Mckinley Surname

The Origin and Spread of the Surname McKinley

The surname McKinley is of Gaelic origin, derived from the Scottish Gaelic name “MacFhionnlaigh,” meaning “son of Finlay.” The name Finlay itself is believed to be derived from the Old Norse personal name “Finnleikr,” which combines “Finn” (meaning “white” or “fair”) and “leikr” (meaning “battle”). This suggests that the original bearer of the surname may have been someone who was fair-haired or fair-skinned, or perhaps someone who was a skilled or renowned warrior.

The earliest recorded instance of the surname McKinley dates back to the 16th century, when it was first found in the Scottish Highlands. Over time, the surname spread to other regions in Scotland and eventually to other English-speaking countries around the world.

McKinley in the United States

In the United States, the surname McKinley is fairly common, with an incidence of 26,690 individuals bearing the surname. The name gained popularity in America in part due to its association with President William McKinley, who served as the 25th President of the United States from 1897 until his assassination in 1901.

Many American families with the surname McKinley can trace their ancestry back to Scottish or Irish immigrants who arrived in the United States during the 19th and early 20th centuries. These immigrants often settled in regions with thriving industries such as coal mining, steel manufacturing, and textiles, and their descendants have since spread out across the country.

McKinley in Canada

In Canada, the surname McKinley is less common than in the United States, with an incidence of 2,432 individuals bearing the name. Scottish and Irish immigrants were among the early settlers in Canada, and many of them brought the surname McKinley with them. Today, Canadian families with the surname McKinley can be found across the country, from Nova Scotia to British Columbia.

McKinley in the United Kingdom

In the United Kingdom, the surname McKinley is most prevalent in England, Northern Ireland, and Scotland, with incidences of 1,244, 1,226, and 402 individuals bearing the name, respectively. Scottish and Irish immigrants have contributed to the spread of the surname in the UK, where it has been anglicized from its original Gaelic form.

McKinley families in the UK have diverse backgrounds and can be found in various professions and industries. Some may have roots in the traditional Scottish clans, while others may have Irish ancestry. Regardless of their origins, families with the surname McKinley have made their mark on British society.

McKinley in Australia and New Zealand

In Australia, the surname McKinley is relatively uncommon, with an incidence of 758 individuals bearing the name. Scottish and Irish immigrants were among the early settlers in Australia, and some of them brought the surname McKinley with them. Families with the surname McKinley in Australia can be found in cities and towns across the country.

In New Zealand, the surname McKinley is even less common, with an incidence of 404 individuals bearing the name. Like in Australia, Scottish and Irish immigrants played a role in the spread of the surname in New Zealand, where McKinley families have established themselves in various communities.

McKinley in Other Countries

Outside of the English-speaking world, the surname McKinley can be found in countries such as Ireland, South Africa, Jamaica, and Iran, among others. While less common in these countries compared to the United States and the United Kingdom, the name still carries significance for families with McKinley ancestry.

Irish families with the surname McKinley may have roots in Scotland or Ulster, where the name has historical ties. In South Africa, McKinley families may have arrived as part of the larger British and Irish diaspora. In Jamaica and Iran, McKinley families may have connections to the wider Anglophone world.

Conclusion

The surname McKinley has a rich and varied history, with roots in Scotland and Ireland that have spread to countries around the world. Families with the surname McKinley can be found in the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, Australia, New Zealand, and beyond, each with their own unique stories and connections to their ancestral homeland.

The surname Mckinley in the globe

Globalization has meant that surnames distribute far beyond their country of origin, so that it is achievable to find African surnames in Europe or Indian surnames in Oceania. Equivalent occurs in the case of Mckinley, which as you can corroborate, it can be said that it is a surname which can be found in the majority of the countries of the globe. In the same way you can find nations in which certainly the thickness of people using the surname Mckinley is higher than in other countries.

The map of the Mckinley surname

View Mckinley surname map

The possibility of examining on a globe map about which nations hold a greater number of Mckinley in the world, helps us a lot. By putting ourselves in the map, for a tangible country, we can understand tangible number of individuals with all the surname Mckinley, to acquire this way the precise information of all the Mckinley that one may presently find in that country. All this also assists us to understand not merely in which the surname Mckinley comes from, but also in what way the folks who're initially an element of the family that bears the surname Mckinley have moved and moved. Just as, you are able to see by which places they will have settled and developed, which is the reason why if Mckinley is our surname, it appears interesting to which other countries of this world it is possible that certain of our ancestors once relocated to.

Countries with more Mckinley on earth

  1. United States United States (26690)
  2. Canada Canada (2432)
  3. England England (1244)
  4. Nothern Ireland Nothern Ireland (1226)
  5. Australia Australia (758)
  6. New Zealand New Zealand (404)
  7. Scotland Scotland (402)
  8. Ireland Ireland (259)
  9. South Africa South Africa (253)
  10. Jamaica Jamaica (237)
  11. Iran Iran (189)
  12. Colombia Colombia (34)
  13. Costa Rica Costa Rica (33)
  14. Wales Wales (22)
  15. Singapore Singapore (19)
  16. Germany Germany (18)
  17. Spain Spain (18)
  18. France France (17)
  19. Philippines Philippines (16)
  20. Zimbabwe Zimbabwe (15)
  21. Switzerland Switzerland (13)
  22. Mexico Mexico (12)
  23. India India (8)
  24. Denmark Denmark (8)
  25. Russia Russia (6)
  26. United Arab Emirates United Arab Emirates (6)
  27. Liberia Liberia (5)
  28. Qatar Qatar (4)
  29. Hong Kong Hong Kong (4)
  30. Sudan Sudan (4)
  31. Bahrain Bahrain (4)
  32. Brazil Brazil (4)
  33. Venezuela Venezuela (4)
  34. Nigeria Nigeria (4)
  35. Ghana Ghana (4)
  36. Sweden Sweden (3)
  37. Italy Italy (3)
  38. Japan Japan (3)
  39. Cook Islands Cook Islands (3)
  40. Cyprus Cyprus (3)
  41. Norway Norway (3)
  42. Romania Romania (2)
  43. Indonesia Indonesia (2)
  44. Israel Israel (2)
  45. Turkey Turkey (2)
  46. Greenland Greenland (1)
  47. Guatemala Guatemala (1)
  48. Austria Austria (1)
  49. Isle of Man Isle of Man (1)
  50. El Salvador El Salvador (1)
  51. Thailand Thailand (1)
  52. Azerbaijan Azerbaijan (1)
  53. Taiwan Taiwan (1)
  54. Jersey Jersey (1)
  55. Vietnam Vietnam (1)
  56. South Korea South Korea (1)
  57. Chile Chile (1)
  58. Cayman Islands Cayman Islands (1)
  59. China China (1)
  60. Kazakhstan Kazakhstan (1)
  61. Marshall Islands Marshall Islands (1)
  62. Malaysia Malaysia (1)
  63. Dominican Republic Dominican Republic (1)
  64. Netherlands Netherlands (1)
  65. Ecuador Ecuador (1)
  66. Finland Finland (1)
  67. Panama Panama (1)
  68. Peru Peru (1)
  69. Papua New Guinea Papua New Guinea (1)
  70. Pakistan Pakistan (1)
  71. Poland Poland (1)
  72. Guernsey Guernsey (1)
  73. Puerto Rico Puerto Rico (1)
  74. Portugal Portugal (1)