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

Meskill, 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 Meskill surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Meskill in America

Meskill is the 44034th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Meskill surname appeared 489 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 Meskill.

We can also compare 2010 data for Meskill 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 Meskill

The surname Meskill has its origins in Ireland, dating back to the early Middle Ages. It is believed to be an anglicized version of the Old Irish Gaelic name "Mac Mheascóil," which means "son of Meascóil." The name Meascóil itself is derived from the Irish word "meascán," meaning "a mixture" or "a mongrel."

One of the earliest recorded mentions of the name Meskill can be found in the Annals of the Four Masters, a chronicle of medieval Irish history compiled in the 17th century. The annals mention a Meskill clan based in County Sligo, suggesting that the name originated in that region.

In the 16th century, the Meskill surname appears in the Fiants of the Tudor Sovereigns, a collection of official records from the reigns of Henry VIII, Edward VI, Mary I, and Elizabeth I. These records document land grants and other administrative matters in Ireland during that period.

One of the earliest known bearers of the Meskill surname was Brian Meskill, who lived in County Sligo in the late 16th century. He was a prominent member of the local gentry and played a significant role in the political affairs of the region.

In the 17th century, the Meskill family appears to have spread to other parts of Ireland, including County Donegal and County Mayo. During this time, various spellings of the name were used, such as Mescall, Mescill, and Mescull.

A notable figure from this period was Patrick Meskill (1640-1704), a Catholic priest and scholar from County Sligo. He was a professor of theology at the University of Paris and authored several works on philosophy and theology.

In the 18th century, the Meskill surname is found in records related to the Penal Laws, a series of discriminatory laws imposed on Irish Catholics by the British government. Despite these challenges, the Meskill family maintained a presence in Ireland.

One prominent Meskill from this era was John Meskill (1720-1788), a wealthy landowner and businessman from County Sligo. He played an influential role in local politics and was known for his support of Catholic emancipation.

As the 19th century dawned, the Meskill family continued to be a presence in Ireland, particularly in the counties of Sligo, Donegal, and Mayo. Some members of the family emigrated to other parts of the world, including the United States and Canada, during this period.

A notable figure from the 19th century was Michael Meskill (1825-1901), a journalist and political activist from County Sligo. He was a vocal supporter of Irish independence and played a prominent role in the Irish nationalist movement.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Meskill

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

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

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

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