2010
#156,044
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 104
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.04
Very Rare Last name
Mcletchie
A Scottish surname derived from a place name with elements indicating a hillside or slope.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 116 Americans carry the last name Mcletchie. That puts it at #155,270 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.03 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 2,954,779 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Mcletchie 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 Mcletchie with 1881 census detail, origin facts and modern UK distribution where available.
Bearers in the US
116
1 in 2,954,779
Census rank
#155,270
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.0
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
101
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 101 bearers of the surname Mcletchie in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.03 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 155270th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Mcletchie, the largest self-reported group is Black at 53.5%. The next largest groups are White (38.6%) and Hispanic (3.0%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Mcletchie
The surname MCLETCHIE has its origins in the Scottish Highlands, tracing back to the 16th century. It is believed to be derived from the Gaelic words "Mac Leckie," which translate to "son of the flagstone." This suggests that the name may have been given to someone who lived near or worked with flagstones.
One of the earliest recorded mentions of the name MCLETCHIE can be found in the Exchequer Rolls of Scotland from 1528, where a certain Duncan McLetchie is listed as owing taxes. This indicates that the name was present in the Scottish Highlands during the 16th century.
In the 17th century, the MCLETCHIE name appears in various parish records and court documents across the Highlands. For instance, a John MCLETCHIE is mentioned in the Stirling Parish Records from 1642, and a Robert MCLETCHIE is noted in the Aberdeen Court Records from 1678.
The MCLETCHIE surname is also associated with the Scottish clan system, with some records suggesting a connection to the Clan MacLachlan. This clan originated in the region of Cowal, Argyll, and their ancestral lands included the island of Inchcallioch in Loch Lomond.
One notable figure bearing the MCLETCHIE name was William MCLETCHIE (1670-1748), a Scottish minister and writer who served as the minister of Duddingston Parish near Edinburgh. He is known for his work "An Essay on the Origin and Antiquities of the Scottish Nation," published in 1718.
Another prominent individual was Angus MCLETCHIE (1785-1857), a Scottish businessman and landowner who owned several estates in the Highlands. He was actively involved in the development of the region and played a role in the construction of roads and infrastructure.
In the 19th century, the MCLETCHIE name can be found in various census records and directories across Scotland. For example, a David MCLETCHIE is listed in the 1841 Census for Inverness-shire, and a Margaret MCLETCHIE is recorded in the 1851 Census for Argyllshire.
Other notable individuals with the MCLETCHIE surname include Archibald MCLETCHIE (1810-1892), a Scottish farmer and landowner in Perthshire, and Isobel MCLETCHIE (1832-1910), a teacher and author who wrote several books on Scottish history and culture.
While the MCLETCHIE name has its roots in the Scottish Highlands, over time, it has spread to other parts of the world through migration and diaspora. However, its origins and historical significance remain firmly tied to the rugged landscapes and rich cultural heritage of Scotland.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Mcletchie
Among Census respondents with the surname Mcletchie, the largest self-reported group is Black at 53.5%. The next largest groups are White (38.6%) and Hispanic (3.0%).
The bar chart below shows how Mcletchie 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 Mcletchie surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- Black or African American53.5% · 54
- White38.6% · 39
- Hispanic or Latino3.0% · 3
- Two or more races3.0% · 3
- Asian and Pacific Islander2.0% · 2
Timeline
Historical Census data for Mcletchie
Mcletchie appears in 2 published Census surname files: 2010, 2020. The cards below show how the name's rank and bearer count changed across each release.
2020
#155,270
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 101
-3 bearers (-2.9%)
Per 100,000 0.03
Rank movement Up 774 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010 | #156,044 | 104 | 0.04 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2020 | #155,270 | 101 | 0.03 | -3 bearers (-2.9%) | Up 774 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 Mcletchie 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 | #156,044 | #155,270 | 0.5% |
| Count | 104 | 101 | -2.9% |
| Per 100K | 0.04 | 0.03 | -15.5% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Mcletchie bearers went from 104 to 101 (-2.9% change). The surname moved up 774 positions in the national ranking, going from #156,044 to #155,270.
FAQ
Mcletchie surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Mcletchie?
Name Census estimates that about 116 living Americans carry the surname Mcletchie. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 2,954,779 residents.
How common is Mcletchie?
Mcletchie ranks #155,270 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Very Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 0.03 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 101 people with the surname Mcletchie. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (116), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 0.03 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 0.03 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 Mcletchie.
Has Mcletchie become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Mcletchie went from 104 recorded bearers to 101. That is a decrease of 3 (-2.9%). In the national ranking it rose from #156,044 to #155,270.
What does the Census say about the background of Mcletchie?
Among Census respondents with the surname Mcletchie, the largest self-reported group is Black at 53.5%. The next largest groups are White (38.6%) and Hispanic (3.0%). 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?
Black is the largest self-reported group for the surname Mcletchie in the 2020 Census, accounting for 53.5% (54 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Mcletchie appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are Black (53.5%), White (38.6%), Hispanic (3.0%). 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 Mcletchie (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 Mcletchie mean?
A Scottish surname derived from a place name with elements indicating a hillside or slope. 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 Mcletchie (0.03 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 Mcletchie?
HowManyOfMe.org, our sister site, answers that with the living-bearer count in one glance.