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

McIlwain, 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 McIlwain surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of McIlwain in America

McIlwain is the 10657th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The McIlwain surname appeared 3,002 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 1 people would have the surname McIlwain.

We can also compare 2010 data for McIlwain 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 McIlwain

The surname McIlwain has its origins in Scotland, where it first emerged in the 13th century. It is a habitational name derived from the Gaelic "mac Ghille Fhuathain," which means "son of the servant of St. Fillan." This suggests that the earliest bearers of the name were employed in the service of a church dedicated to St. Fillan, a popular Scottish saint.

The name is closely associated with the region of Perthshire, where the village of Killin was a significant center for the veneration of St. Fillan. It is likely that the McIlwains were originally from this area or had some connection to the local church or monastery.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name appears in the Exchequer Rolls of Scotland in 1329, where a John McYlwyne is mentioned. Other early spellings include McIlwyne, McYlwham, and McIlquham, reflecting the variations in pronunciation and spelling that were common in medieval times.

In the 16th century, the McIlwains were established as landowners in Perthshire, with several members of the family holding estates in the area around Killin. One notable figure was John McIlwain, who was appointed as the Chamberlain of Strathearn in 1548.

As the name spread throughout Scotland and beyond, it produced several individuals of note. Sir William McIlwain (1685-1761) was a Scottish merchant and landowner who served as Lord Provost of Edinburgh from 1749 to 1751. Thomas McIlwain (1824-1903) was a prominent industrialist and founder of the McIlwain Foundry in Belfast, Northern Ireland.

In the literary world, Charles Howard McIlwain (1871-1968) was an American historian and scholar of constitutional law, best known for his work on the Magna Carta. He served as the president of the American Historical Association in 1936.

The McIlwain name also has a long-standing connection to the United States, with many bearers of the name arriving as early settlers in the 17th and 18th centuries. One of the earliest recorded instances is that of John McIlwain, who was granted land in Virginia in 1670.

Throughout its history, the surname McIlwain has been carried by individuals from various walks of life, including clergymen, academics, politicians, and businessmen. While its origins can be traced back to a specific region of Scotland and a connection to the veneration of St. Fillan, the name has since spread across the globe, with bearers contributing to the rich tapestry of human endeavor.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name McIlwain

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

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

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

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