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

Mccarthy Family History

Mccarthy Name Meaning

Irish: Anglicized form of Gaelic Mac Cárthaigh ‘son of Cárthach’ a personal name meaning ‘loving’. This was the name of a ruling family in Munster. In Ireland major branches were distinguished by the following epithets: mór ‘great’ in Kerry riabhach ‘brindled’ in Carbery west Cork.

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


Similar surnames: Mccary, Mccarley, Mccartan, Mccart, Mccarney, Mccartney, Mclarney

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 Mccarthy family from?

You can see how Mccarthy families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Mccarthy family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1840 and 1920. The most Mccarthy families were found in USA in 1920. In 1840 there were 37 Mccarthy families living in New York. This was about 45% of all the recorded Mccarthy's in USA. New York had the highest population of Mccarthy families in 1840.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Mccarthy surname lived. Within census records, you can often find information like name of household members, ages, birthplaces, residences, and occupations.

What did your Mccarthy ancestors do for a living?

In 1940, Laborer and Teacher were the top reported jobs for men and women in the USA named Mccarthy. 11% of Mccarthy men worked as a Laborer and 8% of Mccarthy women worked as a Teacher. Some less common occupations for Americans named Mccarthy were Truck Driver and Secretary. .

View Census Data for Mccarthy | 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
    11%
  • Clerk
    6%
  • Salesman
    6%
  • Truck Driver
    3%

Top Female Occupations In 1940

  • Teacher
    8%
  • Clerk
    8%
  • Stenographer
    8%
  • Secretary
    5%
Black & white image of two construction labourers

What Mccarthy family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 646,000 census records available for the last name Mccarthy. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Mccarthy census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search US census records for Mccarthy

Passenger Lists

There are 128,000 immigration records available for the last name Mccarthy. 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 Mccarthy immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 117,000 military records available for the last name Mccarthy. For the veterans among your Mccarthy ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Mccarthy military records

You've only scratched the surface of Mccarthy family history

Discover More

What is the average Mccarthy lifespan?

Between 1940 and 2004, in the United States, Mccarthy life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1940, and highest in 2003. The average life expectancy for Mccarthy in 1940 was 30, and 75 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Mccarthy

Discover the unique achievements of ancestors in the Mccarthy family tree

Explore Your Tree

Browse profiles of historical people with the Mccarthy last name

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