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

Mclay Family History

Mclay Name Meaning

Scottish: variant of McClay from Scottish Gaelic Mac an Lèigh.

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


Similar surnames: Mcray, Mcbay, Maclay, Mcvay, Mcgray, Mcnay, Malay, Mckay, Mcclay

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 Mclay family from?

You can see how Mclay families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Mclay family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1840 and 1920. The most Mclay families were found in and Scotland in 1841. In 1911 there were 25 Mclay families living in Ontario. This was about 38% of all the recorded Mclay's in Canada. Ontario had the highest population of Mclay families in 1911.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Mclay surname lived. Within census records, you can often find information like name of household members, ages, birthplaces, residences, and occupations.

What did your Mclay ancestors do for a living?

In 1921, Farmer and School Teacher were the top reported jobs for men and women in the Canada named Mclay. 46% of Mclay men worked as a Farmer and 50% of Mclay women worked as a School Teacher. Some less common occupations for Americans named Mclay were Physician and Housekeeper. .

View Census Data for Mclay | 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 1921

  • Farmer
    46%
  • Labourer
    16%
  • Carpenter
    7%
  • Physician
    7%

Top Female Occupations In 1921

  • School Teacher
    50%
  • Housekeeper
    50%
Black & white image of two construction labourers

What Mclay family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 19,000 census records available for the last name Mclay. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Mclay census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search Canadian census records for Mclay

Passenger Lists

There are 4,000 immigration records available for the last name Mclay. Passenger lists are your ticket to knowing when your ancestors arrived in Canada, and how they made the journey - from the ship name to ports of arrival and departure.

View all Mclay immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 1,000 military records available for the last name Mclay. For the veterans among your Mclay ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Mclay military records

You've only scratched the surface of Mclay family history

Discover More

What is the average Mclay lifespan?

Between 1956 and 2004, in the United States, Mclay life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1956, and highest in 1965. The average life expectancy for Mclay in 1956 was 37, and 83 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Mclay

Discover the unique achievements of ancestors in the Mclay family tree

Explore Your Tree

Browse profiles of historical people with the Mclay last name

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