020 Census Bureau surname tables, based on how respondents described their own race and ethnicity.
Which group reports this surname most often?
White is the largest self-reported group for the surname Mcilhenney in the 2020 Census, accounting for 96.9% (95 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Mcilhenney appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (96.9%), Two or More Races (2.0%), Hispanic (1.0%). For 2020, the source file also published raw headcounts for each group, which is why this page can show both percentages and counts in the ancestry section.
Is this page using the latest Census data?
Yes. This page is using the latest surname file currently loaded on Name Census, which is 2020. The historical section above also keeps any older Census surname entries we have for Mcilhenney (2000, 2010, 2020).
Does the Census include every surname?
No. The Census Bureau only publishes surnames that appeared at least 100 times in a given decennial Census. That means very rare surnames are excluded entirely, and a surname can appear in one Census release but disappear from a later one if it falls below the reporting threshold.
Why don't the ancestry percentages always add up to exactly 100%?
There are two main reasons: rounding and suppression. The Census Bureau rounds published values, and it may suppress very small cells to protect privacy. For 2020, the Bureau also published raw group counts rather than direct percentages, so Name Census converts those counts back into shares for comparability across census years.
What does Mcilhenney mean?
From Gaelic, meaning "son of the servant of Gille Énáin". The fuller origin note on this page goes into more detail.
Where does the surname data come from?
All surname statistics on Name Census are drawn from the US Census Bureau's decennial surname frequency tables. These files list every surname that appeared 100 or more times in the 2020 Census, along with a count, a per-100,000 rate, and a self-reported demographic breakdown. You can read the full explanation on our methodology page.
How does Name Census estimate living bearers?
For surnames, Name Census does not age cohorts the way it does for first names. Instead, it takes the Census Bureau's published frequency for Mcilhenney (0.03 per 100,000) and applies that rate to the current U.S. resident population to estimate how many living Americans have the surname today.
How many people have the surname Mcilhenney?
For a quick modern estimate, our sister site HowManyOfMe.org answers that in one glance, with the living-bearer count front and centre.