The McCracken surname

In the 2010 U.S. Census, 19,287 people carried this name — #1,862 among all U.S. surnames, about 1 in every 15,300 people counted. That is up 2% from 18,975 in 2000.

Look up another surname

Share

Where the name comes from

The origin of the McCracken surname

Northern Irish and Scottish Gaelic surname, Anglicized form of Scottish Gaelic Mac Reachtain, a variant of Mac Neachtain (see McNaughton).

From Wiktionary, the free dictionary (en.wiktionary.org) — entry «McCracken» (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 33 births for the McCracken name in 1890.

Most were registered in Ulster. By the Registrar-General’s own method — births multiplied by 44.38 — that is about 1,500 people bearing the name in Ireland at the time. The Registrar-General’s note on the name: “15 in Antrim and 8 in Down.”

Too few records to say where it concentrates region by region — these are plain counts, not shares.

Where they were born, 1890

Ulster 31
Leinster 1
Munster 1

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

McCracken was recorded 41 times in Scotland’s registers of births, marriages and deaths in 2025.

That made it the 634th most common name in those registers, shared with others on the same count. In 1975, the first year of the series, the count was 69. 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

64 families named McCracken, or a close spelling, were counted in 1790.

Each family is counted by its head. About 418 people lived in those households, 6.5 to a family on average. The census counted these spellings together: McCracken, McCrackin, McCracon, McCraken, Mccraken, McCrakin, McCrehen, McCreken, McKrakin, McKrakkin, Mecrakin. 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 26
North Carolina 15
New York 7
South Carolina 7
Maryland 4
Virginia 3
Connecticut 2

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

McCracken in American newspapers,
1916.

Newspaper page from The Clovis News carrying the name McCracken
The Clovis News 1916-05-26
Newspaper page from Northern Wisconsin Advertiser carrying the name McCracken
Northern Wisconsin Advertiser 1916-05-12
Newspaper page from Wauwatosa News carrying the name McCracken
Wauwatosa News 1916-05-12

Chronicling America, Library of Congress — digitised newspapers in the public domain.

In print

McCracken in Australian newspapers,
1840s–2000s.

21,837 articles name a Mr, Mrs or Miss McCracken. The most, 4,349, date from the 1930s. Queensland 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 Northern Territory, at 1.6 times its expected share.

Articles, by state

Queensland 6,190
Victoria 5,780
New South Wales 3,668
South Australia 3,247
Western Australia 1,877
Tasmania 907
ACT (Canberra) 64
Northern Territory 62

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

Who carried it

People named McCracken,
with a public archive behind them.

  • Josiah McCracken
    Josiah McCracken 1874–1962 · American football player
  • Joan McCracken
    Joan McCracken 1917–1961 · television actor
  • James McCracken
    James McCracken 1926–1988 · opera singer
  • Paul McCracken
    Paul McCracken 1915–2012 · university teacher
  • Henry Joy McCracken
    Henry Joy McCracken 1767–1798 · entrepreneur
  • Hugh McCracken 1942–2013 · mandolinist

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

In the public record

People named McCracken,
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 States1,838 records

1,838 records of the McCracken name in the United States
  • U.S. Army enlistment records, World War II 700
  • U.S. veterans' cemetery records, burials to 2001 307
  • Other U.S. records 831
  1. A United States Selective Service registration card, 1942
    Example: U.S. registration card, 1942
    Military record Robert C. McCracken

    Born 1918 in Tennessee. Enlisted 1943 at Fort Oglethorpe, Georgia; farm hand from Hawkins County. U.S. Army veteran of World War II; died 1981, buried at Mountain Home National Cemetery, Tennessee.

    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 Dmargaret McCracken

    Arrived at New York in 1847 aboard the Thetis from Belfast, aged 22; weaver. From Belfast, Ireland.

    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 Paul T. McCracken

    Born 1931; from Bradley County, Tennessee. U.S. Army, light weapons infantryman; declared dead 1950 in North Korea.

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

Showing 3 of 1,838 records for McCracken in the United States.

