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

McPeek, 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 McPeek surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of McPeek in America

McPeek is the 12900th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The McPeek surname appeared 2,383 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 McPeek.

We can also compare 2010 data for McPeek 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 McPeek

The surname McPeek originates from Scotland and can be traced back to the 16th century. It is believed to have derived from the Gaelic words "mac" meaning "son of" and "peac" which translates to "pagan" or "heathen." This suggests that the name was initially given to individuals who were perceived as non-Christians or those who followed ancient Celtic traditions.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name can be found in the Parish Records of Dumfriesshire, Scotland, where a John McPeek was mentioned in 1635. The name has also been linked to the village of Peakraw in Renfrewshire, which may have influenced the spelling variation "McPeakraw."

During the 17th and 18th centuries, the McPeek family established roots in various regions of Scotland, including Ayrshire, Lanarkshire, and the Scottish Borders. Notable individuals from this period include Robert McPeek (1676-1742), a wealthy landowner in Ayrshire, and Margaret McPeek (1712-1795), who was renowned for her charitable work in the village of Kilwinning.

As the Scottish diaspora spread across the globe, the McPeek name travelled to other parts of the British Isles and eventually to North America. One of the earliest recorded McPeeks in America was James McPeek (1745-1821), who arrived in Pennsylvania from County Antrim, Ireland, in the late 18th century. His descendants went on to settle in various states, including Ohio, Indiana, and Illinois.

Another prominent figure was John McPeek (1789-1864), a Scottish-born businessman and politician who served as the mayor of New Orleans, Louisiana, from 1854 to 1856. He was instrumental in the city's infrastructure development and played a crucial role in establishing the New Orleans Public Library.

During the American Civil War, Colonel Andrew McPeek (1820-1892) from Ohio gained recognition for his leadership in the Union Army. He participated in several major battles, including the Battles of Shiloh and Stones River, and was awarded the prestigious Medal of Honor for his bravery.

In more recent times, notable individuals with the McPeek surname include Ike McPeek (1908-1995), a Major League Baseball player for the Detroit Tigers in the 1930s, and Dr. Kathleen McPeek (1957-present), a renowned medical researcher and professor at the University of Chicago.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name McPeek

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

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

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

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