The McLoughlin surname

In the 2010 U.S. Census, 4,661 people carried this name — #7,174 among all U.S. surnames, about 1 in every 63,300 people counted. That is up 5% from 4,434 in 2000.

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Where the name comes from

The origin of the McLoughlin surname

Variant of McLaughlin.

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

McLoughlin was recorded 12 times in Scotland’s registers of births, marriages and deaths in 2025.

That made it the 1665th most common name in those registers, shared with others on the same count. In 1975, the first year of the series, the count was 15. 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, McLoughlin was counted together with McLaughlin: 128 families in all.

Each family is counted by its head. About 694 people lived in those households, 5.4 to a family on average. The census counted these spellings together: McLaughlin, McGlachland, Mcglachlond, McGlaghlin, McGlauchlin, McGlaughlan, McGlaughlin, McGlochlan, McGlochland, McGlochlen, McGlocklin, McGlohlan, McGlohlin, McGloughlan, McGloughlin, Mcgloughlin, McLachland, McLachlen, McLachlin, McLacklin, McLaghlin, McLaighlin, McLaughlan, McLaughland, McLaughlen, M'Laughlin, McLaughling, McLauglin, McLlaughlin, McLocklin, McLoughlin, McLughlin. 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 57
Maryland 18
North Carolina 16
New Hampshire 10
New York 10
Virginia 10
Vermont 3
Maine 2
South Carolina 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. 253 — public domain · names carried by at least 100 white persons in 1790.

In print

McLoughlin in American newspapers,
1914–1925.

Newspaper page from The Poplar Standard carrying the name McLoughlin
The Poplar Standard 1925-04-03
Newspaper page from The Ronan Pioneer carrying the name McLoughlin
The Ronan Pioneer 1925-04-03
Newspaper page from Daily Kennebec Journal carrying the name McLoughlin
Daily Kennebec Journal 1914-08-14

Chronicling America, Library of Congress — digitised newspapers in the public domain · 19,831 pages in all carry the name.

In print

McLoughlin in Australian newspapers,
1830s–1990s.

9,420 articles name a Mr, Mrs or Miss McLoughlin. The most, 2,300, 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 2.7 times its expected share.

Articles, by state

New South Wales 2,568
Western Australia 2,236
Queensland 2,170
Tasmania 895
South Australia 741
Victoria 723
ACT (Canberra) 56
Northern Territory 6

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

Who carried it

People named McLoughlin,
with a public archive behind them.

  • Maurice E. McLoughlin
    Maurice E. McLoughlin 1890–1957 · tennis player
  • John McLoughlin
    John McLoughlin 1784–1857 · superintendent
  • Alan McLoughlin 1967–2021 · association football player
  • Joseph McLoughlin 1878–1962 · rower

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

In the public record

People named McLoughlin,
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 States3,373 records

3,373 records of the McLoughlin name in the United States
  • New York City birth, marriage and death certificates 2,263
  • Irish Famine arrivals at New York, 1846–1851 470
  • Other U.S. records 640
  1. A United States Selective Service registration card, 1942
    Example: U.S. registration card, 1942
    Military record Edward J. McLoughlin

    Born 1918 in New York. Enlisted 1944 at New York City; mechanic from Queens County. U.S. Army veteran of World War II and the Korean War; died 1979, buried at Calverton National Cemetery, New York.

    U.S. National Archives, WWII Army Enlistment Records (public domain); U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, Gravesite Locator (CC0)
  2. Names engraved on the Vietnam Veterans Memorial, Washington, D.C.
    Example: U.S. war memorial
    War record Miles Joseph McLoughlin

    Born 1945; from New York, New York. U.S. Army, infantryman; killed in action 1967 in Long Khanh, South Vietnam.

    U.S. National Archives, Defense Casualty Analysis System (public domain)
  3. A passenger manifest of the S.S. St. Paul, arriving at New York in 1903
    Example: passenger manifest, 1903
    Passenger record Thomas McLoughlin

    Arrived at New York in 1892 aboard the Teutonic from Liverpool, aged 19; laborer. From Ballinagh, Ireland; bound for New York.

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

Showing 3 of 3,373 records for McLoughlin in the United States.

Counts: NYC Department of Records & Information Services, Historical Vital Records (NYC Open Data) · U.S. National Archives, Famine Irish Passenger Records (public domain) · U.S. National Archives, Flexoline Index Data File (public domain) · 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. Department of Veterans Affairs, Gravesite Locator (CC0) · U.S. National Archives, WWII Army Enlistment Records (public domain) · U.S. National Archives, Defense Casualty Analysis System (public domain) · New York State, Open NY (police and firefighter memorial rolls). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: U.S. Selective Service registration card, 1942 (public domain); 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).

