2000
#73,931
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 244
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.09
Very Rare Last name
Mckillips
A Scottish surname derived from the Gaelic MacGillaMhìchaill, meaning "son of the servant of St. Michael".
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 310 Americans carry the last name Mckillips. That puts it at #76,719 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.09 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 1,105,659 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Mckillips 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
310
1 in 1,105,659
Census rank
#76,719
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.1
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
270
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 270 bearers of the surname Mckillips in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.09 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 76719th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Mckillips, the largest self-reported group is White at 87.8%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (7.0%) and Hispanic (2.6%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Mckillips
The surname McKillips originates from Scotland and can be traced back to the early 16th century. It is derived from the Gaelic words "mac" meaning "son of" and "gille" meaning "servant" or "youth." The name likely referred to someone who was a servant or attendant, possibly to a person of higher rank or nobility.
The earliest recorded spelling of the name appears to be McKillop in the Ragman Rolls of 1296, which were a series of solemn instruments by which the Scottish nobles and gentry were compelled to acknowledge their allegiance to Edward I of England. This suggests that the name was already in use by the late 13th century.
In the 16th century, the name was also recorded as McKillope and McKillopine in various Scottish records and documents. This variation in spelling was common during this period due to the lack of standardized orthography and the influence of local dialects.
One of the earliest known individuals with this surname was John McKillop, who was born in Argyllshire, Scotland, around 1550. He was a prominent figure in the Scottish Reformation and a staunch supporter of the Protestant cause.
In the 17th century, the name spread beyond Scotland as some bearers of the name immigrated to Ireland, particularly to the counties of Antrim and Down. This led to the emergence of variations such as McKillips and McKillopps in Irish records.
Notable individuals with the surname McKillips include:
1. Angus McKillips (1773-1845), a Scottish-born Canadian politician and businessman who served as a member of the Legislative Assembly of Upper Canada.
2. William McKillips (1848-1927), an Irish-born American politician who served as the 38th Mayor of Boston from 1901 to 1902.
3. John McKillips (1859-1934), a Scottish-born Canadian journalist and newspaper editor who founded the Winnipeg Telegram in 1892.
4. Margaret McKillips (1892-1980), an American educator and author who wrote several books on teaching methods and child development.
5. Robert McKillips (1918-2008), a British artist and illustrator best known for his work in children's literature, including books by Roald Dahl and C.S. Lewis.
The surname McKillips has a rich history that can be traced back to medieval Scotland, with various spelling variations emerging over time. Its bearers have made significant contributions in fields such as politics, journalism, education, and the arts, reflecting the diverse backgrounds and experiences of those who bear this name.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Mckillips
Among Census respondents with the surname Mckillips, the largest self-reported group is White at 87.8%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (7.0%) and Hispanic (2.6%).
The bar chart below shows how Mckillips 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 Mckillips surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White87.8% · 237
- Two or more races7.0% · 19
- Hispanic or Latino2.6% · 7
- Asian and Pacific Islander1.1% · 3
- Black or African American0.7% · 2
- American Indian and Alaska Native0.7% · 2
Timeline
Historical Census data for Mckillips
Mckillips 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
#75,317
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 256
+12 bearers (+4.9%)
Per 100,000 0.09
Rank movement Down 1,386 places
2020
#76,719
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 270
+14 bearers (+5.5%)
Per 100,000 0.09
Rank movement Down 1,402 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #73,931 | 244 | 0.09 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #75,317 | 256 | 0.09 | +12 bearers (+4.9%) | Down 1,386 places |
| 2020 | #76,719 | 270 | 0.09 | +14 bearers (+5.5%) | Down 1,402 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 Mckillips 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 | #75,317 | #76,719 | -1.9% |
| Count | 256 | 270 | 5.5% |
| Per 100K | 0.09 | 0.09 | 0.4% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Mckillips bearers went from 256 to 270 (+5.5% change). The surname moved down 1,402 positions in the national ranking, going from #75,317 to #76,719.
FAQ
Mckillips surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Mckillips?
Name Census estimates that about 310 living Americans carry the surname Mckillips. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 1,105,659 residents.
How common is Mckillips?
Mckillips ranks #76,719 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Very Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 0.09 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 270 people with the surname Mckillips. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (310), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 0.09 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 0.09 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 Mckillips.
Has Mckillips become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Mckillips went from 256 recorded bearers to 270. That is an increase of 14 (+5.5%). In the national ranking it fell from #75,317 to #76,719.
What does the Census say about the background of Mckillips?
Among Census respondents with the surname Mckillips, the largest self-reported group is White at 87.8%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (7.0%) and Hispanic (2.6%). 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 Mckillips in the 2020 Census, accounting for 87.8% (237 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Mckillips appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (87.8%), Two or More Races (7.0%), Hispanic (2.6%). 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 Mckillips (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 Mckillips mean?
A Scottish surname derived from the Gaelic MacGillaMhìchaill, meaning "son of the servant of St. Michael". 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 Mckillips (0.09 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 Americans have the surname Mckillips?
For a quick modern estimate, our sister site HowManyOfMe.org answers that in one glance, with the living-bearer count front and centre.