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

McMillin, 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 McMillin surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of McMillin in America

McMillin is the 6393rd most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The McMillin surname appeared 5,323 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 2 people would have the surname McMillin.

We can also compare 2010 data for McMillin 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 McMillin

The surname McMillin has its origins in Scotland, dating back to the 13th century. It is a variant of the Gaelic name MacMillan, which means "son of the tonsured one" or "son of the bald one." This name likely referred to a member of a religious order or a monk who had taken a vow of tonsure, the practice of shaving the crown of the head.

The earliest recorded instances of the name McMillin can be found in the Ragman Rolls of 1296, a collection of documents containing the names of Scottish nobles and landowners who swore allegiance to King Edward I of England during the Wars of Scottish Independence. One such entry is that of Gillecrist McMullyn, a landholder from Ayrshire.

In the 16th century, the McMillin name was prominent in the Scottish Highlands, particularly in the regions of Argyll and Inverness-shire. Records from this period include references to individuals such as John McMillin, a landowner in Argyll in 1548, and Gillespie McMillin, a prominent figure in the Battle of Glenlivet in 1594.

As the McMillin clan migrated and settled in different parts of Scotland, various spelling variations emerged, including McMullin, McMullen, and McMullen. One notable bearer of this name was Sir John McMullen (1640-1718), a Scottish merchant and Lord Provost of Edinburgh from 1684 to 1686.

In the 17th and 18th centuries, many McMillins and their spelling variants immigrated to Ulster, Ireland, as part of the Scottish Plantation of Ulster. From there, some members of the family later emigrated to North America, settling in regions such as Pennsylvania and Virginia. One of the earliest recorded McMillins in North America was John McMillin, who was born in County Antrim, Ireland, in 1670 and later settled in Pennsylvania.

Another notable bearer of the McMillin name was John McMillan (1752-1833), a Scottish-American Presbyterian minister and educator. He was born in Pennsylvania and played a significant role in founding several educational institutions, including Jefferson College (now Washington & Jefferson College) and Canonsburg Academy (now Washington & Jefferson College Preparatory School).

Throughout history, the McMillin surname has been carried by individuals from various walks of life, including clergymen, merchants, landowners, and military personnel. While the name may have evolved in its spelling over time, its Scottish roots and connection to the Gaelic language have remained a central part of its history and cultural significance.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name McMillin

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

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

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

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