The McAllister surname

In the 2010 U.S. Census, 29,544 people carried this name — #1,197 among all U.S. surnames, about 1 in every 9,980 people counted. That is up 3% from 28,586 in 2000.

See McAllister on the map Look up another surname

Share

What the name means

The meaning of the McAllister surname

A patrilineal surname from Scottish Gaelic.

Anglicized form of Scottish Gaelic Mac Alasdair (“son of Alexander”). By surface analysis, Mc- + Allister.

From Wiktionary, the free dictionary (en.wiktionary.org) — entry «McAllister» (English), by Wiktionary contributors · licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 (creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0) · excerpt, lightly adapted.

In Ireland’s birth registers, 1890

Ireland registered 87 births for the McAllister name in 1890.

Most were registered in Ulster. By the Registrar-General’s own method — births multiplied by 44.38 — that is about 3,900 people bearing the name in Ireland at the time. The count includes the spelling McAlister. The Registrar-General’s note on the name: “Antrim.”

Where it concentrates, on the map

Where they were born, 1890

Ulster 78
Leinster 7
Munster 2

Registrar-General for Ireland, «Special Report on Surnames in Ireland» (R. E. Matheson, 1894), births index of 1890 — public domain.

In Scotland’s registers today

McAllister was recorded 136 times in Scotland’s registers of births, marriages and deaths in 2025.

That made it the 172nd most common name in those registers, shared with others on the same count. In 1975, the first year of the series, the count was 190. 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 the first U.S. census, 1790

In 1790, McAllister was counted together with McCallister: 111 families in all.

Each family is counted by its head. About 571 people lived in those households, 5.1 to a family on average. The census counted these spellings together: McCallister, McAlaster, McAlester, McAlister, McAllaster, McAllester, McAllister, McCalester, McCalister, McCallaster, McCallester, McCallestor, McColister, M'Colister, McCollester, McCollister, McCollistor, McOllister. The table lists white heads of families only, in the twelve states whose 1790 records survive; Virginia’s figures come from state lists of 1782–1785.

Families, by state

Pennsylvania 33
North Carolina 21
Maryland 16
New Hampshire 15
South Carolina 13
New York 5
Maine 4
Vermont 3
Massachusetts 1

U.S. Census Bureau, «A Century of Population Growth from the First Census of the United States to the Twelfth, 1790–1900» (Washington, 1909), table 111, p. 252 — public domain · names carried by at least 100 white persons in 1790.

In print

McAllister in American newspapers,
1897–1914.

Newspaper page from Evening Star carrying the name McAllister
Evening Star 1913-05-11
Newspaper page from The National Tribune carrying the name McAllister
The National Tribune 1897-06-10
Newspaper page from Evening Star carrying the name McAllister
Evening Star 1914-06-14

Chronicling America, Library of Congress — digitised newspapers in the public domain · 238,955 pages in all carry the name.

In print

McAllister in Australian newspapers,
1830s–1990s.

19,343 articles name a Mr, Mrs or Miss McAllister. The most, 4,820, 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 Queensland, at 1.9 times its expected share.

Articles, by state

Queensland 7,740
New South Wales 5,968
Victoria 2,564
South Australia 1,297
Western Australia 1,240
Tasmania 353
ACT (Canberra) 117
Northern Territory 12

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

Who carried it

People named McAllister,
with a public archive behind them.

  • John McAllister
    John McAllister 1753–1830
  • John McAllister Jr.
    John McAllister Jr. 1786–1877
  • Matthew Hall McAllister
    Matthew Hall McAllister 1800–1865 · judge
  • Sam McAllister d. 1799
  • Matthew McAllister 1758–1823 · politician
  • Frances McAllister 1784–1823

Wikidata (CC0) · portraits via Wikimedia Commons, shown cropped, in the public domain or CC0 · 10 lives in all are documented under this name.

In the public record

People named McAllister,
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 States3,734 records

3,734 records of the McAllister name in the United States
  • U.S. Army enlistment records, World War II 977
  • New York City birth, marriage and death certificates 926
  • Other U.S. records 1,831
  1. A United States Selective Service registration card, 1942
    Example: U.S. registration card, 1942
    Military record George F. McAllister

    Born 1910 in New York. Enlisted 1942 at Fort Jay Governors Island; mechanic from Kings County. U.S. Army veteran; died 1944, buried at Long Island National Cemetery, New York.

