McKinley

McKinley is a surname of Scottish origin, an Anglicized form of the Gaelic Mac Fionnlaich, meaning "son of Finlay." It is also found as a given name in some contexts and appears in various place names in the United States and elsewhere. The name is associated with several notable figures, the most prominent being William McKinley (1843–1901), the 25th president of the United States, who served from 1897 until his assassination in 1901. His presidency coincided with the Spanish–American War and the tariff policies of the era.

Mount McKinley, now officially Denali, is the highest mountain in North America, at 20,310 feet (6,190 meters). It is located in the Alaska Range within Denali National Park and Preserve. The peak was long known as Mount McKinley, but in 2015 the U.S. Board on Geographic Names restored Denali as the primary name; Mount McKinley remains a recognized alternative.

In geography, the name McKinley appears in several places in the United States. McKinley County is a county in New Mexico named for President William McKinley; the county seat is Gallup. The William McKinley National Memorial in Canton, Ohio, is a mausoleum and museum dedicated to the president.

Other historical uses include Fort William McKinley, a U.S. Army installation in the Philippines named for the president; it later became part of Fort Bonifacio in Metro Manila.