Explore the Family Name Mcleod
The meaning of Mcleod
Scottish: Anglicized form of Gaelic Mac Leòid ‘son of Leòd’, a patronymic from a Gaelic form of Old Norse Liótr ‘ugly’, a common personal name in medieval Norway and Iceland. History: This is the name of a major Scottish Hebridean clan, associated in particular with Dunvegan on the isle of Skye; also, historically, with the island of Lewis. There are two main branches: the McLeods of Harris and Dunvegan (Sìol Tormoid) and the McLeods of Lewis (Sìol Torcaill). Both branches claim descent from a certain Leòd (Norse: Liótr), who lived in the 13th century. — One prominent bearer of this prominent Scottish name, Alexander McLeod (1774–1833), a Reformed Presbyterian clergyman, author, and editor, emigrated to the US in 1792 from the island of Mull in the Hebrides.
Dictionary of American Family Names, 2nd edition, © Oxford University Press, 2022.
How common is the last name Mcleod in the United States?
Based on the Decennial U.S. Census, the popularity of the surname Mcleod has seen a few changes between 2000 and 2010. In terms of ranking, the surname fell from 1088th place in 2000 to 1141st in 2010, marking a decline of around 4.87%. Conversely, the count of individuals with the surname increased by 4.57%, climbing from 29,423 in 2000 to 30,769 in 2010. However, the proportion per 100,000 people dropped slightly by 4.4% over the same period, moving from 10.91 to 10.43.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #1,088 | #1,141 | -4.87% |
| Count | 29,423 | 30,769 | 4.57% |
| Proportion per 100k | 10.91 | 10.43 | -4.4% |
Race and Ethnicity of people with the last name Mcleod
The ethnic identity associated with the surname Mcleod also experienced shifts as per the data from the Decennial U.S. Census. The largest increase was observed among those identifying with two or more races, rising by 40.85% from 1.64% in 2000 to 2.31% in 2010. Similarly, there was a 38.37% increase in those identifying as Hispanic, while the percentage identifying as Black grew by 6.36%. On the other hand, the percentage identifying as White decreased by 3.94%, albeit remaining the majority at 69.99% in 2010. Minor increases were also noted in the Asian/Pacific Islander and American Indian and Alaskan Native categories, with increases of 22.50% and 1.37% respectively.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| White | 72.86% | 69.99% | -3.94% |
| Black | 22.65% | 24.09% | 6.36% |
| Hispanic | 1.72% | 2.38% | 38.37% |
| Two or More Races | 1.64% | 2.31% | 40.85% |
| American Indian and Alaskan Native | 0.73% | 0.74% | 1.37% |
| Asian/Pacific Islander | 0.4% | 0.49% | 22.5% |
Mcleod 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 Mcleod is British & Irish, which comprises 60.2% of all ancestry found in people with the surname. The next two most common ancestries are French & German (16.5%) and Scandinavian (3.4%). Additional ancestries include Nigerian, Eastern European, Italian, Spanish & Portuguese, and Ghanaian, Liberian & Sierra Leonean.
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| ANCESTRY BREAKDOWN | COMPOSITION |
|---|---|
| British & Irish | 60.2% |
| French & German | 16.5% |
| Scandinavian | 3.4% |
| Other | 19.8% |
Possible origins of the surname Mcleod
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 Mcleod have recent ancestry locations in the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and Ireland.
| RECENT ANCESTRY Location | Percentage |
|---|---|
| Greater London, United Kingdom | 86.70% |
| Merseyside, United Kingdom | 86.40% |
| Tyne And Wear, United Kingdom | 86.40% |
| Glasgow City, United Kingdom | 86.40% |
| Greater Manchester, United Kingdom | 86.10% |
What Mcleod 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 Mcleod is R-L165, which is predominantly found among people with European ancestry. Haplogroup R-L165 is descended from haplogroup R-M343. Other common haplogroups include R-P311 and R-L51, which are predominantly found among people with European and European ancestry. Other surnames with similar common haplogroups are: Macleod, Bronson, Barbour, Brunson, Mcneil, Parkin, Carmichael, Mcpherson, Terrill, Herbert.
The most common maternal haplogroups of people with Mcleod surname are: H1, H3, 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 Mcleod 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.
"Mcleod" Surname 48.3%
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.
"Mcleod" Surname 30.2%
23andMe Users 27.9%
Habits
Sugary Drink
Drinks one or more sugary drinks per day.
"Mcleod" Surname 22.5%
23andMe Users 21.1%
Wellness
Migraine
A severe headache characterized by intense pain, sensitivity to light and sound, and often accompanied by nausea and vomiting.
"Mcleod" Surname 16.1%
23andMe Users 16.4%
Are health conditions linked to the last name Mcleod?
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 Mcleod are shown below. Important Note: not everyone with a disease allele will develop these health condition