    U.S. National Archives, WWII Army Enlistment Records (public domain); U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, Gravesite Locator (CC0)
  2. Names engraved on the Vietnam Veterans Memorial, Washington, D.C.
    Example: U.S. war memorial
    War record Robert E. McAllister

    Born 1931; from Freeport, New York. U.S. Marine Corps; killed in action 1953 in Korea. Buried at Long Island National Cemetery, New York.

    U.S. National Archives, Defense Casualty Analysis System (public domain); U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, Gravesite Locator (CC0)
  3. A passenger manifest of the S.S. St. Paul, arriving at New York in 1903
    Example: passenger manifest, 1903
    Passenger record Alice McAllister

    Arrived at New York in 1892 aboard the Furnessia from Glasgow and Londonderry, aged 16; servant. From Derry, Ireland; bound for New York.

    U.S. National Archives, Castle Garden Immigration Center Collection, Ship Passenger Records (unrestricted)

Showing 3 of 3,734 records for McAllister in the United States.

Counts: U.S. National Archives, WWII Army Enlistment Records (public domain) · NYC Department of Records & Information Services, Historical Vital Records (NYC Open Data) · U.S. National Archives, Castle Garden Immigration Center Collection, Ship Passenger Records (unrestricted) · U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, Gravesite Locator (CC0) · U.S. National Archives, Flexoline Index Data File (public domain) · New York State Department of Health, Genealogical Research Death Index · U.S. National Archives, Famine Irish Passenger Records (public domain) · U.S. National Archives, Defense Casualty Analysis System (public domain) · Sacramento County, Historic Burials (CC BY 4.0). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: U.S. Selective Service registration card, 1942 (public domain); Vietnam Veterans Memorial, photo by U.S. Army Sgt. 1st Class Michael J. Carden, 2009 (public domain); Passenger manifest of the S.S. St. Paul, New York, 1903 (public domain).

Australia1,031 records

1,031 records of the McAllister name in Australia
  • Victoria passenger lists, 1839–1923 446
  • Queensland State Archives indexes 218
  • Other Australian records 367
  1. An 1829 etching of convicts being rowed out to the prison ship York in Portsmouth Harbour
    Pictured: convicts going on board a prison ship, 1829
    Transportation record John McAllister

    Transported to Van Diemen's Land aboard the Elphinstone, sailing from Downs in 1836. Native of Devonport, Devon. Applied for permission to marry in Van Diemen's Land in 1847.

    Libraries Tasmania, Tasmanian Names Index (CC BY 4.0)
  2. A petition to the probate court of St. Louis, 1848
    Example: probate petition, 1848
    Probate record William Henry McAllister

    Died 1918 in Abroad On Active Service, Tasmania. Will registered in Tasmania in 1919.

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

    Arrived in Victoria in 1887 aboard the Austral, aged 21; Scottish.

    Public Record Office Victoria (CC BY 4.0)

Showing 3 of 1,031 records for McAllister in Australia.

Counts: Public Record Office Victoria (CC BY 4.0) · Queensland State Archives (CC BY 4.0) · Libraries Tasmania, Tasmanian Names Index (CC BY 4.0) · Museums of History NSW – State Archives Collection (CC BY) · ACT Government, Transport Canberra and City Services (CC BY 4.0) · National Library of Scotland, War Office Weekly Casualty Lists (public domain). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Prison-ship in Portsmouth Harbour, with the convicts going on board, etching by Edward William Cooke, 1829, Royal Museums Greenwich (public domain); Petition to the probate court, St. Louis, 1848, Missouri Historical Society (public domain); Passenger manifest of the S.S. St. Paul, New York, 1903 (public domain).

Canada225 records

225 records of the McAllister name in Canada
  • Nova Scotia Archives name indexes 81
  • Mountain View Cemetery, Vancouver 48
  • Other Canadian records 96
  1. A passenger manifest of the S.S. St. Paul, arriving at New York in 1903
    Example: passenger manifest, 1903
    Passenger record Wm McAllister

    Came to Ontario in 1876 aboard the Canadian, landing at Quebec, bound for Kingston, Ontario; Scotch.

    Archives of Ontario. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Ontario.
  2. Fairview Lawn Cemetery in Halifax, Nova Scotia
    Example: Canadian cemetery
    Burial record Agnes Emma McAllister

    Buried in 1978 at Burnsland Cemetery, Calgary, Alberta, aged 96.

