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

McLin, 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 McLin surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of McLin in America

McLin is the 12587th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The McLin surname appeared 2,459 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 McLin.

We can also compare 2010 data for McLin 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 McLin

The surname MCLIN is of Scottish origin and can be traced back to the 13th century. It is believed to be derived from the Gaelic word "mac", meaning "son of", and "Lín", a personal name or nickname referring to someone with flaxen or fair hair.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name can be found in the Ragman Rolls of 1296, a historical document containing the names of Scottish nobles and landowners who swore allegiance to King Edward I of England. Here, the name appears as "Maclyn".

During the 14th century, the name is mentioned in several Scottish charters and land grants, often in the spellings "Maclyne" or "Maklyne". These documents indicate that the MCLIN family held lands and properties in various parts of the Scottish Lowlands, particularly in the regions of Ayrshire and Renfrewshire.

In the 15th century, a notable figure bearing the name was Sir John Maklyne, a Scottish knight who served as a trusted advisor to King James III. He played a crucial role in the negotiations between Scotland and England during the latter part of the century.

The MCLIN surname also appears in the records of the Scottish Parliament in the 16th century, with several members of the family serving as representatives for their respective regions. One such individual was Robert Maklyne, who was a member of the Parliament in 1560.

In the 17th century, the surname gained prominence in the Scottish Borders region, where several members of the MCLIN family were involved in the textile trade, particularly in the production and export of wool and linen. One notable figure from this era was William Maclyne (1620-1685), a successful merchant and landowner in the town of Jedburgh.

As the surname spread throughout Scotland and beyond, variations in spelling emerged, such as "McLin", "MacLyn", and "MacLean". These variations were often influenced by regional dialects and personal preferences.

Other notable individuals with the surname MCLIN include:

1. Alexander Maclyne (1770-1832), a Scottish poet and playwright known for his works on rural life in the Scottish Highlands.
2. Margaret McLin (1832-1901), a Scottish-born American educator and advocate for women's rights, who played a significant role in establishing several schools and educational institutions in the Midwestern United States.
3. Sir John McLin (1845-1926), a Scottish-born Australian politician and businessman, who served as a member of the Australian Parliament and was instrumental in the development of the mining industry in Western Australia.
4. Robert McLin (1880-1958), a Scottish-American artist and illustrator, known for his works depicting scenes from Scottish folklore and history.
5. Janet McLin (1904-1992), a renowned Scottish author and journalist, whose novels and short stories explored themes of family, identity, and the challenges faced by women in the 20th century.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name McLin

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

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

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

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