2000
#112,967
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 144
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.05
Very Rare Last name
Mechan
An uncommon Scottish occupational surname derived from the Middle English word "mechane" meaning artisan or craftsman.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 126 Americans carry the last name Mechan. That puts it at #149,446 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.04 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 2,720,273 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Mechan surname. You will find the Census Bureau frequency data, a multi-census history view, an ancestry and ethnicity breakdown based on self-reported demographics, the name's meaning and origin where available, and answers to the most common questions people ask about this surname.
For British records, Name Census UK has a British surname profile for Mechan with 1881 census detail, origin facts and modern UK distribution where available.
Bearers in the US
126
1 in 2,720,273
Census rank
#149,446
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.0
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
110
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 110 bearers of the surname Mechan in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.04 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 149446th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Mechan, the largest self-reported group is White at 68.2%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (24.5%) and Black (7.3%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Mechan
The surname Mechan has its origins in Scotland, with records dating back to the 16th century. It is believed to be derived from the Scottish Gaelic word "meachan," which means "the son of the champion" or "the son of the hero." This suggests that the name may have been given to the son of a respected warrior or leader in the Highlands.
The earliest known record of the name is found in the Register of the Privy Council of Scotland in 1585, where a certain John Mechan is mentioned. Other early records include a reference to a William Mechan in the parish registers of Kilsyth, Stirlingshire, in 1642.
In the 17th century, the spelling of the name varied, with forms such as Mechan, Mechane, and Mechane appearing in various documents. These variations likely reflect the influence of regional dialects and the inconsistencies in the written recording of names during that time.
One notable bearer of the name was John Mechan (c. 1620-1685), a Scottish Presbyterian minister who served as the minister of Banchory-Devenick, near Aberdeen. He was known for his strong opposition to Episcopacy and his refusal to conform to the policies of the re-established Episcopal Church after the Restoration of the monarchy in 1660.
Another significant figure in the history of the Mechan name was James Mechan (1778-1858), a Scottish businessman and philanthropist from Glasgow. He made his fortune in the textile industry and contributed generously to various charitable causes, including the founding of the Mechan Free Church School in Glasgow.
In the 19th century, the name Mechan began to appear in various parts of the British Empire, reflecting the migration of Scottish families to other parts of the world. For example, there are records of a William Mechan (1820-1895) who was a prominent businessman and public figure in Melbourne, Australia.
Other notable bearers of the name include:
1. Robert Mechan (1824-1901), a Scottish-born architect who worked primarily in New Zealand and designed several notable buildings, including the Auckland Art Gallery.
2. John Mechan (1855-1932), a Scottish-born farmer and politician who served as a member of the Legislative Assembly of British Columbia, Canada.
3. George Mechan (1865-1947), a Scottish-born businessman and philanthropist who made significant contributions to the development of the city of Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada.
4. William Mechan (1880-1961), a Scottish-born artist and painter known for his landscapes and portraits, particularly those depicting scenes from the Scottish Highlands.
While the name Mechan is not among the most common surnames globally, it has a rich history and has been borne by individuals who have made contributions in various fields, reflecting the strong Scottish heritage associated with this name.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Mechan
Among Census respondents with the surname Mechan, the largest self-reported group is White at 68.2%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (24.5%) and Black (7.3%).
The bar chart below shows how Mechan bearers described their own race and ethnicity on the 2020 Census form. The Census Bureau groups responses into six broad categories: White, Black or African American, Hispanic or Latino, Asian and Pacific Islander, American Indian and Alaska Native, and Two or More Races. When a category has too few respondents for a given surname, the Bureau suppresses the figure to protect individual privacy, which is why some names show fewer than six slices.
Percentages are shown for every Census year so the breakdown stays comparable over time. When the source file also includes raw headcounts, Name Census shows those alongside the percentages in the legend.
Keep in mind that these are self-reported numbers. A person's surname does not determine their race or ethnicity, and the distribution you see here reflects the specific population who happened to carry the Mechan surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White68.2% · 75
- Hispanic or Latino24.5% · 27
- Black or African American7.3% · 8
Timeline
Historical Census data for Mechan
Mechan appears in 3 published Census surname files: 2000, 2010, 2020. The cards below show how the name's rank and bearer count changed across each release.