    City of Calgary. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – City of Calgary.
  3. A page of the Berlin civil register, 1880
    Example: civil register, 1880
    Death record Judith Doreen McAllister

    Died 1972 in Halifax, Nova Scotia.

    Nova Scotia Archives. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence - Nova Scotia.

Showing 3 of 225 records for McAllister in Canada.

Counts: Nova Scotia Archives. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence - Nova Scotia. · City of Vancouver. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Vancouver. · 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 Winnipeg. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Winnipeg. · Archives of Ontario. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Ontario. · National Library of Scotland, War Office Weekly Casualty Lists (public domain) · City of Niagara Falls. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Niagara Falls. Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Passenger manifest of the S.S. St. Paul, New York, 1903 (public domain); Fairview Lawn Cemetery, Halifax, photo by Edgar El (CC BY 3.0); Civil register, Berlin, 1880, Landesarchiv Berlin (CC0).

United Kingdom124 records

124 records of the McAllister name in the United Kingdom
  • Stirling Council burial records 87
  • War Office casualty lists, 1917–1919, among the dead 32
  • Scottish rolls of honour, First World War 5
  1. A First World War roll of honour of the staff of C. & E. Morton Ltd
    Example: roll of honour, 1914–1919
    War record John McAllister

    Born 1879 at Inverness; pedlar. Served in the First World War. Named in the Morayshire roll of honour (1921).

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

    Died 1940, aged 72; buried at Bannockburn Cemetery, Stirling, Scotland.

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

    Scottish Rifles. Listed among the dead in the War Office casualty list of 1918.

    National Library of Scotland, War Office Weekly Casualty Lists (public domain)

Showing 3 of 124 records for McAllister in the United Kingdom.

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

New Zealand44 records

44 records of the McAllister name in New Zealand
  • Christchurch City cemetery records 24
  • Waimakariri District cemetery records, Canterbury 8
  • Other New Zealand records 12
  1. A page of the burial register of Newtown, Wales, 1858
    Example: burial register, 1858
    Burial record John McAllister

    Buried in 1906 at Shortland Cemetery, Thames-Coromandel District, Waikato, aged 64.

    Thames-Coromandel District Council (CC BY 4.0)
  2. A page of the burial register of Newtown, Wales, 1858
    Example: burial register, 1858
    Burial record Bridget Frances McAllister

    Died 1907, aged 36; buried at Omaka Cemetery, Marlborough.

    Marlborough District Council (CC BY 4.0)
  3. A page of the burial register of Newtown, Wales, 1858
    Example: burial register, 1858
    Burial record Mary Jane McAllister

    Died 1988, aged 88; buried at Ruru Lawn, Christchurch, Canterbury.

    Christchurch City Council (CC BY 4.0)

Showing 3 of 44 records for McAllister in New Zealand.

Counts: Christchurch City Council (CC BY 4.0) · Waimakariri District Council (CC BY 4.0) · Marlborough District Council (CC BY 4.0) · Thames-Coromandel District Council (CC BY 4.0). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Burial register of Newtown, Montgomeryshire, 1858, National Library of Wales (CC0).

Netherlands2 records

2 records of the McAllister name in the Netherlands Dutch civil registers (births, marriages, deaths)
  1. A marriage entry in the civil register of Tilburg, 1911
    Example: marriage register, 1911
    Marriage record Samuel McAllister

    Married in 1945 in Breda.

    Open Archives, Brabants Historisch Informatie Centrum (CC BY 4.0)
  2. A marriage entry in the civil register of Tilburg, 1911
    Example: marriage register, 1911
    Marriage record Thomas Mc Allister

    Married in 1946 in Eindhoven.

    Open Archives, Brabants Historisch Informatie Centrum (CC BY 4.0)

Counts: Open Archives (CC BY 4.0). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Marriage register, Tilburg, 1911, Regionaal Archief Tilburg (public domain).

France1 record

1 record of the McAllister 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 Claire Raiguel McAllister

    Born 1939 in the United States; died 1997 in Paris.

    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).

Other spellings of this name

The same name, spelled another way.

Spellings that H. B. Guppy (England and Wales, 1890) or the Registrar-General for Ireland (births index of 1890) counted as one name together with McAllister.

Nearby in the index

Surnames next to McAllister.

When the index is not enough

This page says where McAllister 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 McAllister volume
Scroll to Top