The McAlpine surname

In the 2010 U.S. Census, 3,714 people carried this name — #8,814 among all U.S. surnames, about 1 in every 79,400 people counted. That is up 3% from 3,598 in 2000.

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What the name means

The meaning of the McAlpine surname

Anglicized form of Irish Mac Ailpín and Scottish Gaelic Mac Ailpein (“son of Ailpean”), a personal name derived from a diminutive of ailp (“lump; stout person”).

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

In Scotland’s registers today

McAlpine was recorded 39 times in Scotland’s registers of births, marriages and deaths in 2025.

That made it the 655th most common name in those registers, shared with others on the same count. In 1975, the first year of the series, the count was 81. 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

McAlpine in American newspapers,
1895–1919.

Newspaper page from The Citizen carrying the name McAlpine
The Citizen 1895-05-03
Newspaper page from The Oklahoma Miner carrying the name McAlpine
The Oklahoma Miner 1919-02-20
Newspaper page from Goodwin's Weekly : A Thinking Paper For Thinking People carrying the name McAlpine
Goodwin's Weekly : A Thinking Paper For Thinking People 1914-02-21

Chronicling America, Library of Congress — digitised newspapers in the public domain · 14,553 pages in all carry the name.

In print

McAlpine in Australian newspapers,
1850s–2000s.

10,927 articles name a Mr, Mrs or Miss McAlpine. The most, 2,153, date from the 1930s. New South Wales has the most articles, but weighed against how much of each state’s press from the same decades has been digitised, the name stands out most in Victoria, at 1.4 times its expected share.

Articles, by state

New South Wales 4,077
Victoria 2,804
Queensland 1,832
Western Australia 917
South Australia 794
Tasmania 387
ACT (Canberra) 75
Northern Territory 11

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

Who carried it

People named McAlpine,
with a public archive behind them.

  • Kenneth McAlpine 1920–2023 · Formula One driver
  • Sir William McAlpine, 6th Baronet 1936–2018 · businessperson
  • Phyllis J. McAlpine 1941–1998 · geneticist

Wikidata (CC0).

In the public record

People named McAlpine,
in the records of 5 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 States513 records

513 records of the McAlpine name in the United States
  • Passenger arrivals in the United States, 1820–1912 130
  • U.S. Army enlistment records, World War II 111
  • Other U.S. records 272
  1. A United States Selective Service registration card, 1942
    Example: U.S. registration card, 1942
    Military record Roy R. McAlpine

    Born 1919 in North Carolina. Enlisted 1942 at Fort Bragg; driver from Mecklemburg County. U.S. Army veteran of World War II; died 1986, buried at Salisbury National Cemetery, North Carolina.

    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 Elizabeth McAlpine

    Arrived at New York in 1879 aboard the Anchoria from Glasgow, aged 52; housekeeper. From Scotland.

    U.S. National Archives, Castle Garden Immigration Center Collection, Ship Passenger Records (unrestricted)
  3. A U.S. Army record of death and interment, Camp Nelson, Kentucky, 1864
    Example: U.S. burial record, 1864
    Burial record William H. McAlpine

    U.S. Army veteran of World War I. Born 1886, died 1957; buried at Fort Logan National Cemetery, Colorado.

    U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, Gravesite Locator (CC0)

Showing 3 of 513 records for McAlpine in the United States.

Counts: U.S. National Archives, Castle Garden Immigration Center Collection, Ship Passenger Records (unrestricted) · U.S. National Archives, WWII Army Enlistment Records (public domain) · U.S. National Archives, Flexoline Index Data File (public domain) · NYC Department of Records & Information Services, Historical Vital Records (NYC Open Data) · U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, Gravesite Locator (CC0) · 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). 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); Record of death and interment, Camp Nelson, Kentucky, 1864, U.S. National Archives (public domain).

Australia547 records

547 records of the McAlpine name in Australia
  • Victoria passenger lists, 1839–1923 316
  • Victoria wills and probate, deaths to 2001 139
  • Other Australian records 92
  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 James McAlpine

    Transported to New South Wales aboard the England, arriving 1826; ticket of leave 1836.

    Museums of History NSW – State Archives Collection (CC BY)
  2. A passenger manifest of the S.S. St. Paul, arriving at New York in 1903
    Example: passenger manifest, 1903
    Passenger record Mary Ann McAlpine

    Arrived in Victoria in 1856 aboard the Almora, aged 28; Scottish.

    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 John McAlpine

    Orchardist of Nyah, Victoria; died 1934.

    Public Record Office Victoria (CC BY 4.0)

Showing 3 of 547 records for McAlpine 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) · State Library of Western Australia (CC BY 4.0) · ACT Government, Transport Canberra and City Services (CC BY 4.0). 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); 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).

Canada258 records

258 records of the McAlpine name in Canada
  • Nova Scotia Archives name indexes 183
  • Mountain View Cemetery, Vancouver 32
  • Other Canadian records 43
  1. A passenger manifest of the S.S. St. Paul, arriving at New York in 1903
    Example: passenger manifest, 1903
    Passenger record Thos McAlpine

    Came to Ontario in 1874 aboard the Manitoban, bound for Brantford, 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 Alexander McAlpine

    Buried in 1963 at Burnsland Cemetery, Calgary, Alberta, aged 76.

    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 Charles McAlpine

    Died 1869 in Louisbourg, Cape Breton, Nova Scotia.

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

Showing 3 of 258 records for McAlpine 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 Niagara Falls. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Niagara Falls. · City of Winnipeg. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Winnipeg. · Halifax Regional Municipality. Contains information licenced under the Open Government Licence—Halifax. · Contains information provided by the City of Waterloo under licence · National Library of Scotland, War Office Weekly Casualty Lists (public domain) · Archives of Ontario. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Ontario. 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 Kingdom151 records

151 records of the McAlpine name in the United Kingdom
  • Stirling Council burial records 138
  • War Office casualty lists, 1917–1919, among the dead 12
  • Scottish rolls of honour, First World War 1
  1. A First World War roll of honour of the staff of C. & E. Morton Ltd
    Example: roll of honour, 1914–1919
    War record Alexander McAlpine

    Born 1892 at Redhill; farm servant. 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 Catherine McAlpine

    Buried in 1896 at Ballengeich Cemetery, Stirling, Scotland, aged 35.

    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 J. McAlpine

    Urham Light Infantry. 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 151 records for McAlpine 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 Zealand24 records

24 records of the McAlpine name in New Zealand
  • Christchurch City cemetery records 16
  • Marlborough District cemetery records 4
  • Other New Zealand records 4
  1. A page of the burial register of Newtown, Wales, 1858
    Example: burial register, 1858
    Burial record Duncan McAlpine

    Died 1952, aged 62; 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 Kenneth Neil McAlpine

    Died 1999, aged 75; buried at Picton Cemetery, Marlborough.

    Marlborough District Council (CC BY 4.0)
  3. A page of the Berlin civil register, 1880
    Example: civil register, 1880
    Death record D. Joyce McAlpine

    Died 1987; ashes interred at Rangiora Lawn Cemetery, Canterbury.

    Waimakariri District Council (CC BY 4.0)

Showing 3 of 24 records for McAlpine in New Zealand.

Counts: Christchurch City Council (CC BY 4.0) · Marlborough District Council (CC BY 4.0) · Thames-Coromandel District Council (CC BY 4.0) · Waimakariri 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); Civil register, Berlin, 1880, Landesarchiv Berlin (CC0).

Nearby in the index

Surnames next to McAlpine.

When the index is not enough

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

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