The McLaren surname

In the 2010 U.S. Census, 5,968 people carried this name — #5,799 among all U.S. surnames, about 1 in every 49,500 people counted. That is up 6% from 5,615 in 2000.

Look up another surname

Share

In Scotland, 1880s

McLaren and Maclaren, counted together, were 34 in every 10,000 names in Scotland.

That is about 1 in 294. Its home there, in Guppy’s words: “Perthshire and Stirlingshire.” He counted the more than 20,000 names in Halliburton’s County Directory of Scotland, taking Scotland as a whole, and listed only the names that reached 10 in every 10,000.

H. B. Guppy, «Homes of Family Names in Great Britain» (London, 1890), appendix: alphabetical list of the most frequent Scottish names, p. 592 — public domain · names in Halliburton’s County Directory of Scotland, per 10,000 for the whole country.

In Scotland’s registers today

McLaren was recorded 165 times in Scotland’s registers of births, marriages and deaths in 2025.

That made it the 137th most common name in those registers. In 1975, the first year of the series, the count was 215. 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, McLaren was counted together with McLerran: 32 families in all.

Each family is counted by its head. About 183 people lived in those households, 5.7 to a family on average. The census counted these spellings together: McLerran, McClaran, McClaren, McClarin, McClaron, McClarren, McClerin, McClerran, McClerren, McClerron, McLaren, McLeran. 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 20
Pennsylvania 4
Vermont 2
Virginia 2
South Carolina 2
New Hampshire 1
New York 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. 253 — public domain · names carried by at least 100 white persons in 1790.

In print

McLaren in American newspapers,
1889–1918.

Newspaper page from The Woman's Tribune carrying the name McLaren
The Woman's Tribune 1889-05-25
Newspaper page from The Anaconda Standard carrying the name McLaren
The Anaconda Standard 1896-05-10
Newspaper page from The Washington Herald carrying the name McLaren
The Washington Herald 1918-07-11

Chronicling America, Library of Congress — digitised newspapers in the public domain · 1,144 pages in all carry the name.

In print

McLaren in Australian newspapers,
1820s–1990s.

46,667 articles name a Mr, Mrs or Miss McLaren. The most, 9,091, 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 2.0 times its expected share.

Articles, by state

New South Wales 14,447
South Australia 10,337
Victoria 9,342
Queensland 4,963
Western Australia 4,278
Tasmania 2,342
ACT (Canberra) 750
Northern Territory 84

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

Who carried it

People named McLaren,
with a public archive behind them.

  • Norman McLaren
    Norman McLaren 1914–1987 · producer
  • Agnes McLaren
    Agnes McLaren 1837–1913 · suffragist
  • Bruce McLaren 1937–1970 · Formula One driver
  • Malcolm McLaren 1946–2010 · conceptual artist
  • Anne McLaren 1927–2007 · developmental biologist
  • Wayne McLaren 1940–1992 · television actor

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

In the public record

People named McLaren,
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 States1,438 records

1,438 records of the McLaren name in the United States
  • U.S. alien registration index, 1940–1955 374
  • Passenger arrivals in the United States, 1820–1912 359
  • Other U.S. records 705
  1. A United States Selective Service registration card, 1942
    Example: U.S. registration card, 1942
    Military record Alexander J. McLaren

    Born 1914 in New York. Enlisted 1941 at Jamaica; physician from Kings County. U.S. Army veteran of World War II; died 1954, buried at Long Island National Cemetery, New York.

    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 Margaret McLaren

    Arrived at New York in 1884 aboard the Bolivia from Glasgow and Moville, aged 21; dye worker. From Glasgow, Scotland.

    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 Robert Dale McLaren

    Born 1951; from Wichita, Kansas. U.S. Army, infantryman; died in an accident 1972 in Pleiku, South Vietnam.

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

Showing 3 of 1,438 records for McLaren in the United States.

Counts: U.S. National Archives, Flexoline Index Data File (public domain) · 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, WWII Army Enlistment Records (public domain) · 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); Vietnam Veterans Memorial, photo by U.S. Army Sgt. 1st Class Michael J. Carden, 2009 (public domain).

Australia2,439 records

2,439 records of the McLaren name in Australia
  • Victoria passenger lists, 1839–1923 1,182
  • Victoria wills and probate, deaths to 2001 485
  • Other Australian records 772
  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 Jane McLaren

    Transported to Van Diemen's Land aboard the Hector, sailing from Woolwich in 1835. Native of Perth, Perthshire. Applied for permission to marry in Van Diemen's Land in 1837.

    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 Janet McLaren

    Died 1895 in Ulverstone, Tasmania, aged 76. Will registered in Tasmania in 1895.

