2000
#5,967
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 5,313
First available Census row
Per 100,000 1.97
Rare Last name
Mclane
A Scottish surname derived from the Gaelic "Mac Gille Eáin," meaning "son of the servant of Saint John."
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 6,252 Americans carry the last name Mclane. That puts it at #6,050 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 1.82 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 54,823 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Mclane 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 Mclane with 1881 census detail, origin facts and modern UK distribution where available.
Bearers in the US
6.3K
1 in 54,823
Census rank
#6,050
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
1.8
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
5.5K
rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 5,452 bearers of the surname Mclane in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 1.82 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 6050th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Mclane, the largest self-reported group is White at 84.8%. The next largest groups are Black (5.3%) and Hispanic (4.1%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Mclane
The surname McLane is of Scottish origin, derived from the Gaelic Mac Gille Eáin, meaning "son of the servant of St. John." It is a common surname in the Highlands of Scotland, particularly in the regions of Argyll and the Western Isles.
The earliest recorded instance of the name dates back to the 13th century, where it appears in the Exchequer Rolls of Scotland as Makgillean. This spelling variation reflects the evolving nature of the name's orthography over time.
In the 16th century, the McLane clan was closely associated with the powerful Clan Donald, serving as their loyal supporters and allies. During this period, the name appears in various historical records, such as the Ragman Rolls of 1296, which document the Scottish nobles who pledged allegiance to King Edward I of England.
One notable figure bearing the McLane surname was John McLane (c. 1590-1670), a Scottish minister and theologian who played a significant role in the establishment of Presbyterianism in Ireland. He was a respected figure in his time and authored several influential religious works.
Another distinguished bearer of the name was Sir Robert McLane (1769-1847), a British naval officer who served during the Napoleonic Wars. He achieved the rank of Admiral and was awarded the Knight Grand Cross of the Order of the Bath for his military service.
In the 19th century, the McLane family made its mark in the United States. Thomas McLane (1788-1873) was a prominent American politician who served as the 14th Governor of Delaware from 1847 to 1851.
The name also has literary connections, with David McLane (1858-1928), an American novelist and poet who wrote extensively about the American West and Native American culture.
One of the most renowned figures with the McLane surname is Louisa McLane (1850-1936), an American socialite and hostess who played a significant role in Washington D.C. society during the late 19th and early 20th centuries.
Throughout its history, the McLane surname has been associated with various place names, such as McLane's Creek in Kentucky and McLane's Gap in Pennsylvania, further reinforcing its deep roots in different regions.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Mclane
Among Census respondents with the surname Mclane, the largest self-reported group is White at 84.8%. The next largest groups are Black (5.3%) and Hispanic (4.1%).
The bar chart below shows how Mclane 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 Mclane surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White84.8% · 4,625
- Black or African American5.3% · 290
- Hispanic or Latino4.1% · 225
- Two or more races3.8% · 207
- Asian and Pacific Islander1.0% · 53
- American Indian and Alaska Native1.0% · 52
Timeline
Historical Census data for Mclane
Mclane 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
#6,077
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 5,640
+327 bearers (+6.2%)
Per 100,000 1.91
Rank movement Down 110 places
2020
#6,050
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 5,452
-188 bearers (-3.3%)
Per 100,000 1.82
Rank movement Up 27 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #5,967 | 5,313 | 1.97 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #6,077 | 5,640 | 1.91 | +327 bearers (+6.2%) | Down 110 places |
| 2020 | #6,050 | 5,452 | 1.82 | -188 bearers (-3.3%) | Up 27 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 Mclane 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 | #6,077 | #6,050 | 0.4% |
| Count | 5,640 | 5,452 | -3.3% |
| Per 100K | 1.91 | 1.82 | -4.5% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Mclane bearers went from 5,640 to 5,452 (-3.3% change). The surname moved up 27 positions in the national ranking, going from #6,077 to #6,050.
FAQ
Mclane surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Mclane?
Name Census estimates that about 6,252 living Americans carry the surname Mclane. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 54,823 residents.
How common is Mclane?
Mclane ranks #6,050 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 1.82 per 100,000 residents, which is about 2 people out of every 100,000.
How many people with this surname were counted in the Census?
The raw 2020 Census file counted 5,452 people with the surname Mclane. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (6,252), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 1.82 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 1.82 per 100,000 means that if you picked a random group of 100,000 U.S. residents, you would expect about 2 of them to have the surname Mclane.
Has Mclane become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Mclane went from 5,640 recorded bearers to 5,452. That is a decrease of 188 (-3.3%). In the national ranking it rose from #6,077 to #6,050.
What does the Census say about the background of Mclane?
Among Census respondents with the surname Mclane, the largest self-reported group is White at 84.8%. The next largest groups are Black (5.3%) and Hispanic (4.1%). 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 Mclane in the 2020 Census, accounting for 84.8% (4,625 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Mclane appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (84.8%), Black (5.3%), Hispanic (4.1%). 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 Mclane (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 Mclane mean?
A Scottish surname derived from the Gaelic "Mac Gille Eáin," meaning "son of the servant of Saint John." 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 Mclane (1.82 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 people share the surname Mclane?
For a faster, more casual read, check HowManyOfMe.org — our sister site built around that single question.