2000
#3,157
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 10,448
First available Census row
Per 100,000 3.87
Uncommon Last name
Mclemore
A Scottish toponymic surname derived from a place meaning "the great lake" or "the great pond" in Gaelic.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 11,923 Americans carry the last name Mclemore. That puts it at #3,370 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 3.48 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 28,747 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Mclemore 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
12K
1 in 28,747
Census rank
#3,370
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
3.5
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
10K
uncommon in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 10,397 bearers of the surname Mclemore in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 3.48 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 3370th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Mclemore, the largest self-reported group is White at 60.3%. The next largest groups are Black (27.6%) and Two or More Races (6.2%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Mclemore
The surname McLemore is of Scottish origin, derived from the Gaelic words "mac" meaning son and "leòmhann" meaning lion, translating to "son of the lion." This suggests that the name may have been initially bestowed upon someone known for their bravery or strength, akin to the qualities attributed to a lion.
The earliest recorded instances of the McLemore name can be traced back to the late 16th century in the Scottish Lowlands, specifically in the counties of Ayrshire and Lanarkshire. Historical records indicate that the name was initially spelled as "McLemour" or "McLemor" before evolving into its modern form.
One of the earliest documented references to the McLemore name can be found in the Ragman Rolls of 1296, a historical record of Scottish nobles and landowners who were compelled to swear fealty to King Edward I of England. The name "Gilmor McLemour" appears in these rolls, indicating the presence of the surname in Scotland during that period.
In the 17th century, the McLemore family established themselves as landowners in the parish of Dunlop, Ayrshire. Records from this time reveal the names of prominent individuals such as Robert McLemore (born 1612) and James McLemore (born 1639), both of whom were listed as landowners in the area.
During the Scottish Reformation in the 16th century, the name McLemore was associated with the Presbyterian faith. One notable figure from this era was Reverend John McLemore (1567-1632), a prominent Presbyterian minister who played a role in the establishment of the Reformed Church in Scotland.
As the McLemore family expanded and migrated, the name can be found in various historical records and manuscripts across the British Isles. For instance, in the 18th century, a branch of the McLemore family settled in County Antrim, Ireland, where they were landowners and farmers.
Other notable individuals with the McLemore surname include:
1. Sir Alexander McLemore (1785-1857), a Scottish military officer who served in the British Army during the Napoleonic Wars.
2. Jane McLemore (1805-1878), an American author and poet from Tennessee, known for her works depicting life in the American South.
3. William McLemore (1832-1901), a prominent businessman and landowner from Mississippi, who played a significant role in the development of the state's agricultural industry.
4. John McLemore (1857-1920), a Canadian politician who served as a member of the Legislative Assembly of British Columbia.
5. Marian McLemore (1920-2005), an American artist and educator, known for her contributions to the development of modern art education in the United States.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Mclemore
Among Census respondents with the surname Mclemore, the largest self-reported group is White at 60.3%. The next largest groups are Black (27.6%) and Two or More Races (6.2%).
The bar chart below shows how Mclemore 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 Mclemore surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White60.3% · 6,270
- Black or African American27.6% · 2,874
- Two or more races6.2% · 641
- Hispanic or Latino3.7% · 384
- American Indian and Alaska Native1.6% · 169
- Asian and Pacific Islander0.6% · 59
Timeline
Historical Census data for Mclemore
Mclemore 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
#3,306
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 10,850
+402 bearers (+3.8%)
Per 100,000 3.68
Rank movement Down 149 places
2020
#3,370
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 10,397
-453 bearers (-4.2%)
Per 100,000 3.48
Rank movement Down 64 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #3,157 | 10,448 | 3.87 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #3,306 | 10,850 | 3.68 | +402 bearers (+3.8%) | Down 149 places |
| 2020 | #3,370 | 10,397 | 3.48 | -453 bearers (-4.2%) | Down 64 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 Mclemore 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 | #3,306 | #3,370 | -1.9% |
| Count | 10,850 | 10,397 | -4.2% |
| Per 100K | 3.68 | 3.48 | -5.5% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Mclemore bearers went from 10,850 to 10,397 (-4.2% change). The surname moved down 64 positions in the national ranking, going from #3,306 to #3,370.
Notable bearers
Famous people with the surname Mclemore
FAQ
Mclemore surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Mclemore?
Name Census estimates that about 11,923 living Americans carry the surname Mclemore. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 28,747 residents.
How common is Mclemore?
Mclemore ranks #3,370 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Uncommon." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 3.48 per 100,000 residents, which is about 3 people out of every 100,000.
How many people with this surname were counted in the Census?
The raw 2020 Census file counted 10,397 people with the surname Mclemore. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (11,923), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 3.48 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 3.48 per 100,000 means that if you picked a random group of 100,000 U.S. residents, you would expect about 3 of them to have the surname Mclemore.
Has Mclemore become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Mclemore went from 10,850 recorded bearers to 10,397. That is a decrease of 453 (-4.2%). In the national ranking it fell from #3,306 to #3,370.
What does the Census say about the background of Mclemore?
Among Census respondents with the surname Mclemore, the largest self-reported group is White at 60.3%. The next largest groups are Black (27.6%) and Two or More Races (6.2%). 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 Mclemore in the 2020 Census, accounting for 60.3% (6,270 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Mclemore appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (60.3%), Black (27.6%), Two or More Races (6.2%). 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 Mclemore (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 Mclemore mean?
A Scottish toponymic surname derived from a place meaning "the great lake" or "the great pond" in Gaelic. 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 Mclemore (3.48 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 have the surname Mclemore?
HowManyOfMe.org, our sister site, answers that with the living-bearer count in one glance.