The Macarthur surname

In the 2010 U.S. Census, 4,006 people carried this name — #8,274 among all U.S. surnames, about 1 in every 73,500 people counted. That is up 3% from 3,874 in 2000.

Look up another surname

Share

In Scotland’s registers today

Macarthur was recorded 33 times in Scotland’s registers of births, marriages and deaths in 2025.

That made it the 744th most common name in those registers, shared with others on the same count. In 1975, the first year of the series, the count was 56. Each birth counts the child’s surname, each marriage both partners’ and each death the surname of the person who died — a yearly count of registrations, not of the people who live in Scotland.

National Records of Scotland, «Most Common Surnames, 2025» (published 26 May 2026): every surname recorded 10 or more times in the 2025 registers, and the series from 1975 · different spellings are counted separately — © Crown copyright 2026. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.

In print

Macarthur in American newspapers,
1896–1912.

Newspaper page from The Barre Daily Times carrying the name Macarthur
The Barre Daily Times 1909-04-19
Newspaper page from The Ocala Banner carrying the name Macarthur
The Ocala Banner 1912-11-01
Newspaper page from St. Croix Avis carrying the name Macarthur
St. Croix Avis 1896-07-22

Chronicling America, Library of Congress — digitised newspapers in the public domain · 597 pages in all carry the name.

In print

Macarthur in Australian newspapers,
1820s–2000s.

42,866 articles name a Mr, Mrs or Miss Macarthur. The most, 6,338, date from the 1930s. Weighed against how much of each state’s press from the same decades has been digitised, it stands out most in New South Wales, at 1.8 times its expected share.

Articles, by state

New South Wales 25,611
Victoria 7,799
Queensland 4,683
South Australia 2,560
Tasmania 1,128
Western Australia 591
ACT (Canberra) 217
Northern Territory 37

Trove, National Library of Australia (trove.nla.gov.au) · articles in its digitised newspapers that name a Mr, Mrs or Miss Macarthur.

Who carried it

People named Macarthur,
with a public archive behind them.

  • Douglas MacArthur
    Douglas MacArthur 1880–1964 · army officer
  • Arthur MacArthur Jr.
    Arthur MacArthur Jr. 1845–1912 · army officer
  • Charles MacArthur
    Charles MacArthur 1895–1956 · theatre director
  • Arthur MacArthur
    Arthur MacArthur 1815–1896 · jurist
  • John F. MacArthur 1939–2025 · Protestant theologian
  • Mary Macarthur 1880–1921 · trade unionist

Wikidata (CC0) · portraits via Wikimedia Commons, shown cropped, in the public domain or CC0.

In the public record

People named Macarthur,
in the records of 7 countries.

Soldiers, farmers, migrants and neighbours who carried the name and left a trace in public archives. Everyone shown here died long ago or was born more than a century ago.

United States617 records

617 records of the Macarthur name in the United States
  • U.S. alien registration index, 1940–1955 189
  • U.S. Army enlistment records, World War II 161
  • Other U.S. records 267
  1. A United States Selective Service registration card, 1942
    Example: U.S. registration card, 1942
    Military record Arthur P. MacArthur

    Born 1907 in Connecticut. Enlisted 1944 at Fort Devens, Massachusetts; station agent. U.S. Army veteran of World War II; died 1992, buried at New Hampshire State Cemetery, Boscawen, New Hampshire.

    U.S. National Archives, WWII Army Enlistment Records (public domain); U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, Gravesite Locator (CC0)
  2. A passenger manifest of the S.S. St. Paul, arriving at New York in 1903
    Example: passenger manifest, 1903
    Passenger record William R. MacArthur

    Arrived at New York in 1884 aboard the Gallia from Liverpool and Queenstown, aged 31; merchant. From Scotland.

    U.S. National Archives, Castle Garden Immigration Center Collection, Ship Passenger Records (unrestricted)
  3. Names engraved on the Vietnam Veterans Memorial, Washington, D.C.
    Example: U.S. war memorial
    War record Dale Alan MacArthur

    Born 1947; from Sunnyside, Washington. U.S. Air Force; died in an accident 1969 in Ninh Thuan, South Vietnam.

    U.S. National Archives, Defense Casualty Analysis System (public domain)

Showing 3 of 617 records for Macarthur in the United States.

