The McKinnon surname

In the 2010 U.S. Census, 15,450 people carried this name — #2,359 among all U.S. surnames, about 1 in every 19,100 people counted. That is up 6% from 14,566 in 2000.

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What the name means

The meaning of the McKinnon surname

From Scottish Gaelic MhicFhionghain, from Fhionghain (“Fingon”).

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

McKinnon was recorded 61 times in Scotland’s registers of births, marriages and deaths in 2025.

That made it the 437th most common name in those registers, shared with others on the same count. In 1975, the first year of the series, the count was 115. 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, McKinnon was counted together with McKinnen: 25 families in all.

Each family is counted by its head. About 119 people lived in those households, 4.8 to a family on average. The census counted these spellings together: McKinnen, McCinnan, McKennon, McKinnin, McKinnon. 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

North Carolina 22
New York 1
Pennsylvania 1
South Carolina 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

McKinnon in American newspapers,
1912.

Newspaper page from The Washington Times carrying the name McKinnon
The Washington Times 1912-01-15
Newspaper page from Evening Star carrying the name McKinnon
Evening Star 1912-05-01

Chronicling America, Library of Congress — digitised newspapers in the public domain · 63,351 pages in all carry the name.

In print

McKinnon in Australian newspapers,
1820s–2000s.

50,599 articles name a Mr, Mrs or Miss McKinnon. The most, 12,738, 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 the Northern Territory, at 2.4 times its expected share.

Articles, by state

New South Wales 24,727
Victoria 8,887
South Australia 5,895
Queensland 5,338
Western Australia 3,528
Tasmania 1,285
ACT (Canberra) 543
Northern Territory 201

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

Who carried it

People named McKinnon,
with a public archive behind them.

  • Ronnie McKinnon
    Ronnie McKinnon 1940–2023 · association football player
  • Betty McKinnon 1925–1981 · athletics competitor
  • Daniel McKinnon 1922–2017 · ice hockey player
  • Angus McKinnon 1886–1968 · association football player

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

In the public record

People named McKinnon,
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 States1,545 records

1,545 records of the McKinnon name in the United States
  • U.S. Army enlistment records, World War II 487
  • U.S. alien registration index, 1940–1955 457
  • Other U.S. records 601
  1. Names engraved on the Vietnam Veterans Memorial, Washington, D.C.
    Example: U.S. war memorial
    War record Jack Wiley McKinnon

    Born 1948; from Santa Cruz, California. U.S. Army, infantryman; killed in action 1968 in Quang Tin, South Vietnam. Buried at Golden Gate 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 John P. McKinnon

    Born 1918 in Canada. Enlisted 1942 at Wilkes Barre, Pennsylvania; filling station attendant. U.S. Army Air Forces veteran of World War II; died 2000, buried at Cathedral Cemetery, Pennsylvania.

    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 Mary McKinnon

    Arrived at New York in 1892 aboard the Circassia from Glasgow and Londonderry, aged 23; warehouse worker. From Scotland; bound for New York.

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

Showing 3 of 1,545 records for McKinnon in the United States.

Counts: U.S. National Archives, WWII Army Enlistment Records (public domain) · U.S. National Archives, Flexoline Index Data File (public domain) · U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, Gravesite Locator (CC0) · 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) · 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).

Canada4,885 records

4,885 records of the McKinnon name in Canada
  • Nova Scotia Archives name indexes 4,479
  • Mountain View Cemetery, Vancouver 124
  • Other Canadian records 282
  1. A page of the Berlin civil register, 1880
    Example: civil register, 1880
    Civil record Maggie Louise McKinnon

    Killed in the Halifax Explosion of 1917.

    Nova Scotia Archives. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence - Nova Scotia.
  2. A passenger manifest of the S.S. St. Paul, arriving at New York in 1903
    Example: passenger manifest, 1903
    Passenger record Donald McKinnon

    Came to Ontario in 1879 aboard the Canadian, landing at Quebec, bound for Kincardine, Ontario; Scotch.

