The McCauley surname

In the 2010 U.S. Census, 24,743 people carried this name — #1,442 among all U.S. surnames, about 1 in every 11,900 people counted. That is up 3% from 23,926 in 2000.

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Where the name comes from

The origin of the McCauley surname

A surname from Scottish Gaelic [in turn from Old Norse].

From Wiktionary, the free dictionary (en.wiktionary.org) — entry «McCauley» (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

McCauley was recorded 12 times in Scotland’s registers of births, marriages and deaths in 2025.

That made it the 1665th most common name in those registers, shared with others on the same count. In 1975, the first year of the series, the count was 19. 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, McCauley was counted together with McAuley: 91 families in all.

Each family is counted by its head. About 430 people lived in those households, 4.7 to a family on average. The census counted these spellings together: McAuley, McCalley, McCally, Maccauley, Maccauly, McCauley, McCaulley, McCauly, McCawley, McCawly, McColley, McColly, McCulley, Mcculley, McCully, Mecauley. 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 32
North Carolina 23
Maryland 12
New Hampshire 6
New York 6
South Carolina 6
Virginia 3
Massachusetts 2
Maine 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. 251 — public domain · names carried by at least 100 white persons in 1790.

In print

McCauley in American newspapers,
1913–1922.

Newspaper page from The Colville Examiner carrying the name McCauley
The Colville Examiner 1913-08-30
Newspaper page from The Colville Examiner carrying the name McCauley
The Colville Examiner 1913-09-06
Newspaper page from Daily Kennebec Journal carrying the name McCauley
Daily Kennebec Journal 1922-04-12

Chronicling America, Library of Congress — digitised newspapers in the public domain · 88,835 pages in all carry the name.

In print

McCauley in Australian newspapers,
1840s–1990s.

18,593 articles name a Mr, Mrs or Miss McCauley. The most, 3,459, date from the 1950s. 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 the Australian Capital Territory, at 2.1 times its expected share.

Articles, by state

New South Wales 9,832
Queensland 3,411
Victoria 2,115
South Australia 1,570
ACT (Canberra) 874
Western Australia 422
Tasmania 329
Northern Territory 14

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

Who carried it

People named McCauley,
with a public archive behind them.

  • Harold W. McCauley
    Harold W. McCauley 1913–1977 · illustrator
  • John McCauley
    John McCauley 1899–1989 · aircraft pilot
  • Vincent J. McCauley 1906–1982 · missionary
  • George McCauley 1929–2025 · rower

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

In the public record

People named McCauley,
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 States3,763 records

3,763 records of the McCauley name in the United States
  • New York City birth, marriage and death certificates 1,510
  • U.S. Army enlistment records, World War II 883
  • Other U.S. records 1,370
  1. Names engraved on the Vietnam Veterans Memorial, Washington, D.C.
    Example: U.S. war memorial
    War record Stephen Arthur McCauley

    Born 1950; from Pomona, California. U.S. Army, infantryman; killed in action 1970 in Cambodia. Buried at Los Angeles National Cemetery, California.

    U.S. National Archives, Defense Casualty Analysis System (public domain); U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, Gravesite Locator (CC0)
  2. A United States Selective Service registration card, 1942
    Example: U.S. registration card, 1942
    Military record Thomas C. McCauley

    Born 1918 in Tennessee. Enlisted 1942 at Fort Oglethorpe, Georgia; carpenter. U.S. Army veteran of World War II; died 1998, buried at McIntosh Cemetery, Tennessee Ridge, Tennessee.

    U.S. National Archives, WWII Army Enlistment Records (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 Maria McCauley

    Arrived at New York in 1892 aboard the Germanic from Liverpool and Queenstown, aged 20; servant. From London, England; bound for New York.

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

Showing 3 of 3,763 records for McCauley in the United States.

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

Australia517 records

517 records of the McCauley name in Australia
  • Victoria passenger lists, 1839–1923 233
  • Tasmanian Names Index 104
  • Other Australian records 180
  1. A petition to the probate court of St. Louis, 1848
    Example: probate petition, 1848
    Probate record Thomas Elliot McCauley

    Died 1924 in Hamilton, Tasmania. Will registered in Tasmania in 1924.

    Libraries Tasmania, Tasmanian Names Index (CC BY 4.0)
  2. 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 Bernard McCauley

    Transported to New South Wales aboard the Henry Porcher, arriving 1825; ticket of leave 1834. Native of Antrim.

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

    Arrived in Victoria in 1911 aboard the Moravian, aged 24.

    Public Record Office Victoria (CC BY 4.0)

Showing 3 of 517 records for McCauley in Australia.

