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

McKeehan, 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 McKeehan surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of McKeehan in America

McKeehan is the 11810th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The McKeehan surname appeared 2,650 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 McKeehan.

We can also compare 2010 data for McKeehan 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 McKeehan

The surname MCKEEHAN is of Scottish origin, originating in the Scottish Highlands during the late medieval period. It is a variant of the more common surname McKEEHAN, derived from the Gaelic personal name "Citheachan" or "Cithachain," meaning "warlike" or "descendant of Citheach."

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name MCKEEHAN is found in the Black Book of Taymouth, a historical manuscript dating back to the 15th century. This document contains references to various clans and families in the region, including the McKEEHANs.

In the 16th century, the MCKEEHAN surname appears in records from the Isle of Islay, an island off the west coast of Scotland. Several members of the MCKEEHAN clan were known to have resided in the area during this time, with some records mentioning their involvement in local disputes and skirmishes.

Notable individuals with the surname MCKEEHAN throughout history include John MCKEEHAN (1725-1798), a Scottish-born American settler who served as a militia captain during the American Revolutionary War. Another prominent figure was William MCKEEHAN (1799-1872), a Scottish-American industrialist and entrepreneur who founded the McKEEHAN Iron Works in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.

In the 19th century, the MCKEEHAN surname was found in various regions of Scotland, including the Highlands, Lowlands, and the Hebrides islands. Some MCKEEHAN families were involved in agricultural pursuits, while others worked in trades such as blacksmithing and weaving.

One of the most famous individuals with the surname MCKEEHAN was Sir Robert MCKEEHAN (1842-1918), a Scottish businessman and philanthropist who made his fortune in the textile industry. He was also a prominent supporter of education and founded several schools in his native Scotland.

Another notable figure was Mary MCKEEHAN (1876-1954), a Scottish-born nurse who served during World War I and was awarded the prestigious Military Medal for her bravery and dedication to caring for wounded soldiers on the front lines.

The surname MCKEEHAN has undergone various spelling variations over the centuries, including McKEEHAN, McKEEGAN, and McKEEGHAN, reflecting the diverse regional dialects and languages of Scotland. Despite these variations, the name has maintained its Scottish heritage and continues to be associated with the rich history and culture of the Scottish Highlands.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name McKeehan

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

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

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

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