The McDonough surname

In the 2010 U.S. Census, 21,739 people carried this name — #1,655 among all U.S. surnames, about 1 in every 13,600 people counted. That is up 2% from 21,340 in 2000.

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In Scotland’s registers today

McDonough was recorded 10 times in Scotland’s registers of births, marriages and deaths in 2025.

That made it the 1929th most common name in those registers, shared with others on the same count. 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

McDonough in American newspapers,
1877–1925.

Newspaper page from Casper Daily Tribune carrying the name McDonough
Casper Daily Tribune 1924-06-30
Newspaper page from River Falls Journal carrying the name McDonough
River Falls Journal 1877-11-08
Newspaper page from Casper Daily Tribune carrying the name McDonough
Casper Daily Tribune 1925-09-13

Chronicling America, Library of Congress — digitised newspapers in the public domain · 116,846 pages in all carry the name.

In print

McDonough in Australian newspapers,
1830s–1990s.

13,068 articles name a Mr, Mrs or Miss McDonough. The most, 3,408, 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 South Australia, at 1.5 times its expected share.

Articles, by state

New South Wales 5,089
Victoria 2,746
South Australia 2,098
Queensland 1,595
Western Australia 1,080
Tasmania 400
ACT (Canberra) 23
Northern Territory 2

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

Who carried it

People named McDonough,
with a public archive behind them.

  • Gordon Leo McDonough
    Gordon Leo McDonough 1895–1968 · chemist
  • Alexa McDonough 1944–2022 · social worker
  • Joseph A. McDonough 1896–1944 · film director
  • Dick McDonough 1904–1938 · jazz musician

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

In the public record

People named McDonough,
in the records of 6 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 States3,600 records

3,600 records of the McDonough name in the United States
  • New York City birth, marriage and death certificates 2,082
  • U.S. veterans' cemetery records, burials to 2001 379
  • Other U.S. records 1,139
  1. Names engraved on the Vietnam Veterans Memorial, Washington, D.C.
    Example: U.S. war memorial
    War record Richard Eugene McDonough

    Born 1932; from St Paul, Minnesota. U.S. Marine Corps; killed in action 1951 in Korea. Buried at Fort Snelling National Cemetery, Minnesota.

    U.S. National Archives, Defense Casualty Analysis System (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 Eliza McDonough

    Arrived at New York in 1852 aboard the Hemisphere from Liverpool, aged 32; farmer. From Ireland.

    U.S. National Archives, Castle Garden Immigration Center Collection, Ship Passenger Records (unrestricted)
  3. A United States Selective Service registration card, 1942
    Example: U.S. registration card, 1942
    Military record Carl W. McDonough

    Born 1917 in Wisconsin. Enlisted 1940 at Milwaukee; inspector from Walworth County.

    U.S. National Archives, WWII Army Enlistment Records (public domain)

Showing 3 of 3,600 records for McDonough in the United States.

Counts: NYC Department of Records & Information Services, Historical Vital Records (NYC Open Data) · U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, Gravesite Locator (CC0) · 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, Castle Garden Immigration Center Collection, Ship Passenger Records (unrestricted) · U.S. National Archives, Defense Casualty Analysis System (public domain) · U.S. National Archives, WWII Army Enlistment Records (public domain) · New York State, Open NY (police and firefighter memorial rolls) · Ramsey County, Minnesota (public domain) · Sacramento County, Historic Burials (CC BY 4.0). 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); Passenger manifest of the S.S. St. Paul, New York, 1903 (public domain); U.S. Selective Service registration card, 1942 (public domain).

Australia726 records

726 records of the McDonough name in Australia
  • Victoria passenger lists, 1839–1923 313
  • Victoria wills and probate, deaths to 2001 139
  • Other Australian records 274
  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 Mary McDonough

    Transported to Van Diemen's Land aboard the John Calvin, sailing from London in 1848. Native of Galway. Applied for permission to marry in Van Diemen's Land in 1850.

    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 Patrick T. McDonough

    Arrived in Victoria in 1852 aboard the Arundel, aged 37; Irish.

    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 Mary Isabel McDonough

    Retired of Knoxville, Victoria; died 2001.

    Public Record Office Victoria (CC BY 4.0)

Showing 3 of 726 records for McDonough in Australia.

Counts: Public Record Office Victoria (CC BY 4.0) · Libraries Tasmania, Tasmanian Names Index (CC BY 4.0) · Queensland State Archives (CC BY 4.0) · Museums of History NSW – State Archives Collection (CC BY) · 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); 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).

Canada74 records

74 records of the McDonough name in Canada
  • Nova Scotia Archives name indexes 43
  • Canadian Virtual War Memorial 10
  • Other Canadian records 21
  1. Fairview Lawn Cemetery in Halifax, Nova Scotia
    Example: Canadian cemetery
    Burial record Margaret McDonough

    Buried in 1969 at Burnsland Cemetery, Calgary, Alberta, aged 93.

    City of Calgary. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – City of Calgary.
  2. A page of the Berlin civil register, 1880
    Example: civil register, 1880
    Death record John McDonough

    Died 1966 in Belmont, Hants, Nova Scotia.

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

    Died in service in 1915.

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

Showing 3 of 74 records for McDonough 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 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). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Fairview Lawn Cemetery, Halifax, photo by Edgar El (CC BY 3.0); Civil register, Berlin, 1880, Landesarchiv Berlin (CC0); Canadian First World War circumstances-of-death register (scan by Scottgraham87 via Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0).

United Kingdom20 records

20 records of the McDonough name in the United Kingdom
  • War Office casualty lists, 1917–1919, among the dead 14
  • St James's burial ground, Euston (London), 1789–1853 6
  1. A page of the burial register of Newtown, Wales, 1858
    Example: burial register, 1858
    Burial record Thomas McDonough

    Buried in 1833 at St James's burial ground, Euston, London, aged 50.

    MOLA and HS2, St James's burial ground data. 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 J. McDonough

    Driver, North Staffordshire Regiment. 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 Barney McDonough

    Buried in 1824 at St James's burial ground, Euston, London, aged 60.

    MOLA and HS2, St James's burial ground data. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.

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

Counts: National Library of Scotland, War Office Weekly Casualty Lists (public domain) · 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 Zealand16 records

16 records of the McDonough name in New Zealand Christchurch City cemetery records
  1. A page of the burial register of Newtown, Wales, 1858
    Example: burial register, 1858
    Burial record Patrick McDonough

    Died 1922, aged 83; buried at Bromley Cemetery, 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 Emily Frances McDonough

    Died 1947, aged 76; 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 John Joseph McDonough

    Died 1899, aged 38; buried at Linwood Cemetery, Christchurch, Canterbury.

    Christchurch City Council (CC BY 4.0)

Showing 3 of 16 records for McDonough in New Zealand.

Counts: Christchurch City 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).

Ireland9 records

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

    Died 1902, aged 65; buried at Drumacoo, Co. Galway.

    Galway County Council (CC BY 4.0)
  2. A page of the burial register of Newtown, Wales, 1858
    Example: burial register, 1858
    Burial record Denis McDonough

    Died 1793, aged 27; buried at Kilcummin, Co. Galway.

    Galway County Council (CC BY 4.0)
  3. A page of the burial register of Newtown, Wales, 1858
    Example: burial register, 1858
    Burial record John McDonough

    Died 1817, aged 71; buried at Drumacoo, Co. Galway.

    Galway County Council (CC BY 4.0)

Showing 3 of 9 records for McDonough in Ireland.

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).

Nearby in the index

Surnames next to McDonough.

When the index is not enough

This page says where McDonough 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.

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