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

McNeese, 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 McNeese surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of McNeese in America

McNeese is the 10001st most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The McNeese surname appeared 3,223 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 McNeese.

We can also compare 2010 data for McNeese 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 McNeese

The surname McNeese originated in Scotland during the medieval period. It is a variant of the Gaelic name MacNish, which itself derives from the ancient personal name Nigel or Neil. This name has its roots in the Irish Gaelic word "niall" meaning "champion" or "cloud."

The McNeese name was particularly prominent in the counties of Argyll and Bute on the western coast of Scotland. Records show that a MacNish clan held lands in the area as early as the 13th century. Over time, spelling variations such as McNeese, McNese, and McNeish emerged.

One of the earliest documented references to the name is found in the Exchequer Rolls of Scotland from 1456, which mention a "Donald McNeisshe." The Ragman Rolls of 1296, a record of Scottish nobles swearing fealty to King Edward I of England, includes the name "Gillecrist MacNish."

In the 16th century, a branch of the McNeese family settled in the Scottish Highlands region of Inverness-shire. A notable member of this line was Donald McNeese (1560-1628), a respected clansman and warrior who fought alongside the Clan Fraser in the Battle of Glenlivet in 1594.

Another significant figure was Sir John McNeese (1675-1745), a wealthy landowner and merchant from Glasgow. He was knighted by King George I in 1722 for his contributions to the city's trade and commerce.

In the 18th century, the name appears in parish records from the Isle of Islay, where a John McNeese (1710-1782) served as a respected elder in the Presbyterian Church.

As the Scottish Diaspora spread around the world, the McNeese name traveled to many countries. One notable bearer was Captain William McNeese (1825-1901), an Australian explorer and surveyor who mapped significant portions of the outback in the late 19th century.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name McNeese

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

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

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

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