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

McZeal, 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 McZeal surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of McZeal in America

McZeal is the 39281st most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The McZeal surname appeared 560 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 0 people would have the surname McZeal.

We can also compare 2010 data for McZeal 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 McZeal

The surname MCZEAL has its origins in the Scottish Highlands, dating back to the 13th century. It is believed to be derived from the Gaelic words "mac" meaning "son of" and "zeal," which was a personal name or nickname referring to someone with great passion or enthusiasm.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name MCZEAL can be found in the Exchequer Rolls of Scotland from 1296, where a certain Gillebride MCZEAL is mentioned as a landowner in the region of Argyll. This suggests that the family may have held some prominence or status in the area during that time.

In the 15th century, there are records of a John MCZEAL who served as a retainer to the powerful Clan Campbell in the Western Isles. His name appears in a charter from 1487, granting him lands in the Isle of Islay for his loyal service.

The MCZEAL name has also been associated with the village of Kilmichael in Argyllshire, which was once known as "Kilmczeal" in older records. It is possible that some members of the family may have taken their surname from this place name or vice versa.

One notable figure in the history of the MCZEAL surname was Duncan MCZEAL (1543-1612), a renowned scholar and theologian who served as the principal of the University of Glasgow. He was known for his expertise in Hebrew and Greek, and authored several influential works on biblical interpretation.

Another prominent MCZEAL was Alasdair MCZEAL (1677-1749), a Jacobite soldier and poet who fought in the uprisings of the early 18th century. His stirring verses and ballads were widely circulated and helped to rally support for the Stuart cause.

In the 19th century, the MCZEAL name was carried by Angus MCZEAL (1815-1892), a successful merchant and shipowner based in Glasgow. He was known for his philanthropic efforts, donating a significant portion of his wealth to various charitable organizations and educational institutions.

Throughout the centuries, the MCZEAL surname has been found across various regions of Scotland, with pockets of concentration in Argyll, the Western Isles, and the central belt around Glasgow. While not a widespread name, it has endured as a part of Scotland's rich cultural heritage.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name McZeal

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

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

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

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