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

McPherson, 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 McPherson surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of McPherson in America

McPherson is the 965th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The McPherson surname appeared 36,125 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 12 people would have the surname McPherson.

We can also compare 2010 data for McPherson 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 McPherson

The surname McPherson has its origins in Scotland, emerging in the late 12th century. It is derived from the Gaelic "Mac a'Phearsain," meaning "son of the parson" or "son of the priest." This indicates that the earliest bearers of this surname were likely the offspring of members of the clergy.

The name first appeared in historical records around 1230, in the Ragman Rolls, a series of parchment rolls that recorded acts of homage to King Edward I of England. One of the earliest recorded individuals with this surname was Donald MacPerson, who swore fealty to the English king in 1296.

By the 14th century, the name had spread throughout various regions of Scotland, including Inverness-shire, Perthshire, and Argyllshire. Variations in spelling began to emerge, such as McPharson, McPhirson, and McFerson, reflecting regional dialects and the phonetic nature of surname formation.

One notable bearer of the McPherson name was Sir David McPherson, a Scottish knight who fought alongside Robert the Bruce during the Wars of Scottish Independence in the early 14th century. Another prominent individual was John McPherson, a 16th-century Scottish bishop who played a significant role in the Protestant Reformation.

In the 17th century, the McPherson surname became associated with the Clan McPherson, a Highland Scottish clan centered in the Badenoch region of Inverness-shire. The clan was known for their involvement in the Jacobite uprisings, supporting the Stuart claim to the British throne.

As the Scottish diaspora spread worldwide, the McPherson surname was carried to various corners of the globe. One notable figure was James McPherson, a Scottish-American writer and poet born in 1736, who became known as the "Poet of the American Revolution" for his works celebrating the American cause during the Revolutionary War.

Another prominent bearer of the name was James Birdseye McPherson, an American Civil War general born in 1828. He served in the Union Army and was killed in action during the Battle of Atlanta in 1864.

In the 19th century, the McPherson surname also gained recognition in the field of literature with the Scottish author James McPherson, born in 1810, who wrote several notable works, including "A History of the Working Classes in Scotland."

These examples illustrate the rich history and diverse backgrounds of individuals bearing the surname McPherson, a name that has left an indelible mark across various regions and disciplines throughout the centuries.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name McPherson

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

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

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

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