The McLeod surname

In the 2010 U.S. Census, 30,769 people carried this name — #1,141 among all U.S. surnames, about 1 in every 9,590 people counted. That is up 5% from 29,423 in 2000.

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What the name means

The meaning of the McLeod surname

A Scottish surname from Scottish Gaelic, the anglicised form of the Gaelic Mac Leòid.

From Scottish Gaelic MacLeòid (“son of Leòd”), from Old Norse Liótr (“the Ugly (one)”), from Old Norse ljótr (“ugly, scary”). The combination tool was created in 1905 by Malcolm McLeod, a US Forest Service ranger.

From Wiktionary, the free dictionary (en.wiktionary.org) — entry «McLeod» (English), by Wiktionary contributors · licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 (creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0) · excerpt, lightly adapted.

In the Nordic population registers

37 people named McLeod is counted in Sweden.

Sweden’s figure is from 31 December 2022, the last count Statistics Sweden published.

Counted, by country

Sweden (2022) 37

Own calculations based on data from Statistics Sweden (SCB), surnames with at least two bearers, 31 December 2022 — CC BY 4.0 (names with 20 or more bearers shown).

In Scotland, 1880s

McLeod and Macleod, counted together, were 12 in every 10,000 names in Scotland.

That is about 1 in 833. Its home there, in Guppy’s words: “Inverness-shire and Ross-shire.” 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

McLeod was recorded 169 times in Scotland’s registers of births, marriages and deaths in 2025.

That made it the 131st most common name in those registers, shared with others on the same count. In 1975, the first year of the series, the count was 275. 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

132 families named McLeod, or a close spelling, were counted in 1790.

Each family is counted by its head. About 609 people lived in those households, 4.6 to a family on average. The census counted these spellings together: McLeod, McClaud, McCleod, McCload, McClode, McCloud, McLoad, McLoud, Macloud. 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 79
Pennsylvania 24
New York 9
Massachusetts 5
South Carolina 4
New Hampshire 3
Virginia 3
Maryland 2
Maine 1
Rhode Island 1
Connecticut 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

McLeod in American newspapers,
1841–1905.

Newspaper page from Omaha Daily Bee carrying the name McLeod
Omaha Daily Bee 1905-02-26
Newspaper page from Pokrok Západu carrying the name McLeod
Pokrok Západu 1905-03-15
Newspaper page from Boon's Lick Times carrying the name McLeod
Boon's Lick Times 1841-11-06

Chronicling America, Library of Congress — digitised newspapers in the public domain · 190,811 pages in all carry the name.

In print

McLeod in Australian newspapers,
1810s–2020s.

133,354 articles name a Mr, Mrs or Miss McLeod. The most, 29,152, 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 Western Australia, at 1.3 times its expected share.

Articles, by state

New South Wales 43,980
Victoria 32,119
Queensland 19,476
South Australia 17,101
Western Australia 16,332
Tasmania 3,055
ACT (Canberra) 832
Northern Territory 184

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

Who carried it

People named McLeod,
with a public archive behind them.

  • Mary McLeod Bethune
    Mary McLeod Bethune 1875–1955 · religious leader
  • Norman Z. McLeod 1895–1964 · producer

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

In the public record

People named McLeod,
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 States3,594 records

3,594 records of the McLeod name in the United States
  • U.S. alien registration index, 1940–1955 1,054
  • U.S. Army enlistment records, World War II 1,050
  • Other U.S. records 1,490
  1. Names engraved on the Vietnam Veterans Memorial, Washington, D.C.
    Example: U.S. war memorial
    War record Arthur Edward McLeod

    Born 1946; from Bay Shore, New York. U.S. Army, utility/observation helicopter pilot; killed in action 1971 in Quang Tri, South Vietnam. Buried at Calverton National Cemetery, New York.

    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 Alfred W. McLeod

    Born 1919 in Massachusetts. Enlisted 1942 at Hartford, Connecticut; machine shop worker. U.S. Army veteran of World War II; died 2000, buried at Massachusetts National Cemetery, Massachusetts.

    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 Eliza McLeod

    Arrived at New York in 1882 aboard the Germanic from Liverpool and Queenstown, aged 16; servant. From Glasgow, Scotland; bound for New York.

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

Showing 3 of 3,594 records for McLeod in the United States.

Counts: U.S. National Archives, Flexoline Index Data File (public domain) · U.S. National Archives, WWII Army Enlistment Records (public domain) · 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, 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) · City of Asheville (public domain, PDDL) · New York State, Open NY (police and firefighter memorial rolls). 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).

Canada7,654 records

7,654 records of the McLeod name in Canada
  • Nova Scotia Archives name indexes 6,621
  • Mountain View Cemetery, Vancouver 325
  • Other Canadian records 708
  1. The first page of an emigration file from Gündlingen, Baden, 1883
    Example: German emigration file, 1883
    Emigration record Thomas McLeod

    Left New York in 1783 aboard the Clinton, bound for Annapolis and St Johns, aged 3.