    Libraries Tasmania, Tasmanian Names Index (CC BY 4.0)
  3. A passenger manifest of the S.S. St. Paul, arriving at New York in 1903
    Example: passenger manifest, 1903
    Passenger record Margery B. McLaren

    Arrived in Victoria in 1886 aboard the Austral, as an infant; English.

    Public Record Office Victoria (CC BY 4.0)

Showing 3 of 2,439 records for McLaren 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) · 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); Petition to the probate court, St. Louis, 1848, Missouri Historical Society (public domain); Passenger manifest of the S.S. St. Paul, New York, 1903 (public domain).

United Kingdom557 records

557 records of the McLaren name in the United Kingdom
  • Stirling Council burial records 494
  • War Office casualty lists, 1917–1919, among the dead 57
  • Scottish rolls of honour, First World War 6
  1. A First World War roll of honour of the staff of C. & E. Morton Ltd
    Example: roll of honour, 1914–1919
    War record Patrick McLaren

    Born 1877 at Altyre; forester. Died 1918. 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 Annie McLaren

    Died 1995, aged 102; buried at Snowdon Cemetery, Stirling, Scotland.

    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 W. McLaren

    North Staffordshire Regiment. Listed among the dead in the War Office casualty list of 1917.

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

Showing 3 of 557 records for McLaren 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).

Canada458 records

458 records of the McLaren name in Canada
  • Nova Scotia Archives name indexes 235
  • Mountain View Cemetery, Vancouver 57
  • Other Canadian records 166
  1. Fairview Lawn Cemetery in Halifax, Nova Scotia
    Example: Canadian cemetery
    Burial record John Joseph McLaren

    Buried in 1977 at Queen's Park Cemetery, Calgary, Alberta, aged 56.

    City of Calgary. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – City of Calgary.
  2. Fairview Lawn Cemetery in Halifax, Nova Scotia
    Example: Canadian cemetery
    Burial record Carl McLaren

    Died 1972, aged 83; buried at St. Vital 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 James Thomas McLaren

    Died 1875 in Wentworth Grant, Pictou, Nova Scotia.

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

Showing 3 of 458 records for McLaren 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. · City of Calgary. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – City of Calgary. · Veterans Affairs Canada. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence - Canada. · 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. · Archives of Ontario. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Ontario. · National Library of Scotland, War Office Weekly Casualty Lists (public domain) · Contains information provided by the City of Waterloo under licence. 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).

New Zealand57 records

57 records of the McLaren name in New Zealand
  • Christchurch City cemetery records 40
  • Thames-Coromandel District cemetery records 9
  • Other New Zealand records 8
  1. A page of the burial register of Newtown, Wales, 1858
    Example: burial register, 1858
    Burial record Janet A. McLaren

    Buried in 1936 at Shortland Cemetery, Thames-Coromandel District, Waikato, aged 83.

    Thames-Coromandel District Council (CC BY 4.0)
  2. A page of the burial register of Newtown, Wales, 1858
    Example: burial register, 1858
    Burial record Annie McLaren

    Died 1981, aged 85; 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 Julia Ameria McLaren

    Died 1992, aged 52; buried at Picton Cemetery, Marlborough.

    Marlborough District Council (CC BY 4.0)

Showing 3 of 57 records for McLaren in New Zealand.

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

Netherlands4 records

4 records of the McLaren name in the Netherlands
  • Dutch population registers 2
  • Dutch civil registers (births, marriages, deaths) 2
  1. A page of the Berlin civil register, 1880
    Example: civil register, 1880
    Death record Annie Munro Mc Laren

    Died 1951 in Rotterdam, aged 30.

    Open Archives, Stadsarchief Rotterdam (CC BY 4.0)
  2. A page of the 1910 United States census, Milwaukee
    Example: U.S. census, 1910
    Population register John Henry McLaren

    In the population register of Utrecht; born in Salt Lake City (Utah).

    Open Archives, Het Utrechts Archief (CC BY 4.0)

Showing 2 of 4 records for McLaren in the Netherlands.

Counts: Open Archives (CC BY 4.0). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Civil register, Berlin, 1880, Landesarchiv Berlin (CC0); U.S. census of 1910, Milwaukee (public domain).

France1 record

1 record of the McLaren name in France France's national death register, 1970–2001
  1. A page of the death register of Nice, 1930
    Example: French death register, 1930
    Death record Elisabeth McLaren

    Born 1921 in Great Britain; died 1994 in Cambo-les-Bains (Pyrénées-Atlantiques).

    Insee, Fichier des personnes décédées (Licence Ouverte)

Counts: Insee, Fichier des personnes décédées (Licence Ouverte). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Death register of Nice, 1930, Archives départementales des Alpes-Maritimes (public domain).

Nearby in the index

Surnames next to McLaren.

When the index is not enough

This page says where McLaren 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 McLaren volume
Scroll to Top