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

McLamb, 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 McLamb surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of McLamb in America

McLamb is the 10373rd most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The McLamb surname appeared 3,106 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 McLamb.

We can also compare 2010 data for McLamb 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 McLamb

The surname McLamb is of Scottish origin and can be traced back to the 12th century. It is derived from the Gaelic words "mac" meaning son and "lamb" referring to the animal. The name likely originated as a nickname or descriptive name for someone who worked with lambs or sheep.

The earliest known record of the name dates back to 1296 when a Gilbertus McLame appeared in the Ragman Rolls, which were rolls of homage to King Edward I of England. This suggests the name was present in Scotland during the late 13th century.

In the 15th century, variations of the name such as McLambe and McLammy appeared in various Scottish records and charters. One notable individual was John McLammy, who was a merchant in Edinburgh in the late 1400s.

The McLamb name is closely associated with the Borders region of Scotland, particularly the areas around Roxburghshire and Berwickshire. The surname may have originated in this area due to its strong ties to sheep farming and wool trade.

During the 16th and 17th centuries, the McLamb name spread to other parts of Scotland and began to appear in records in neighboring regions. One of the earliest recorded instances was Robert McLamb, who was born in Ayrshire in 1562.

Another notable bearer of the name was David McLamb, a Scottish minister who lived in the late 16th century. He was a prominent figure in the Church of Scotland and played a role in the Scottish Reformation.

In the 18th century, the McLamb name began to appear in North America, particularly in the colonies of Virginia and North Carolina. This was likely due to Scottish immigration to the New World. One of the earliest recorded instances was James McLamb, who was born in Virginia in 1720.

As the McLamb name spread across the Atlantic, it also underwent some spelling variations, such as McLambe and McLambie. One notable individual with this variation was William McLambie, a Scottish-born merchant who lived in New York in the late 18th century.

Throughout history, the McLamb surname has been associated with various occupations, including farming, trade, and ministry. While not a widely common name, it has left a mark on both Scottish and American history.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name McLamb

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

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

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

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