McGruder
A Scottish and Irish-style surname probably meaning “son of Gruder,” with Gruder likely an old personal name or nickname now obscure.
The #9,446 most common surname in the United States (2010 Census) — about 1 in every 89,647 Americans shares it.
Etymology
McGruder is an anglicized surname with the Gaelic patronymic prefix Mac, meaning “son of.” The second element, Gruder, is less certain: it is likely an older personal name or nickname that did not survive clearly in modern use. In practice, the surname is best understood as “son of Gruder,” though the exact meaning of Gruder itself is obscure.
History
The name is most closely associated with the Anglo-Scottish and Irish naming tradition in which Mac- surnames mark descent from an ancestor. In later records, spellings with Mc- and Mac- often varied freely, especially after families moved into English-speaking areas. In the United States the surname is relatively uncommon and may reflect families of Scottish, Irish, or mixed British Isles background.
Origin
Regions
Variant spellings
Fun fact
Because the base name Gruder is so obscure, McGruder is one of those surnames whose family name is clearer than the personal name it originally preserved.