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

McKenzie, 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 McKenzie surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of McKenzie in America

McKenzie is the 134712th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The McKenzie surname appeared 125 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 McKenzie.

We can also compare 2010 data for McKenzie 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 McKenzie

The surname McKenzie has its origins in Scotland, dating back to the 13th century. It is derived from the Gaelic 'Mac Coinnich', meaning 'son of Kenneth', a popular personal name in Scotland. The earliest recorded spelling of the name was 'MacKennye' in 1292.

The McKenzies were a powerful clan in the Scottish Highlands, particularly in the counties of Ross-shire and Sutherland. They were known as the 'Clan Kinnaird' or 'Clan Coinnich', and their ancestral lands were centered around the areas of Kintail and Lochalsh.

One of the earliest notable bearers of the name was John McKenzie, who was recorded as the Constable of Dingwall Castle in 1362. Another early reference to the name was in the Exchequer Rolls of Scotland in 1438, where a 'Alexander McKennye' was mentioned.

In the 16th century, the McKenzies were involved in various conflicts and battles with other Highland clans, such as the Macdonalds and the Mackintoshes. One prominent figure during this time was Kenneth McKenzie, the 10th Chief of the Clan, who played a significant role in the Battle of Flodden in 1513.

The McKenzies also produced notable figures in later centuries. Sir George McKenzie (1636-1691) was a Scottish lawyer and writer, known for his work on the law of Scotland. Another prominent individual was Sir Alexander McKenzie (1767-1820), a Canadian explorer and fur trader, who was instrumental in establishing the first trading posts in the Pacific Northwest.

Other famous McKenzies include Compton Mackenzie (1883-1972), a British novelist and playwright, and Norman McKenzie (1869-1936), a Canadian politician and lawyer who served as a Member of Parliament.

Throughout history, the surname has been spelled in various ways, including McKenzy, McKinzie, and Mackenzie. Additionally, it has been linked to several place names in Scotland, such as Kintail, Lochcarron, and Applecross, where the clan had a significant presence.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name McKenzie

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

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

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

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