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

McNamara, 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 McNamara surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of McNamara in America

McNamara is the 1329th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The McNamara surname appeared 26,534 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 9 people would have the surname McNamara.

We can also compare 2010 data for McNamara 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 McNamara

The surname McNamara is an Irish surname that originated in County Clare in the west of Ireland. It is derived from the Irish Gaelic words 'Mac' meaning 'son of' and 'Namara' which means 'celebrated'. The name can therefore be translated as 'son of the celebrated one'.

The McNamara clan were a powerful and influential family in County Clare during the Middle Ages. They were part of the Dalcassian dynasty that ruled the region and were descended from the legendary High King of Ireland, Brian Boru, who reigned from 1002 to 1014.

One of the earliest recorded mentions of the McNamara name can be found in the Annals of Inisfallen, a chronicle of medieval Irish history that dates back to the 12th century. The annals make reference to several members of the McNamara clan, including Domhnall McNamara, who was killed in a battle in 1242.

The McNamara clan were known for their military prowess and played a significant role in many battles and conflicts throughout Irish history. One of the most famous members of the clan was Sioda Cam McNamara, who was a renowned warrior and leader in the 16th century. He fought alongside the Earl of Desmond in the Second Desmond Rebellion against the English crown.

Another notable figure with the McNamara surname was John McNamara, who was born in 1776 and was a prominent Irish rebel during the Irish Rebellion of 1798. He was later captured and hanged for his involvement in the rebellion.

In the 19th century, Michael McNamara, who was born in 1828, was a prominent Irish politician and Member of Parliament for the Irish Parliamentary Party. He was a staunch supporter of Irish independence and played a key role in the struggle for Home Rule in Ireland.

The McNamara surname has also been associated with several successful individuals in various fields, such as Patrick McNamara, who was born in 1894 and was a renowned American architect responsible for designing several notable buildings in New York City.

Overall, the McNamara surname has a rich and fascinating history that can be traced back to the powerful Dalcassian dynasty in medieval Ireland. The name continues to be a popular surname in Ireland and among the Irish diaspora around the world.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name McNamara

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

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

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

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