Explore the Family Name Mcmillan
The meaning of Mcmillan
Scottish: Anglicized form of Gaelic Mac Maoláin, a patronymic from the byname Maolán, a diminutive of maol ‘bald, tonsured’. In Scotland the usual form is Macmillan. Compare the Irish Anglicized form McMullan and Mullen 1. History: This is the name of a Scottish clan traditionally associated with lands in Knapdale, Argyll. Tradition has it that they are descended from a married priest or tonsured lay abbot called Gille Chriosd (‘servant of Christ’), who lived in the 12th century.
Dictionary of American Family Names, 2nd edition, © Oxford University Press, 2022.
How common is the last name Mcmillan in the United States?
Based on the Decennial U.S. Census data, the surname Mcmillan has seen a slight decrease in popularity from 2000 to 2010. In 2000, it was ranked 810th most popular, but by 2010, it had slipped to 860th, representing a 6.17% drop. Despite this slight decline in rank, the actual count of individuals with the Mcmillan surname increased by 3.45%, from 38,896 in 2000 to 40,237 in 2010. This indicates that while the rank decreased, the overall number of people named Mcmillan actually grew.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #810 | #860 | -6.17% |
| Count | 38,896 | 40,237 | 3.45% |
| Proportion per 100k | 14.42 | 13.64 | -5.41% |
Race and Ethnicity of people with the last name Mcmillan
Turning to ethnic identity, the Decennial U.S. Census data provides some interesting insights. From 2000 to 2010, there was an increase in the percentage of Mcmillans who identify as Asian/Pacific Islander, Two or more races, Hispanic, Black and American Indian and Alaskan Native. The largest increase was seen in the Hispanic category, growing by 61.65%. Meanwhile, those identifying as White saw a decrease of 4.12%. It's important to note that these numbers only reflect those who chose to identify their ethnicity in these categories, and may not fully capture the full diversity within the Mcmillan surname.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| White | 70.88% | 67.96% | -4.12% |
| Black | 24.45% | 25.64% | 4.87% |
| Two or More Races | 1.76% | 2.4% | 36.36% |
| Hispanic | 1.33% | 2.15% | 61.65% |
| American Indian and Alaskan Native | 1.16% | 1.27% | 9.48% |
| Asian/Pacific Islander | 0.42% | 0.59% | 40.48% |
Mcmillan 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 Mcmillan is British & Irish, which comprises 57.1% of all ancestry found in people with the surname. The next two most common ancestries are French & German (19.1%) and Eastern European (3.8%). Additional ancestries include Nigerian, Scandinavian, Spanish & Portuguese, Ghanaian, Liberian & Sierra Leonean, and Italian.
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| ANCESTRY BREAKDOWN | COMPOSITION |
|---|---|
| British & Irish | 57.1% |
| French & German | 19.1% |
| Eastern European | 3.8% |
| Other | 20.0% |
Possible origins of the surname Mcmillan
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 Mcmillan have recent ancestry locations in the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and Ireland.
| RECENT ANCESTRY Location | Percentage |
|---|---|
| Greater London, United Kingdom | 83.40% |
| Merseyside, United Kingdom | 83.20% |
| Greater Manchester, United Kingdom | 83.10% |
| Glasgow City, United Kingdom | 82.90% |
| West Midlands, United Kingdom | 82.70% |
What Mcmillan 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 Mcmillan is R-S5520, which is predominantly found among people with European ancestry. Haplogroup R-S5520 is descended from haplogroup R-M343. Other common haplogroups include R-L1065 and R-CTS241, which are predominantly found among people with European and European ancestry. Other surnames with similar common haplogroups are: Mcmullen, Macmillan, Mcmillen, Knox, Mccallum, Fine, Mcmullin, Diehl, Mccoy, Leitch.
The most common maternal haplogroups of people with Mcmillan surname are: H1, T2b, H. These most commonly trace back to individuals of European ancestry.
Paternal Haplogroup Origins R-M343
Your paternal lineage may be linked to King Louis XVI
The rule of France by men of the House of Bourbon began with King Henri IV in 1589 C.E. and continued until the beheading of his direct paternal descendant King Louis XVI in 1793. Several years ago, researchers analyzed a mummified head and a blood-soaked cloth that they believed might belong to the two kings, and concluded that the royal paternal line belonged to haplogroup G. In a more recent study, however, a different set of researchers tested three living men who are direct descendants of the Bourbon kings. Their efforts revealed that the male lineage of the House of Bourbon is actually a branch of haplogroup R-M405.
Your 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 Mcmillan 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.
"Mcmillan" Surname 45.6%
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.
"Mcmillan" Surname 30.9%
23andMe Users 27.9%
Habits
Sugary Drink
Drinks one or more sugary drinks per day.
"Mcmillan" Surname 24.4%
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.
"Mcmillan" Surname 17.2%
23andMe Users 16.4%
Are health conditions linked to the last name Mcmillan?
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 Mcmillan are shown below. Important Note: not everyone with a disease allele will develop these health condition