2000
#2,285
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 14,566
First available Census row
Per 100,000 5.40
Uncommon Last name
Mckinnon
A Scottish surname derived from the Gaelic "Mac Fhionghuin," meaning "son of Fingon," a personal name of unknown origin.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 16,781 Americans carry the last name Mckinnon. That puts it at #2,423 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 4.90 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 20,425 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Mckinnon 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 Mckinnon with 1881 census detail, origin facts and modern UK distribution where available.
Bearers in the US
17K
1 in 20,425
Census rank
#2,423
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
4.9
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
15K
uncommon in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 14,634 bearers of the surname Mckinnon in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 4.90 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 2423rd position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Mckinnon, the largest self-reported group is White at 68.4%. The next largest groups are Black (22.8%) and Two or More Races (3.9%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Mckinnon
The surname McKinnon is of Scottish origin and dates back to the medieval era, emerging around the 12th century. It originated from the Gaelic "Mac Ionmhuinn," meaning "son of the beloved one." The name was initially found in the areas of Argyll, near the town of Lochgilphead, and the neighboring islands of Islay, Jura, and Mull.
The earliest recorded instances of the name can be traced back to the 13th century. One of the earliest mentions is in the Exchequer Rolls of Scotland from 1264, which refer to a "Gillecrist MacInamin." The name is also found in the Ragman Rolls of 1296, which list individuals who swore allegiance to King Edward I of England, including "Gilleconil Makinnoyn" from the county of Argyll.
In the 16th century, the McKinnons were a prominent clan in the Hebrides islands, particularly on the Isle of Skye. They were known for their involvement in the clan feuds and battles that were common during that period. One notable figure was John McKinnon, also known as "Iain Og," who served as the clan chief in the late 16th century.
The McKinnons were also associated with several place names in Scotland, such as Kinnon's Loch and Kinnon's Burn on the Isle of Islay. The name also had various spellings over time, including McKinnon, MacKinnon, McKinnon, and McKynnon.
Among the notable individuals bearing the McKinnon surname throughout history are:
1. Daniel McKinnon (1836-1888), a Canadian politician who served as a member of the House of Commons of Canada for the riding of Marquette.
2. Ranald McKinnon (1839-1926), a Scottish-Canadian explorer and trader who played a significant role in the exploration of the Canadian Arctic.
3. Neil McKinnon (1900-1953), a Scottish footballer who played for clubs like Rangers and Partick Thistle in the early 20th century.
4. Kenneth McKinnon (1920-1999), a British actor known for his roles in films like "The Prisoner of Zenda" and television series like "The Saint."
5. Alex McKinnon (born 1992), an Australian former professional rugby league player who played for the Newcastle Knights in the National Rugby League.
The McKinnon surname has a rich history rooted in the Scottish Highlands and Islands, with its origins dating back to the medieval era. It has been borne by notable individuals across various fields, including politics, exploration, sports, and entertainment.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Mckinnon
Among Census respondents with the surname Mckinnon, the largest self-reported group is White at 68.4%. The next largest groups are Black (22.8%) and Two or More Races (3.9%).
The bar chart below shows how Mckinnon 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 Mckinnon surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White68.4% · 10,005
- Black or African American22.8% · 3,335
- Two or more races3.9% · 567
- Hispanic or Latino3.8% · 559
- Asian and Pacific Islander0.6% · 95
- American Indian and Alaska Native0.5% · 73
Timeline
Historical Census data for Mckinnon
Mckinnon 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
#2,359
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 15,450
+884 bearers (+6.1%)
Per 100,000 5.24
Rank movement Down 74 places
2020
#2,423
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 14,634
-816 bearers (-5.3%)
Per 100,000 4.90
Rank movement Down 64 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #2,285 | 14,566 | 5.40 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #2,359 | 15,450 | 5.24 | +884 bearers (+6.1%) | Down 74 places |
| 2020 | #2,423 | 14,634 | 4.90 | -816 bearers (-5.3%) | Down 64 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 Mckinnon 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 | #2,359 | #2,423 | -2.7% |
| Count | 15,450 | 14,634 | -5.3% |
| Per 100K | 5.24 | 4.90 | -6.6% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Mckinnon bearers went from 15,450 to 14,634 (-5.3% change). The surname moved down 64 positions in the national ranking, going from #2,359 to #2,423.
FAQ
Mckinnon surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Mckinnon?
Name Census estimates that about 16,781 living Americans carry the surname Mckinnon. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 20,425 residents.
How common is Mckinnon?
Mckinnon ranks #2,423 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Uncommon." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 4.90 per 100,000 residents, which is about 5 people out of every 100,000.
How many people with this surname were counted in the Census?
The raw 2020 Census file counted 14,634 people with the surname Mckinnon. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (16,781), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 4.9 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 4.90 per 100,000 means that if you picked a random group of 100,000 U.S. residents, you would expect about 5 of them to have the surname Mckinnon.
Has Mckinnon become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Mckinnon went from 15,450 recorded bearers to 14,634. That is a decrease of 816 (-5.3%). In the national ranking it fell from #2,359 to #2,423.
What does the Census say about the background of Mckinnon?
Among Census respondents with the surname Mckinnon, the largest self-reported group is White at 68.4%. The next largest groups are Black (22.8%) and Two or More Races (3.9%). 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 Mckinnon in the 2020 Census, accounting for 68.4% (10,005 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Mckinnon appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (68.4%), Black (22.8%), Two or More Races (3.9%). 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 Mckinnon (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 Mckinnon mean?
A Scottish surname derived from the Gaelic "Mac Fhionghuin," meaning "son of Fingon," a personal name of unknown origin. 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 Mckinnon (4.90 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 common is the surname Mckinnon?
You can see how many Americans have the surname Mckinnon on our sister site HowManyOfMe.org — same data roots, lighter UI.