Counts: U.S. National Archives, Flexoline Index Data File (public domain) · U.S. National Archives, WWII Army Enlistment Records (public domain) · NYC Department of Records & Information Services, Historical Vital Records (NYC Open Data) · New York State Department of Health, Genealogical Research Death Index · U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, Gravesite Locator (CC0) · City of Asheville (public domain, PDDL) · U.S. National Archives, Castle Garden Immigration Center Collection, Ship Passenger Records (unrestricted) · U.S. National Archives, Defense Casualty Analysis System (public domain). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: U.S. Selective Service registration card, 1942 (public domain); Passenger manifest of the S.S. St. Paul, New York, 1903 (public domain); Vietnam Veterans Memorial, photo by U.S. Army Sgt. 1st Class Michael J. Carden, 2009 (public domain).

Canada260 records

260 records of the Macarthur name in Canada
  • Nova Scotia Archives name indexes 215
  • Canadian Virtual War Memorial 17
  • Other Canadian records 28
  1. A page of the Berlin civil register, 1880
    Example: civil register, 1880
    Civil record Harry MacArthur

    Killed in 1970 at the No. 12 mine, Nova Scotia.

    Nova Scotia Archives. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence - Nova Scotia.
  2. Fairview Lawn Cemetery in Halifax, Nova Scotia
    Example: Canadian cemetery
    Burial record Letitia MacArthur

    Buried in 1956 at Fairview Lawn Cemetery, Halifax, Nova Scotia, aged 75.

    Halifax Regional Municipality. Contains information licenced under the Open Government Licence—Halifax.
  3. A Canadian First World War grave register card for a soldier who died of wounds in 1917
    Example: Canadian war grave register, 1917
    War record Donald Alexander MacArthur

    Died in service in 1917.

    Veterans Affairs Canada. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence - Canada.

Showing 3 of 260 records for Macarthur in Canada.

Counts: Nova Scotia Archives. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence - Nova Scotia. · Veterans Affairs Canada. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence - Canada. · City of Calgary. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – City of Calgary. · City of Vancouver. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Vancouver. · City of Winnipeg. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Winnipeg. · City of Niagara Falls. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Niagara Falls. · National Library of Scotland, War Office Weekly Casualty Lists (public domain) · Halifax Regional Municipality. Contains information licenced under the Open Government Licence—Halifax. Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Civil register, Berlin, 1880, Landesarchiv Berlin (CC0); Fairview Lawn Cemetery, Halifax, photo by Edgar El (CC BY 3.0); Canadian First World War circumstances-of-death register (scan by Scottgraham87 via Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0).

Australia252 records

252 records of the Macarthur name in Australia
  • Victoria passenger lists, 1839–1923 112
  • Queensland State Archives indexes 51
  • Other Australian records 89
  1. A marriage entry in the civil register of Tilburg, 1911
    Example: marriage register, 1911
    Marriage record Mary Edith Jean MacArthur

    Born 1859 in Hobart, Tasmania. Married 1885 in Brighton, Tasmania, aged 25.

    Libraries Tasmania, Tasmanian Names Index (CC BY 4.0)
  2. A passenger manifest of the S.S. St. Paul, arriving at New York in 1903
    Example: passenger manifest, 1903
    Passenger record Chas T. MacArthur

    Arrived in Victoria in 1887 aboard the Garonne, aged 18.

    Public Record Office Victoria (CC BY 4.0)
  3. A petition to the probate court of St. Louis, 1848
    Example: probate petition, 1848
    Probate record Archibald Brownlow MacArthur

    Retired grazier of Bairnsdale, Victoria; died 1983.

    Public Record Office Victoria (CC BY 4.0)

Showing 3 of 252 records for Macarthur in Australia.

Counts: Public Record Office Victoria (CC BY 4.0) · Queensland State Archives (CC BY 4.0) · Museums of History NSW – State Archives Collection (CC BY) · Libraries Tasmania, Tasmanian Names Index (CC BY 4.0) · National Library of Scotland, War Office Weekly Casualty Lists (public domain). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Marriage register, Tilburg, 1911, Regionaal Archief Tilburg (public domain); Passenger manifest of the S.S. St. Paul, New York, 1903 (public domain); Petition to the probate court, St. Louis, 1848, Missouri Historical Society (public domain).

United Kingdom20 records

20 records of the Macarthur name in the United Kingdom
  • Stirling Council burial records 15
  • Scottish rolls of honour, First World War 3
  • War Office casualty lists, 1917–1919, among the dead 2
  1. A page of the burial register of Newtown, Wales, 1858
    Example: burial register, 1858
    Burial record Margaret B. MacArthur

    Buried in 1988 at Callander Cemetery, Stirling, Scotland, aged 62.