    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 Angus McLeod

    Came to Ontario in 1874 aboard the Dominion, bound for Brace Bridge, Ontario; Scotland.

    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 Colin Campbell McLeod

    Buried in 1978 at Queen's Park Cemetery, Calgary, Alberta, aged 72.

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

Showing 3 of 7,654 records for McLeod 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: Emigration file, Gündlingen, 1883, Landesarchiv Baden-Württemberg, Staatsarchiv Freiburg B 694/1 Nr. 1389 (CC BY 4.0); 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).

Australia6,185 records

6,185 records of the McLeod name in Australia
  • Victoria passenger lists, 1839–1923 3,143
  • Victoria wills and probate, deaths to 2001 1,219
  • Other Australian records 1,823
  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 Christina McLeod

    Transported to Van Diemen's Land aboard the Rajah, sailing from London in 1841. Native of Naas, Kildare. Applied for permission to marry in Van Diemen's Land in 1844.

    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 John Neil McLeod

    Died 1891 in Franklin, Tasmania, aged 30. Will registered in Tasmania in 1891.

    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 Mary McLeod

    Arrived in Victoria in 1852 aboard the Miltiades, aged 25; Scottish.

    Public Record Office Victoria (CC BY 4.0)

Showing 3 of 6,185 records for McLeod 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) · ACT Government, Transport Canberra and City Services (CC BY 4.0) · City of Ballarat, Avenue of Honour Plaques (CC BY 3.0 AU) · 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 Kingdom293 records

293 records of the McLeod name in the United Kingdom
  • Stirling Council burial records 148
  • War Office casualty lists, 1917–1919, among the dead 88
  • Other British records 57
  1. A First World War roll of honour of the staff of C. & E. Morton Ltd
    Example: roll of honour, 1914–1919
    War record William McLeod

    Fisherman. Died 1918. Named in the Morayshire roll of honour (1921). Listed among the dead in the War Office casualty list of 1918 (Highland Light Infantry).

    National Library of Scotland, Rolls of Honour (public domain); National Library of Scotland, War Office Weekly Casualty Lists (public domain)
  2. A First World War roll of honour of the staff of C. & E. Morton Ltd
    Example: roll of honour, 1914–1919
    War record James McLeod

    Born 1883 at Commerce Street; fisherman. Served in the First World War. Named in the Morayshire roll of honour (1921).

    National Library of Scotland, Rolls of Honour (public domain)
  3. A page of the burial register of Newtown, Wales, 1858
    Example: burial register, 1858
    Burial record Margaret McLeod

    Died 1985, aged 79; buried at Bannockburn Cemetery, Stirling, Scotland.

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

Showing 3 of 293 records for McLeod 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. · National Library of Wales, Wills Index Cards (CC0). 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 Zealand158 records

158 records of the McLeod name in New Zealand
  • Christchurch City cemetery records 119
  • Thames-Coromandel District cemetery records 26
  • Other New Zealand records 13
  1. A page of the burial register of Newtown, Wales, 1858
    Example: burial register, 1858
    Burial record Murdoch McLeod

    Died 1937, aged 69; 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 Boden Paul McLeod

    Died 1996, aged 86; buried at Buffalo Cemetery, Thames-Coromandel District, Waikato.

    Thames-Coromandel District Council (CC BY 4.0)
  3. A page of the Berlin civil register, 1880
    Example: civil register, 1880
    Death record Jean Iris McLeod

    Born 1951, died 2000; ashes interred at Kaiapoi Public Cemetery, Canterbury.

    Waimakariri District Council (CC BY 4.0)

Showing 3 of 158 records for McLeod 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) · Waimakariri District Council (CC BY 4.0) · Canterbury Maps (Environment Canterbury), Timaru and Mackenzie District Councils (CC BY 3.0 NZ). 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).

Netherlands4 records

4 records of the McLeod 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 John Mc Leod

    Died 1949 in Rotterdam, aged 46.

    Open Archives, Stadsarchief Rotterdam (CC BY 4.0)
  2. A page of the Berlin civil register, 1880
    Example: civil register, 1880
    Death record Adam McLeod

    Died 1958 in 's-Gravenhage, aged 69.

    Open Archives, Haags Gemeentearchief (CC BY 4.0)

Showing 2 of 4 records for McLeod 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).

France2 records

2 records of the McLeod 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 Scott Henry McLeod

    Born 1963 in the United States; died 1994 in Paris.

    Insee, Fichier des personnes décédées (Licence Ouverte)

Showing 1 of 2 records for McLeod in France.

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).

Other spellings of this name

The same name, spelled another way.

Spellings that H. B. Guppy (England and Wales, 1890) or the Registrar-General for Ireland (births index of 1890) counted as one name together with McLeod.

Nearby in the index

Surnames next to McLeod.

When the index is not enough

This page says where McLeod 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 McLeod volume
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