MacNeal Surname Meaning & Coat of Arms

Long before computers fixed spellings, MacNeal and McNeal were used side by side. The family name meaning is “Son of Niall”, the same as for McNeal. MacNeal is listed among the recognised spellings of McNeal. Census takers and immigration officers often wrote what they heard. Related forms: McNeil.

MacNeal ranked 36,525 in the 2010 US Census, with 612 people answering to the name. That is enough to place it in the top 50,000 American surnames. Names that sound alike, such as MacNeill and MacNally, are easily confused in old records.

Arms linked to McNeal and its spellings were granted to individual families; our heraldry team traces which line they belonged to. Want more than a summary? See the MacNeal family name pack.