2000
#10,264
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 2,878
First available Census row
Per 100,000 1.07
Rare Last name
Mckinstry
A Scottish occupational surname referring to someone who made wooden furniture or barrels.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 3,250 Americans carry the last name Mckinstry. That puts it at #10,755 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.95 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 105,463 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Mckinstry 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.
For British records, Name Census UK has a British surname profile for Mckinstry with 1881 census detail, origin facts and modern UK distribution where available.
Bearers in the US
3.3K
1 in 105,463
Census rank
#10,755
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.9
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
2.8K
rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 2,834 bearers of the surname Mckinstry in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.95 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 10755th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Mckinstry, the largest self-reported group is White at 70.0%. The next largest groups are Black (22.3%) and Two or More Races (4.2%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Mckinstry
The surname McKinstry has its origins in Scotland, dating back to the 12th century. It is believed to have derived from the Gaelic mac an t-saoiridh, meaning "son of the carpenter" or "son of the joiner." The name likely originated in the areas of Renfrewshire and Ayrshire, where families with this occupation were prevalent.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name can be found in the Ragman Rolls of 1296, a historical document that recorded the names of Scottish landowners who swore fealty to King Edward I of England. The name appears as "M'Kynstrer," indicating its Scottish origins and the evolution of its spelling over time.
In the 16th century, the McKinstry family was prominent in the Ayrshire region, with several members holding positions of authority and influence. John McKinstry, born in 1520, was a respected landowner and community leader in the town of Kilwinning.
The name also appears in historical records from Ireland, particularly in the counties of Antrim and Down, where Scottish settlers had established themselves. One notable figure was Robert McKinstry, born in 1642 in Ballymoney, County Antrim. He was a prominent merchant and landowner, and his descendants continued to play an essential role in the economic and social fabric of the region.
In the 18th century, the McKinstry name gained recognition in the literary world with the birth of James McKinstry (1718-1788), a Scottish poet and playwright. His works, although not widely known today, were celebrated in his time for their wit and satirical commentary on society.
Another notable figure was William McKinstry (1793-1867), a Scottish-American businessman and politician. Born in Paisley, Scotland, he immigrated to the United States and became a successful merchant in New York City. He later served as a member of the New York State Assembly and was actively involved in various philanthropic causes.
Throughout history, the McKinstry surname has been associated with a variety of professions and achievements, from carpentry and joinery to literature, business, and politics. While the spelling may have evolved over time, the name's Scottish heritage and connection to the skilled trades have remained a defining characteristic.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Mckinstry
Among Census respondents with the surname Mckinstry, the largest self-reported group is White at 70.0%. The next largest groups are Black (22.3%) and Two or More Races (4.2%).
The bar chart below shows how Mckinstry 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 Mckinstry surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White70.0% · 1,985
- Black or African American22.3% · 633
- Two or more races4.2% · 119
- Hispanic or Latino2.7% · 77
- Asian and Pacific Islander0.6% · 16
- American Indian and Alaska Native0.1% · 4
Timeline
Historical Census data for Mckinstry
Mckinstry 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
#10,620
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 3,015
+137 bearers (+4.8%)
Per 100,000 1.02
Rank movement Down 356 places
2020
#10,755
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 2,834
-181 bearers (-6.0%)
Per 100,000 0.95
Rank movement Down 135 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #10,264 | 2,878 | 1.07 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #10,620 | 3,015 | 1.02 | +137 bearers (+4.8%) | Down 356 places |
| 2020 | #10,755 | 2,834 | 0.95 | -181 bearers (-6.0%) | Down 135 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 Mckinstry 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 | #10,620 | #10,755 | -1.3% |
| Count | 3,015 | 2,834 | -6.0% |
| Per 100K | 1.02 | 0.95 | -7.0% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Mckinstry bearers went from 3,015 to 2,834 (-6.0% change). The surname moved down 135 positions in the national ranking, going from #10,620 to #10,755.
FAQ
Mckinstry surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Mckinstry?
Name Census estimates that about 3,250 living Americans carry the surname Mckinstry. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 105,463 residents.
How common is Mckinstry?
Mckinstry ranks #10,755 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 0.95 per 100,000 residents, which is about 1 people out of every 100,000.
How many people with this surname were counted in the Census?
The raw 2020 Census file counted 2,834 people with the surname Mckinstry. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (3,250), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 0.95 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 0.95 per 100,000 means that if you picked a random group of 100,000 U.S. residents, you would expect about 1 of them to have the surname Mckinstry.
Has Mckinstry become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Mckinstry went from 3,015 recorded bearers to 2,834. That is a decrease of 181 (-6.0%). In the national ranking it fell from #10,620 to #10,755.
What does the Census say about the background of Mckinstry?
Among Census respondents with the surname Mckinstry, the largest self-reported group is White at 70.0%. The next largest groups are Black (22.3%) and Two or More Races (4.2%). 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 Mckinstry in the 2020 Census, accounting for 70.0% (1,985 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Mckinstry appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (70.0%), Black (22.3%), Two or More Races (4.2%). 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 Mckinstry (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 Mckinstry mean?
A Scottish occupational surname referring to someone who made wooden furniture or barrels. 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 Mckinstry (0.95 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 Mckinstry?
For a quick modern estimate, our sister site HowManyOfMe.org answers that in one glance, with the living-bearer count front and centre.