Counts: Public Record Office Victoria (CC BY 4.0) · Libraries Tasmania, Tasmanian Names Index (CC BY 4.0) · Museums of History NSW – State Archives Collection (CC BY) · Queensland State Archives (CC BY 4.0) · ACT Government, Transport Canberra and City Services (CC BY 4.0) · State Library of Western Australia (CC BY 4.0) · National Library of Scotland, War Office Weekly Casualty Lists (public domain). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Petition to the probate court, St. Louis, 1848, Missouri Historical Society (public domain); 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).

Canada83 records

83 records of the McCauley name in Canada
  • Nova Scotia Archives name indexes 34
  • Canadian Virtual War Memorial 13
  • Other Canadian records 36
  1. A passenger manifest of the S.S. St. Paul, arriving at New York in 1903
    Example: passenger manifest, 1903
    Passenger record Chas McCauley

    Came to Ontario in 1876 aboard the Peruvian, bound for Kingston, Ontario; English.

    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 Dennis McCauley

    Died 1987, aged 42; buried at Brookside Cemetery, Winnipeg, Manitoba.

    City of Winnipeg. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Winnipeg.
  3. A page of the Berlin civil register, 1880
    Example: civil register, 1880
    Death record Fred McCauley

    Died 1933 in Yarmouth, Nova Scotia.

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

Showing 3 of 83 records for McCauley 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 Niagara Falls. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Niagara Falls. · City of Winnipeg. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Winnipeg. · City of Vancouver. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Vancouver. · Archives of Ontario. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Ontario. · Contains information provided by the City of Waterloo under licence · National Library of Scotland, War Office Weekly Casualty Lists (public domain). 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 Kingdom10 records

10 records of the McCauley name in the United Kingdom
  • War Office casualty lists, 1917–1919, among the dead 7
  • Stirling Council burial records 2
  • St James's burial ground, Euston (London), 1789–1853 1
  1. A page of the burial register of Newtown, Wales, 1858
    Example: burial register, 1858
    Burial record John McCauley

    Died 1982, aged 77; buried at Bannockburn Cemetery, Stirling, Scotland.

    Stirling Council. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.
  2. A page of the burial register of Newtown, Wales, 1858
    Example: burial register, 1858
    Burial record William McCauley

    Buried in 1824 at St James's burial ground, Euston, London, aged 87.

    MOLA and HS2, St James's burial ground data. 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 A. McCauley

    Labour Corps. Listed among the dead in the War Office casualty list of 1919.

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

Showing 3 of 10 records for McCauley in the United Kingdom.

Counts: National Library of Scotland, War Office Weekly Casualty Lists (public domain) · Stirling Council. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. · MOLA and HS2, St James's burial ground data. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. 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 Zealand7 records

7 records of the McCauley name in New Zealand
  • Marlborough District cemetery records 4
  • War Office casualty lists, 1917–1919, among the dead 1
  • Other New Zealand records 2
  1. A page of the burial register of Newtown, Wales, 1858
    Example: burial register, 1858
    Burial record Benjamin Patrick McCauley

    Died 1913, aged 60; buried at Havelock Cemetery, Marlborough.

    Marlborough District Council (CC BY 4.0)
  2. A page of the burial register of Newtown, Wales, 1858
    Example: burial register, 1858
    Burial record Cyril Francis McCauley

    Died 1986, aged 70; buried at Ruru Lawn, 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 James McCauley

    Buried in 1983 at Tararu Cemetery, Thames-Coromandel District, Waikato, aged 65.

    Thames-Coromandel District Council (CC BY 4.0)

Showing 3 of 7 records for McCauley in New Zealand.

Counts: Marlborough District Council (CC BY 4.0) · National Library of Scotland, War Office Weekly Casualty Lists (public domain) · Christchurch City 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).

Ireland1 record

1 record of the McCauley name in Ireland County Galway graveyard records
  1. A page of the burial register of Newtown, Wales, 1858
    Example: burial register, 1858
    Burial record Patrick McCauley

    Died 1972; buried at Kilcummin, Co. Galway.

    Galway County Council (CC BY 4.0)

Counts: Galway County 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).

Netherlands1 record

1 record of the McCauley name in the Netherlands Dutch population registers
  1. A page of the 1910 United States census, Milwaukee
    Example: U.S. census, 1910
    Population register Charles Mc Cauley

    In the population register of Co-Clare (Irl); student, born 1915 in Co-Clare (Irl).

    Open Archives, West Brabants Archief (CC BY 4.0)

Counts: Open Archives (CC BY 4.0). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: U.S. census of 1910, Milwaukee (public domain).

Nearby in the index

Surnames next to McCauley.

When the index is not enough

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

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