2010
#143,149
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 116
-28 bearers (-19.4%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Down 30,182 places
2020
#149,446
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 110
-6 bearers (-5.2%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Down 6,297 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #112,967 | 144 | 0.05 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #143,149 | 116 | 0.04 | -28 bearers (-19.4%) | Down 30,182 places |
| 2020 | #149,446 | 110 | 0.04 | -6 bearers (-5.2%) | Down 6,297 places |
For 2020, the Census Bureau published race and Hispanic-origin columns as counts rather than percentages. Name Census converts those counts back into shares so the ancestry section stays comparable with the older surname files.
Year on year
2010 vs 2020 Census
How has the Mechan surname changed between Census years? The chart shows bearer count side by side, and the table compares rank, count, and frequency.
Census year comparison
20102020
| Metric | 2010 | 2020 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #143,149 | #149,446 | -4.4% |
| Count | 116 | 110 | -5.2% |
| Per 100K | 0.04 | 0.04 | -8.0% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Mechan bearers went from 116 to 110 (-5.2% change). The surname moved down 6,297 positions in the national ranking, going from #143,149 to #149,446.
FAQ
Mechan surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Mechan?
Name Census estimates that about 126 living Americans carry the surname Mechan. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 2,720,273 residents.
How common is Mechan?
Mechan ranks #149,446 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Very Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 0.04 per 100,000 residents, which is about 0 people out of every 100,000.
How many people with this surname were counted in the Census?
The raw 2020 Census file counted 110 people with the surname Mechan. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (126), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 0.04 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 0.04 per 100,000 means that if you picked a random group of 100,000 U.S. residents, you would expect about 0 of them to have the surname Mechan.
Has Mechan become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Mechan went from 116 recorded bearers to 110. That is a decrease of 6 (-5.2%). In the national ranking it fell from #143,149 to #149,446.
What does the Census say about the background of Mechan?
Among Census respondents with the surname Mechan, the largest self-reported group is White at 68.2%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (24.5%) and Black (7.3%). These figures come from the 2020 Census Bureau surname tables, based on how respondents described their own race and ethnicity.
Which group reports this surname most often?
White is the largest self-reported group for the surname Mechan in the 2020 Census, accounting for 68.2% (75 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Mechan appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (68.2%), Hispanic (24.5%), Black (7.3%). For 2020, the source file also published raw headcounts for each group, which is why this page can show both percentages and counts in the ancestry section.
Is this page using the latest Census data?
Yes. This page is using the latest surname file currently loaded on Name Census, which is 2020. The historical section above also keeps any older Census surname entries we have for Mechan (2000, 2010, 2020).
Does the Census include every surname?
No. The Census Bureau only publishes surnames that appeared at least 100 times in a given decennial Census. That means very rare surnames are excluded entirely, and a surname can appear in one Census release but disappear from a later one if it falls below the reporting threshold.
Why don't the ancestry percentages always add up to exactly 100%?
There are two main reasons: rounding and suppression. The Census Bureau rounds published values, and it may suppress very small cells to protect privacy. For 2020, the Bureau also published raw group counts rather than direct percentages, so Name Census converts those counts back into shares for comparability across census years.
What does Mechan mean?
An uncommon Scottish occupational surname derived from the Middle English word "mechane" meaning artisan or craftsman. The fuller origin note on this page goes into more detail.
Where does the surname data come from?
All surname statistics on Name Census are drawn from the US Census Bureau's decennial surname frequency tables. These files list every surname that appeared 100 or more times in the 2020 Census, along with a count, a per-100,000 rate, and a self-reported demographic breakdown. You can read the full explanation on our methodology page.
How does Name Census estimate living bearers?
For surnames, Name Census does not age cohorts the way it does for first names. Instead, it takes the Census Bureau's published frequency for Mechan (0.04 per 100,000) and applies that rate to the current U.S. resident population to estimate how many living Americans have the surname today.
How many people share the surname Mechan?
For a faster, more casual read, check HowManyOfMe.org — our sister site built around that single question.