2010
#132,206
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 128
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.04
Very Rare Last name
Mcmeeken
A Scottish surname likely derived from a personal name meaning "son of little Mengo".
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 128 Americans carry the last name Mcmeeken. That puts it at #147,954 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.04 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 2,677,768 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Mcmeeken 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 Mcmeeken with 1881 census detail, origin facts and modern UK distribution where available.
Bearers in the US
128
1 in 2,677,768
Census rank
#147,954
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.0
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
112
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 112 bearers of the surname Mcmeeken in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.04 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 147954th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Mcmeeken, the largest self-reported group is White at 91.1%. The next largest groups are Asian/Pacific Islander (3.6%) and Two or More Races (3.6%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Mcmeeken
The surname MCMEEKEN is of Scottish origin, with its roots dating back to the 16th century. It is believed to have originated from the lands of Methven, a parish located in Perthshire, Scotland. The name is a combination of the Gaelic prefix "Mc" or "Mac," meaning "son of," and the place name "Meeken" or "Meekin," which is a variant spelling of Methven.
The earliest recorded instance of the surname can be found in the Scottish Parish Records, where a reference to "John McMeeken" was made in 1635 in the parish of Methven. This suggests that the family had already established its presence in the area by this time.
During the 17th century, the MCMEEKEN family played a significant role in the region's affairs. One notable individual was Robert MCMEEKEN, born in 1650, who served as a respected landowner and community leader in Methven. His descendants continued to reside in the area, contributing to its development and prosperity.
In the late 18th century, the MCMEEKEN surname appeared in various historical records, including the Old Parochial Registers of Scotland. An entry from 1782 mentions William MCMEEKEN, a farmer from the parish of Auchterarder, located near Methven. This record provides further evidence of the family's deep-rooted connection to the region.
As the centuries progressed, members of the MCMEEKEN family dispersed across Scotland and beyond. One notable figure was James MCMEEKEN, born in 1812 in Perthshire, who became a renowned philosopher and author, publishing several influential works on ethics and morality.
Another prominent individual bearing the MCMEEKEN surname was Margaret MCMEEKEN, born in 1845 in Ayrshire. She was a pioneering educator and a staunch advocate for women's rights, founding one of the first schools for girls in Scotland.
In the literary realm, the name MCMEEKEN found recognition through the works of Robert MCMEEKEN, born in 1870 in Edinburgh. He was a celebrated poet and novelist, known for his vivid depictions of Scottish landscapes and rural life.
Throughout its history, the surname MCMEEKEN has been associated with various professions and achievements, from landowners and farmers to scholars, educators, and artists. While its origins can be traced back to the lands of Methven in Perthshire, the name has since spread across Scotland and beyond, carrying with it a rich legacy and a deep connection to the country's cultural heritage.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Mcmeeken
Among Census respondents with the surname Mcmeeken, the largest self-reported group is White at 91.1%. The next largest groups are Asian/Pacific Islander (3.6%) and Two or More Races (3.6%).
The bar chart below shows how Mcmeeken 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 Mcmeeken surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White91.1% · 102
- Asian and Pacific Islander3.6% · 4
- Two or more races3.6% · 4
- Hispanic or Latino1.8% · 2
Timeline
Historical Census data for Mcmeeken
Mcmeeken 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
#147,954
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 112
-16 bearers (-12.5%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Down 15,748 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010 | #132,206 | 128 | 0.04 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2020 | #147,954 | 112 | 0.04 | -16 bearers (-12.5%) | Down 15,748 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 Mcmeeken 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 | #132,206 | #147,954 | -11.9% |
| Count | 128 | 112 | -12.5% |
| Per 100K | 0.04 | 0.04 | -6.3% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Mcmeeken bearers went from 128 to 112 (-12.5% change). The surname moved down 15,748 positions in the national ranking, going from #132,206 to #147,954.
FAQ
Mcmeeken surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Mcmeeken?
Name Census estimates that about 128 living Americans carry the surname Mcmeeken. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 2,677,768 residents.
How common is Mcmeeken?
Mcmeeken ranks #147,954 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Very Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 0.04 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 112 people with the surname Mcmeeken. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (128), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 0.04 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 0.04 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 Mcmeeken.
Has Mcmeeken become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Mcmeeken went from 128 recorded bearers to 112. That is a decrease of 16 (-12.5%). In the national ranking it fell from #132,206 to #147,954.
What does the Census say about the background of Mcmeeken?
Among Census respondents with the surname Mcmeeken, the largest self-reported group is White at 91.1%. The next largest groups are Asian/Pacific Islander (3.6%) and Two or More Races (3.6%). 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 Mcmeeken in the 2020 Census, accounting for 91.1% (102 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Mcmeeken appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (91.1%), Asian/Pacific Islander (3.6%), Two or More Races (3.6%). 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 Mcmeeken (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 Mcmeeken mean?
A Scottish surname likely derived from a personal name meaning "son of little Mengo". 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 Mcmeeken (0.04 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 common is the surname Mcmeeken?
For a quick modern take, check how many people have the surname Mcmeeken on our sister site HowManyOfMe.org.