The McPhail surname

In the 2010 U.S. Census, 5,333 people carried this name — #6,381 among all U.S. surnames, about 1 in every 55,200 people counted. That is up 5% from 5,091 in 2000.

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What the name means

The meaning of the McPhail surname

Anglicization of the Scottish Gaelic Mac Phàil and Irish Mac Phóil, both meaning "son of Paul".

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

McPhail was recorded 24 times in Scotland’s registers of births, marriages and deaths in 2025.

That made it the 1003rd most common name in those registers, shared with others on the same count. In 1975, the first year of the series, the count was 76. 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

McPhail in American newspapers,
1917–1922.

Newspaper page from The Bamberg Herald carrying the name McPhail
The Bamberg Herald 1917-09-13
Newspaper page from The Bamberg Herald carrying the name McPhail
The Bamberg Herald 1917-09-13
Newspaper page from East St. Louis Daily Journal carrying the name McPhail
East St. Louis Daily Journal 1922-12-01

Chronicling America, Library of Congress — digitised newspapers in the public domain · 25,046 pages in all carry the name.

In print

McPhail in Australian newspapers,
1840s–2000s.

10,844 articles name a Mr, Mrs or Miss McPhail. The most, 2,060, date from the 1930s.

Articles, by state

New South Wales 4,604
Victoria 2,319
Queensland 2,199
South Australia 796
Tasmania 490
Western Australia 360
ACT (Canberra) 43
Northern Territory 11

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

Who carried it

People named McPhail,
with a public archive behind them.

  • Addie McPhail
    Addie McPhail 1905–2003 · film actor
  • Bob McPhail
    Bob McPhail 1905–2000 · association football player
  • John McPhail 1923–2000 · journalist
  • Douglas McPhail 1914–1944 · musical theatre actor
  • Billy McPhail 1928–2003 · association football player

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

In the public record

People named McPhail,
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 States648 records

648 records of the McPhail name in the United States
  • U.S. Army enlistment records, World War II 191
  • U.S. alien registration index, 1940–1955 127
  • Other U.S. records 330
  1. A United States Selective Service registration card, 1942
    Example: U.S. registration card, 1942
    Military record Donald V. McPhail

    Born 1922 in Idaho. Enlisted 1942 at Spokane, Washington; driver from Kootenai County. U.S. Army veteran of World War II; died 1985, buried at Coeur D'Alene Memorial Gardens, Idaho.

    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 Rodger McPhail

    Arrived at New York in 1892 aboard the Germanic from Liverpool and Queenstown, aged 31; miner. From Glasgow, Scotland; bound for Ohio.

    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 Morris Gene McPhail

    Born 1947; from Detroit, Michigan. U.S. Army, infantryman; killed in action 1967 in Tay Ninh, South Vietnam.

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

Showing 3 of 648 records for McPhail 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. National Archives, Castle Garden Immigration Center Collection, Ship Passenger Records (unrestricted) · U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, Gravesite Locator (CC0) · NYC Department of Records & Information Services, Historical Vital Records (NYC Open Data) · 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).

Australia834 records

834 records of the McPhail name in Australia
  • Victoria passenger lists, 1839–1923 449
  • Victoria wills and probate, deaths to 2001 134
  • Other Australian records 251
  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 McPhail

    Transported to Van Diemen's Land aboard the Hector, sailing from Woolwich in 1835. Native of Glasgow, Lanarkshire. Applied for permission to marry in Van Diemen's Land in 1836. Married 1836 in Hobart, Tasmania.

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

    Applied for permission to marry in Van Diemen's Land in 1855. Married 1855 in Launceston, Tasmania.

    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 William McPhail

    Arrived in Queensland in 1927 aboard the Moreton Bay, aged 48.

    Queensland State Archives (CC BY 4.0)

Showing 3 of 834 records for McPhail 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). 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); Marriage register, Tilburg, 1911, Regionaal Archief Tilburg (public domain); Passenger manifest of the S.S. St. Paul, New York, 1903 (public domain).

Canada403 records

403 records of the McPhail name in Canada
  • Nova Scotia Archives name indexes 306
  • City of Calgary cemetery records 23
  • Other Canadian records 74
  1. A page of the Berlin civil register, 1880
    Example: civil register, 1880
    Civil record Warren Archibald McPhail

    Killed in 1978 at the River Denys Georgia Pacific Corp. mine, Nova Scotia.

    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 John McPhail

    Came to Ontario in 1878 aboard the Waldensian, bound for C Wood, 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 Donald A. McPhail

    Buried in 1966 at Mount Hermon Cemetery, Dartmouth, Nova Scotia, aged 63.

    Halifax Regional Municipality. Contains information licenced under the Open Government Licence—Halifax.

Showing 3 of 403 records for McPhail in Canada.

Counts: Nova Scotia Archives. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence - Nova Scotia. · 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 Vancouver. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Vancouver. · City of Winnipeg. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Winnipeg. · Halifax Regional Municipality. Contains information licenced under the Open Government Licence—Halifax. · City of Niagara Falls. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Niagara Falls. · National Library of Scotland, War Office Weekly Casualty Lists (public domain) · Archives of Ontario. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Ontario. 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).

United Kingdom52 records

52 records of the McPhail name in the United Kingdom
  • Stirling Council burial records 33
  • War Office casualty lists, 1917–1919, among the dead 12
  • Other British records 7
  1. A First World War roll of honour of the staff of C. & E. Morton Ltd
    Example: roll of honour, 1914–1919
    War record Thomas McPhail

    Born 1897 at Elgin; footman. Died 1917. 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 Elizabeth McPhail

    Died 1984, aged 71; buried at Bannockburn Cemetery, Stirling, Scotland.

    Stirling Council. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.
  3. A petition to the probate court of St. Louis, 1848
    Example: probate petition, 1848
    Probate record Constance Violet McPhail

    Will proved in 1939; of Old Colwyn, Denbigh.

    National Library of Wales, Wills Index Cards (CC0)

Showing 3 of 52 records for McPhail 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) · 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); Petition to the probate court, St. Louis, 1848, Missouri Historical Society (public domain).

New Zealand19 records

19 records of the McPhail name in New Zealand
  • Christchurch City cemetery records 18
  • Marlborough District cemetery records 1
  1. A page of the burial register of Newtown, Wales, 1858
    Example: burial register, 1858
    Burial record Margaret McPhail

    Died 1961, aged 74; buried at Ruru Lawn, 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 Allister John McPhail

    Died 1991, aged 52; buried at Memorial Park Cemetery, 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 Annie McPhail

    Died 1920, aged 66; buried at Rutherford Cemetery, Christchurch, Canterbury.

    Christchurch City Council (CC BY 4.0)

Showing 3 of 19 records for McPhail in New Zealand.

Counts: Christchurch City Council (CC BY 4.0) · Marlborough 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 McPhail name in the Netherlands Dutch civil registers (births, marriages, deaths)
  1. A page of the Berlin civil register, 1880
    Example: civil register, 1880
    Birth record Catherina McPhail

    Born 1845 in Delfshaven.

    Open Archives, Nationaal Archief Rijksarchief Zuid-Holland (CC BY 4.0)

Counts: Open Archives (CC BY 4.0). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Civil register, Berlin, 1880, Landesarchiv Berlin (CC0).

Nearby in the index

Surnames next to McPhail.

When the index is not enough

This page says where McPhail 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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