History of your Surname
Get access to Mcgill family records.Start a free trial

Mcgill Family History

Mcgill Name Meaning

Scottish and Irish: Anglicized form of Gaelic Mac an Ghoill ‘son of the stranger (or lowlander)’ (see Gall ). Irish and Scottish: Anglicized form of Gaelic Mac (an) G(h)iolla (Irish) or Mac (an) G(h)ille (Scottish) ‘son of the lad’ (i.e. ‘servant’) or a short form of a personal name formed by attaching this element to the name of a saint in the sense ‘devotee’.

Source: Dictionary of American Family Names 2nd edition, 2022


Similar surnames: Magill, Gill, Mckell, Mcfall, Mccall, Mcgirr, Mcgillis, Mcgillen

Search for a relative to learn more about your family history.

Hint: Try searching for a relative alive in 1940.

Black & white image of a young woman scientist

Where is the Mcgill family from?

You can see how Mcgill families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Mcgill family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1840 and 1920. The most Mcgill families were found in USA in 1880. In 1840 there were 81 Mcgill families living in Pennsylvania. This was about 21% of all the recorded Mcgill's in USA. Pennsylvania had the highest population of Mcgill families in 1840.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Mcgill surname lived. Within census records, you can often find information like name of household members, ages, birthplaces, residences, and occupations.

What did your Mcgill ancestors do for a living?

In 1940, Laborer and Maid were the top reported jobs for men and women in the USA named Mcgill. 17% of Mcgill men worked as a Laborer and 8% of Mcgill women worked as a Maid. Some less common occupations for Americans named Mcgill were Clerk and Housekeeper. .

View Census Data for Mcgill | Data not to scale

*We display top occupations by gender to maintain their historical accuracy during times when men and women often performed different jobs.

Top Male Occupations In 1940

  • Laborer
    17%
  • Farmer
    16%
  • Salesman
    6%
  • Clerk
    4%

Top Female Occupations In 1940

  • Maid
    8%
  • Housewife
    7%
  • Teacher
    7%
  • Housekeeper
    6%
Black & white image of two construction labourers

What Mcgill family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 157,000 census records available for the last name Mcgill. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Mcgill census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search US census records for Mcgill

Passenger Lists

There are 20,000 immigration records available for the last name Mcgill. Passenger lists are your ticket to knowing when your ancestors arrived in the USA, and how they made the journey - from the ship name to ports of arrival and departure.

View all Mcgill immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 31,000 military records available for the last name Mcgill. For the veterans among your Mcgill ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Mcgill military records

You've only scratched the surface of Mcgill family history

Discover More

What is the average Mcgill lifespan?

Between 1941 and 2004, in the United States, Mcgill life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1944, and highest in 2004. The average life expectancy for Mcgill in 1941 was 35, and 74 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Mcgill

Discover the unique achievements of ancestors in the Mcgill family tree

Explore Your Tree

Browse profiles of historical people with the Mcgill last name

Search for another surname
Enter last name/surname
Start a 14-Day Free Trial