Counts: 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) · NYC Department of Records & Information Services, Historical Vital Records (NYC Open Data) · U.S. National Archives, Flexoline Index Data File (public domain) · U.S. National Archives, Famine Irish Passenger Records (public domain) · New York State Department of Health, Genealogical Research Death Index · 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).

Australia1,050 records

1,050 records of the McCracken name in Australia
  • Victoria passenger lists, 1839–1923 593
  • Victoria wills and probate, deaths to 2001 212
  • Other Australian records 245
  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 Edward McCracken

    Transported to New South Wales aboard the Bencoolen, arriving 1819; ticket of leave 1832. Native of Dublin.

    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 Alfred McCracken

    Arrived in Victoria in 1884 aboard the Noddleburn, aged 20; British subject.

    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 Louis McCracken

    Retired of Portland, Victoria; died 1999.

    Public Record Office Victoria (CC BY 4.0)

Showing 3 of 1,050 records for McCracken 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) · National Library of Scotland, War Office Weekly Casualty Lists (public domain) · State Library of Western Australia (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).

Canada80 records

80 records of the McCracken name in Canada
  • Canadian Virtual War Memorial 19
  • City of Calgary cemetery records 17
  • Other Canadian records 44
  1. A passenger manifest of the S.S. St. Paul, arriving at New York in 1903
    Example: passenger manifest, 1903
    Passenger record Jas McCracken

    Came to Ontario in 1873 aboard the Austrian, bound for Hamilton, 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 Gina McCracken

    Buried in 1976 at Queen's Park Cemetery, Calgary, Alberta, aged 62.

    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 Patricia McCracken

    Died 1960 in Halifax, Nova Scotia.

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

Showing 3 of 80 records for McCracken in Canada.

Counts: 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. · City of Niagara Falls. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Niagara Falls. · 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. · Archives of Ontario. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Ontario. · 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: 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).

New Zealand37 records

37 records of the McCracken name in New Zealand
  • Christchurch City cemetery records 32
  • Thames-Coromandel District cemetery records 2
  • Other New Zealand records 3
  1. A page of the burial register of Newtown, Wales, 1858
    Example: burial register, 1858
    Burial record Rose Frances McCracken

    Died 1930, aged 56; buried at Bromley Cemetery, Christchurch, Canterbury.

    Christchurch City Council (CC BY 4.0)
  2. A page of the Berlin civil register, 1880
    Example: civil register, 1880
    Death record Sheila Emily McCracken

    Born 1912, died 1988; ashes interred at Birch Hill Cemetery, Canterbury.

    Waimakariri District Council (CC BY 4.0)
  3. A page of the Livre d’or of the French war dead, Paris
    Example: roll of the war dead
    War record F. McCracken

    New Zealand 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 37 records for McCracken in New Zealand.

Counts: Christchurch City Council (CC BY 4.0) · Thames-Coromandel District Council (CC BY 4.0) · Waimakariri District Council (CC BY 4.0) · 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); Civil register, Berlin, 1880, Landesarchiv Berlin (CC0); Livre d’or of the war dead, Paris, Ministère des pensions, Archives nationales (CC0).

United Kingdom25 records

25 records of the McCracken name in the United Kingdom
  • War Office casualty lists, 1917–1919, among the dead 14
  • Stirling Council burial records 11
  1. A page of the burial register of Newtown, Wales, 1858
    Example: burial register, 1858
    Burial record Helen McCracken

    Died 1928, aged 89; buried at Logie Cemetery, Stirling, Scotland.

    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 W. A. McCracken

    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)
  3. A page of the burial register of Newtown, Wales, 1858
    Example: burial register, 1858
    Burial record Jeanie McCracken

    Buried in 1892 at Strathblane Cemetery, Stirling, Scotland, aged 23.

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

Showing 3 of 25 records for McCracken 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. 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).

Nearby in the index

Surnames next to McCracken.

When the index is not enough

This page says where McCracken 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 McCracken volume
Scroll to Top