Australia973 records

973 records of the McLoughlin name in Australia
  • Victoria passenger lists, 1839–1923 325
  • Tasmanian Names Index 279
  • Other Australian records 369
  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 Ann McLoughlin

    Transported to Van Diemen's Land aboard the Australasia, sailing from Dublin in 1849. Native of Armagh. Applied for permission to marry in Van Diemen's Land in 1850.

    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 Edward McLoughlin

    Died 1891 in Hobart, Tasmania, aged 31. 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 Cathe McLoughlin

    Arrived in Victoria in 1857 aboard the Mindoro, aged 41.

    Public Record Office Victoria (CC BY 4.0)

Showing 3 of 973 records for McLoughlin 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).

Ireland55 records

55 records of the McLoughlin name in Ireland County Galway graveyard records
  1. A page of the burial register of Newtown, Wales, 1858
    Example: burial register, 1858
    Burial record Margaret McLoughlin

    Died 1983, aged 68; buried at Dunmore, 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 Andrew McLoughlin

    Died 1956, aged 87; buried at Moylough, 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 McLoughlin

    Died 1940, aged 65; buried at Ballinakill, Co. Galway.

    Galway County Council (CC BY 4.0)

Showing 3 of 55 records for McLoughlin 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).

United Kingdom34 records

34 records of the McLoughlin name in the United Kingdom
  • War Office casualty lists, 1917–1919, among the dead 25
  • Stirling Council burial records 7
  • Other British records 2
  1. A page of the burial register of Newtown, Wales, 1858
    Example: burial register, 1858
    Burial record Francis McLoughlin

    Buried in 1979 at Gartmore Cemetery, Stirling, Scotland, aged 69.

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

    Buried in 1810 at St James's burial ground, Euston, London, aged 40.

    MOLA and HS2, St James's burial ground data. 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 Felix McLoughlin

    Killed or died by 1920. Named in the Denny and Dunipace roll of honour (1920).

    National Library of Scotland, Rolls of Honour (public domain)

Showing 3 of 34 records for McLoughlin 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. · 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: 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 Zealand29 records

29 records of the McLoughlin name in New Zealand
  • Thames-Coromandel District cemetery records 23
  • Christchurch City cemetery records 5
  • War Office casualty lists, 1917–1919, among the dead 1
  1. A page of the burial register of Newtown, Wales, 1858
    Example: burial register, 1858
    Burial record Doris Elsie McLoughlin

    Died 1985, aged 60; buried at Totara Memorial Park Cemetery, Thames-Coromandel District, Waikato.

    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 William John McLoughlin

    Died 1939, aged 65; buried at Bromley Cemetery, Christchurch, Canterbury.

    Christchurch City 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 E. McLoughlin

    New Zealand Infantry. 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 29 records for McLoughlin in New Zealand.

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

Canada6 records

6 records of the McLoughlin name in Canada
  • Nova Scotia Archives name indexes 2
  • City of Winnipeg cemetery records 2
  • Other Canadian records 2
  1. Fairview Lawn Cemetery in Halifax, Nova Scotia
    Example: Canadian cemetery
    Burial record William G. McLoughlin

    Died 1981, aged 61; buried at Brookside Cemetery, Winnipeg, Manitoba.

    City of Winnipeg. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Winnipeg.
  2. Fairview Lawn Cemetery in Halifax, Nova Scotia
    Example: Canadian cemetery
    Burial record Fred Joseph McLoughlin

    Buried in 1969 at Parkview Cemetery, Waterloo, Ontario.

    Contains information provided by the City of Waterloo under licence
  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 Charles McLoughlin

    Died in service in 1918.

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

Showing 3 of 6 records for McLoughlin in Canada.

Counts: Nova Scotia Archives. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence - Nova Scotia. · City of Winnipeg. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Winnipeg. · Veterans Affairs Canada. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence - Canada. · 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); Canadian First World War circumstances-of-death register (scan by Scottgraham87 via Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0).

Netherlands1 record

1 record of the McLoughlin name in the Netherlands Dutch population registers
  1. A page of the 1910 United States census, Milwaukee
    Example: U.S. census, 1910
    Population register Margaret Ellen McLoughlin

    In a population register; born 1874.

    Open Archives, Stadsarchief Rotterdam (CC BY 4.0)

Counts: Open Archives (CC BY 4.0). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: U.S. census of 1910, Milwaukee (public domain).

Nearby in the index

Surnames next to McLoughlin.

When the index is not enough

This page says where McLoughlin 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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