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

McNabb, 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 McNabb surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of McNabb in America

McNabb is the 3583rd most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The McNabb surname appeared 9,935 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 3 people would have the surname McNabb.

We can also compare 2010 data for McNabb 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 McNabb

The surname McNabb has its origins in Scotland, where it first appeared in the early 14th century. It is derived from the Gaelic words "mac" meaning "son of" and "nab" or "naib" meaning "simple" or "humble".

The name likely arose as a nickname for someone of a modest or unassuming nature. It was prevalent in the western regions of Scotland, particularly Argyll and Bute, where the earliest recorded instances of the name can be found in medieval charters and records.

One of the earliest known bearers of the name was Dougall McNab, who is mentioned in a charter from the Lord of the Isles in 1394. This charter granted lands in Argyll to Dougall and his descendants.

The name also appears in the Register of the Great Seal of Scotland, a collection of official records, with entries dating back to the 15th century. In 1476, a John McNab is recorded as receiving a grant of lands in Perthshire.

During the 16th and 17th centuries, the McNabbs were a prominent clan in the Scottish Highlands, with their clan seat located at Killin, near Loch Tay. They were known for their involvement in various conflicts and feuds with neighboring clans.

One notable figure from this time period was Finlay McNab, who was the chief of the clan in the late 16th century. He was renowned for his military prowess and played a role in the conflicts between the clans and the Scottish Crown.

In the 18th century, Robert McNab, born in 1718, was a Scottish explorer and fur trader who established trading posts in the Pacific Northwest region of North America. He is credited with being one of the first Europeans to extensively explore and map the Columbia River.

Another prominent individual was Sir Duncan McNab, born in 1838, who served as a Canadian politician and military officer. He played a significant role in the development of the Canadian west and was instrumental in the establishment of the North-West Mounted Police, the precursor to the Royal Canadian Mounted Police.

Francis McNab, born in 1809, was a Scottish-Canadian businessman and politician who served as a member of the Legislative Council of Canada West (now Ontario). He was also involved in the development of the Canadian railway system.

The McNabb surname has also been found in various spellings over the centuries, including McNab, MacNab, and McNaib, reflecting the phonetic variations in different regions of Scotland and North America.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name McNabb

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

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

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

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