Explore the Family Name Mac
The meaning of Mac
1. Chinese: variant Romanization of the surnames 麥 (see Mai 2) and 莫 (see Mo 1). 2. Vietnamese (Mạc): from Chinese 莫 ‘nothing; nonexistent’; see Mo 1. 3. Polish; Slovak (Mác and Máč): unexplained. 4. Possibly also Scottish and Irish: from a shortened form of a surname beginning with Mac- ‘son’ (see Mack 2). Some characteristic forenames: Vietnamese Cuong, Minh, Lien, Muoi, Thanh, Tho, Tieu, Vinh, Anh, Beo, Binh, Chau.
Dictionary of American Family Names, 2nd edition, © Oxford University Press, 2022.
How common is the last name Mac in the United States?
According to data from the Decennial U.S. Census, the popularity of the surname "Mac" has increased between the years 2000 and 2010. In 2000, "Mac" was ranked as the 14,664th most popular surname, but by 2010 it had risen to the 13,171st position, marking a change of 10.18%. The number of people with this surname also increased from 1,859 in 2000 to 2,321 in 2010, showcasing an increase of 24.85%. Correspondingly, the proportion of the population with this surname per 100,000 people increased by 14.49% over the same time period.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #14,664 | #13,171 | 10.18% |
| Count | 1,859 | 2,321 | 24.85% |
| Proportion per 100k | 0.69 | 0.79 | 14.49% |
Race and Ethnicity of people with the last name Mac
The Decennial U.S. Census data also provides insights into the ethnic identity of individuals with the surname "Mac". In 2000, 67.40% identified as Asian/Pacific Islander, but this figure slightly decreased to 63.64% by 2010. The percentage of those who identified as having two or more ethnicities rose modestly from 1.67% to 1.85%. Individuals identifying as White constituted 23.35% in 2000 and this remained relatively stable at 23.57% in 2010. Interestingly, there were no individuals with the "Mac" surname who identified as Hispanic or American Indian and Alaskan Native in 2000, but by 2010, these figures had risen to 2.93% and 0.30% respectively. Lastly, individuals identifying as Black within the "Mac" surname group increased from 6.29% in 2000 to 7.71% in 2010.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Asian/Pacific Islander | 67.4% | 63.64% | -5.58% |
| White | 23.35% | 23.57% | 0.94% |
| Black | 6.29% | 7.71% | 22.58% |
| Hispanic | 0% | 2.93% | 0% |
| Two or More Races | 1.67% | 1.85% | 10.78% |
| American Indian and Alaskan Native | 0% | 0.3% | 0% |
Mac ancestry composition
23andMe computes an ancestry breakdown for each customer. People may have ancestry from just one population or they may have ancestry from several populations. The most commonly-observed ancestry found in people with the surname Mac is British & Irish, which comprises 29.9% of all ancestry found in people with the surname. The next two most common ancestries are Chinese (13.7%) and Vietnamese (13.2%). Additional ancestries include French & German, Eastern European, Northern Indian & Pakistani, Spanish & Portuguese, and Italian.
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| ANCESTRY BREAKDOWN | COMPOSITION |
|---|---|
| British & Irish | 29.9% |
| Chinese | 13.7% |
| Vietnamese | 13.2% |
| Other | 43.2% |
Possible origins of the surname Mac
Your DNA provides clues about where your recent ancestors may have lived. Having many distant relatives in the same location suggests that you may all share common ancestry there. Locations with many distant relatives can also be places where people have migrated recently, such as large cities. If a large number of individuals who share your surname have distant relatives in a specific area, it could indicate a connection between your surname and that location, stemming from either recent ancestral ties or migration.
Based on 23andMe data, people with last name Mac have recent ancestry locations in the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and Ireland.
| RECENT ANCESTRY Location | Percentage |
|---|---|
| Greater London, United Kingdom | 50.40% |
| Glasgow City, United Kingdom | 50.40% |
| West Midlands, United Kingdom | 50.40% |
| Greater Manchester, United Kingdom | 50.40% |
| West Yorkshire, United Kingdom | 49.60% |
What Mac haplogroups can tell you
Haplogroups are genetic population groups that share a common ancestor on either your paternal or maternal line. These paternal and maternal haplogroups shed light on your genetic ancestry and help tell the story of your family.
The top paternal haplogroup of people with the surname Mac is R-CTS241, which is predominantly found among people with European ancestry. Haplogroup R-CTS241 is descended from haplogroup R-M343. Other common haplogroups include E-P179 and I-L460, which are predominantly found among people with European and European ancestry. Other surnames with similar common haplogroups are: Hughes, Morgan, Mcdonald, Barnes, Phillips, Davis, Matthews, Jones, Price, Lewis.
The most common maternal haplogroups of people with Mac surname are: M, H1, H. These most commonly trace back to individuals of European ancestry.
Paternal Haplogroup Origins R-M343Your maternal lineage may be linked to Marie Antoinette
Because it is so dominant in the general European population, haplogroup H also appears quite frequently in the continent's royal houses. Marie Antoinette, an Austrian Hapsburg who married into the French royal family, inherited the haplogroup from her maternal ancestors. So did Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh, whose recorded genealogy traces his female line to Bavaria. Scientists also discovered that famed 16th century astronomer Nicolaus Copernicus traced his maternal lineages to haplogroup H.
What do people with the surname Mac have in common?
Spoiler alert: it's complicated. People with the same last name are usually no more genetically similar than a randomly sampled group of people from the same population. That said, people with the same surname are more likely to have similar ancestries than randomly sampled individuals. The reason is the tendency of people with similar cultural or geographical backgrounds to preferentially mate with one another. That's why people who share a surname may be more likely to share traits and tendencies in common than people within the general population. Check out the percentages below to see the prevalences of tastes, habits, and traits of people with your surname compared with prevalences among 23andMe users.
Preferences
Chocolate Ice Cream
Prefers chocolate flavored ice cream over other flavors.
"Mac" Surname 25.0%
23andMe Users 41.3%
Traits
Misophonia
When sounds made by others, like the sound of chewing or yawning, provoke strong emotional reactions in an individual.
"Mac" Surname 24.0%
23andMe Users 27.9%
Habits
Vitamin Use
Takes vitamins on a regular basis.
"Mac" Surname 34.8%
23andMe Users 45.5%
Wellness
Migraine
A severe headache characterized by intense pain, sensitivity to light and sound, and often accompanied by nausea and vomiting.
"Mac" Surname 13.8%
23andMe Users 16.4%
Are health conditions linked to the last name Mac?
The short answer is that, if there is an association between surname and health, it's usually more about your ancestry than your name. Individuals with a given surname are no more genetically similar than the general population but often have similar ancestries. The populations of people associated with those shared ancestries often have sets of genetic variations, also known as alleles, in common. Some of those alleles are associated with a greater likelihood of developing certain diseases.
Disease variant frequency by ancestry
Disease allele frequencies in populations associated with the surname Mac are shown below. Important Note: not everyone with a disease allele will develop these health condition