    Stirling Council. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.
  2. A First World War roll of honour of the staff of C. & E. Morton Ltd
    Example: roll of honour, 1914–1919
    War record James MacArthur

    Private; served in the First World War. Named in the roll of honour of Nairnshire (1915).

    National Library of Scotland, Rolls of Honour (public domain)
  3. A page of the burial register of Newtown, Wales, 1858
    Example: burial register, 1858
    Burial record John MacArthur

    Buried in 1959 at Killin Cemetery, Stirling, Scotland, aged 68.

    Stirling Council. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.

Showing 3 of 20 records for Macarthur in the United Kingdom.

Counts: Stirling Council. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. · National Library of Scotland, Rolls of Honour (public domain) · National Library of Scotland, War Office Weekly Casualty Lists (public domain). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Burial register of Newtown, Montgomeryshire, 1858, National Library of Wales (CC0); C. & E. Morton Ltd roll of honour, 1914–1919, photo by Adrian S Pye via Geograph (CC BY-SA 2.0).

New Zealand6 records

6 records of the Macarthur name in New Zealand
  • Christchurch City cemetery records 5
  • Timaru and Mackenzie District cemetery records 1
  1. A page of the burial register of Newtown, Wales, 1858
    Example: burial register, 1858
    Burial record Fay MacArthur

    Died 1974, aged 35; buried at Ruru Lawn, Christchurch, Canterbury.

    Christchurch City Council (CC BY 4.0)
  2. A page of the burial register of Newtown, Wales, 1858
    Example: burial register, 1858
    Burial record Elizabeth MacArthur

    Died 1910, aged 40; buried at Linwood Cemetery, Christchurch, Canterbury.

    Christchurch City Council (CC BY 4.0)
  3. A page of the burial register of Newtown, Wales, 1858
    Example: burial register, 1858
    Burial record Donald McRae MacArthur

    Died 1987, aged 67; buried at Ruru Lawn, Christchurch, Canterbury.

    Christchurch City Council (CC BY 4.0)

Showing 3 of 6 records for Macarthur in New Zealand.

Counts: Christchurch City Council (CC BY 4.0) · Canterbury Maps (Environment Canterbury), Timaru and Mackenzie District Councils (CC BY 3.0 NZ). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Burial register of Newtown, Montgomeryshire, 1858, National Library of Wales (CC0).

France2 records

2 records of the Macarthur name in France France's national death register, 1970–2001
  1. A page of the death register of Nice, 1930
    Example: French death register, 1930
    Death record Alistair John Malcolm MacArthur

    Born 1968 in Ireland; died 1990 in Pau (Pyrénées-Atlantiques).

    Insee, Fichier des personnes décédées (Licence Ouverte)
  2. A page of the death register of Nice, 1930
    Example: French death register, 1930
    Death record Gregoire Christian MacArthur

    Born 1948 in Neuilly-sur-Seine (Paris); died 2001 in the United States.

    Insee, Fichier des personnes décédées (Licence Ouverte)

Counts: Insee, Fichier des personnes décédées (Licence Ouverte). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Death register of Nice, 1930, Archives départementales des Alpes-Maritimes (public domain).

Netherlands2 records

2 records of the Macarthur name in the Netherlands
  • Dutch population registers 1
  • Dutch civil registers (births, marriages, deaths) 1
  1. A page of the Berlin civil register, 1880
    Example: civil register, 1880
    Death record Peter Mac Arthur

    Died 1840 in Den Helder, aged 30.

    Open Archives, Noord-Hollands Archief (CC BY 4.0)
  2. A page of the 1910 United States census, Milwaukee
    Example: U.S. census, 1910
    Population register Edith Kate Mac Arthur

    In the population register of 's-Gravenhage; born 1875 in Plaistow.

    Open Archives, Haags Gemeentearchief (CC BY 4.0)

Counts: Open Archives (CC BY 4.0). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Civil register, Berlin, 1880, Landesarchiv Berlin (CC0); U.S. census of 1910, Milwaukee (public domain).

Nearby in the index

Surnames next to Macarthur.

When the index is not enough

This page says where Macarthur is.
A volume says what happened to it.

Every page in the index is free and stays free. The Heritage Volume is the long form: the full paper trail, the arms, the crossing — bound, and yours.

See the Macarthur volume
Scroll to Top