    Archives of Ontario. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Ontario.
  3. Fairview Lawn Cemetery in Halifax, Nova Scotia
    Example: Canadian cemetery
    Burial record Joyce Marguerite McKinnon

    Buried in 1988 at Queen's Park Cemetery, Calgary, Alberta, aged 51.

    City of Calgary. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – City of Calgary.

Showing 3 of 4,885 records for McKinnon 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. · 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. · Halifax Regional Municipality. Contains information licenced under the Open Government Licence—Halifax. · Archives of Ontario. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Ontario. · Contains information provided by the City of Waterloo under licence. Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Civil register, Berlin, 1880, Landesarchiv Berlin (CC0); 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).

Australia2,515 records

2,515 records of the McKinnon name in Australia
  • Victoria passenger lists, 1839–1923 1,406
  • Victoria wills and probate, deaths to 2001 540
  • Other Australian records 569
  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 Ann McKinnon

    Transported to Van Diemen's Land aboard the Elizabeth & Henry, sailing from London in 1848. Native of Campbeltown, Argyllshire. Applied for permission to marry in Van Diemen's Land in 1851. Married 1851 in Spring Bay, Tasmania, aged 40.

    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 Allan McKinnon

    Died 1877 in Morven, Tasmania, aged 82. Will registered in Tasmania in 1877.

    Libraries Tasmania, Tasmanian Names Index (CC BY 4.0)
  3. A marriage entry in the civil register of Tilburg, 1911
    Example: marriage register, 1911
    Marriage record Ann Jane McKinnon

    Born 1868 in Launceston, Tasmania. Married 1888 in Launceston, Tasmania, aged 20.

    Libraries Tasmania, Tasmanian Names Index (CC BY 4.0)

Showing 3 of 2,515 records for McKinnon 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) · ACT Government, Transport Canberra and City Services (CC BY 4.0) · City of Ballarat, Avenue of Honour Plaques (CC BY 3.0 AU). 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); Marriage register, Tilburg, 1911, Regionaal Archief Tilburg (public domain).

United Kingdom136 records

136 records of the McKinnon name in the United Kingdom
  • Stirling Council burial records 92
  • War Office casualty lists, 1917–1919, among the dead 31
  • Other British records 13
  1. A First World War roll of honour of the staff of C. & E. Morton Ltd
    Example: roll of honour, 1914–1919
    War record Hugh Reid McKinnon

    Born 1883 at Dyke; compositor. 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 McKinnon

    Died 1975, aged 44; buried at Bannockburn Cemetery, Stirling, Scotland.

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

    Buried in 1815 at St James's burial ground, Euston, London, aged 24.

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

Showing 3 of 136 records for McKinnon 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) · 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: 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 Zealand29 records

29 records of the McKinnon name in New Zealand
  • Christchurch City cemetery records 15
  • Timaru and Mackenzie District cemetery records 6
  • Other New Zealand records 8
  1. A page of the burial register of Newtown, Wales, 1858
    Example: burial register, 1858
    Burial record John McKinnon

    Died 1897, aged 52; buried at Wainui 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 Arthur Alexander McKinnon

    Buried in 1950 at Totara Memorial Park Cemetery, Thames-Coromandel District, Waikato, aged 88.

    Thames-Coromandel District Council (CC BY 4.0)
  3. A page of the burial register of Newtown, Wales, 1858
    Example: burial register, 1858
    Burial record Hazel Jean McKinnon

    Died 1991, aged 84; buried at Omaka Cemetery, Marlborough.

    Marlborough District Council (CC BY 4.0)

Showing 3 of 29 records for McKinnon in New Zealand.

Counts: Christchurch City Council (CC BY 4.0) · Canterbury Maps (Environment Canterbury), Timaru and Mackenzie District Councils (CC BY 3.0 NZ) · Marlborough District Council (CC BY 4.0) · National Library of Scotland, War Office Weekly Casualty Lists (public domain) · 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).

Netherlands1 record

1 record of the McKinnon 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 John William McKinnon

    Married in 1945 in Rotterdam.

    Open Archives, Stadsarchief Rotterdam (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).

Nearby in the index

Surnames next to McKinnon.

When the index is not enough

This page says where McKinnon 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 McKinnon volume
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