Here are but a few of the famous and notable MacAulays.
- Alastair Macaulay, chief dance critic of the New York Times
- Alex McAulay – American novelist
- Alexander MacAulay – an unknown hero
- Alexander MacAuley (footballer), Scottish footballer
- Alexander McAulay (1863–1931), first professor of mathematics and physics at the University of Tasmania
- Alexander McCall Smith – Author, South Africa
- Alphonso McAuley, American, actor
- Alyn Daniel McCauley – Canadian retired professional ice hockey player
- Alyson Macaulay Court, Canadian, actor
- Andrew McAuley, (1968–2007), Australian, adventurer
- Angus Macaulay (1759-1827) – Schoolmaster, physician and political figure in Prince Edward Island
- Archie Macaulay (1915–1993), Scottish football player and manager
- Aulay MacAulay of Ardincaple (died 1617), Scottish laird, clan chief, shire Commissioner, and knight
- Aulay Macaulay, (died 1788), English inventor of a system of shorthand
- Bob McAuley – Scottish-Canadian, football player.
- Bryn McAuley – Canadian, voice actress.
- Catharine Macaulay (1731–1791), English historian
- Catherine McAuley (Sister) – Foundress of Sisters of Mercy and Mercy Healthcare
- Charles Macaulay (Sergeant) – 8th King’s Royal Irish (KRI) Hussars “One of the Six Hundred”
- Charles Grymes McCawley (1827–1891), American, a senior officer in the United States Marine Corps
- Charles R. Macauley – American cartoonist and illustrator
- Charles McAuley (1910–1999), Irish, painter
- Clark Richard McCauley – American social psychologist
- Colin Macaulay (1760–1836) Slavery abolitionist and campaigner
- Dana McCauley – Canadian chef and food writer
- Dave McAuley – Northern Irish, professional boxer.
- David MacAulay (Private, DCM MM)
- David Macaulay – British-born American illustrator and writer
- Deborah McCawley Canadian, a judge
- Deon McCaulay – Belizean international footballer
- Derek Macaulay, Brigadier-General, OMM, MSM, CD, Commander 5th Canadian Division
- Don McCauley – former American football player
- Donald Macaulay of Bragar, QC – (Lord) House of Lords, Scotland
- Donald Cam MacAulay (Chief of the MacAulays of Lewis c1560-1640)
- Dugald MacAulay (Father of Donald Cam)
- Ed Macauley – NBA Hall of Fame
- Eunice Macaulay (1923–2013), British-born animator and filmmaker
- Francis Sowerby Macaulay, English mathematician
- Fred MacAulay – Comedian and Presenter
- Frederick Robertson Macaulay – Economist
- Gareth McAuley – Northern Irish, professional footballer
- Genevieve Macaulay (1880–1938), American philanthropist and Papal duchess
- George Macaulay (1897–1940), English cricketer
- George Macaulay Trevelyan – Historian
- George Campbell Macaulay (1852–1915), Classical scholar of Herodotus
- George Neil Macaulay (Captain, the Elder)
- George Neil Macaulay (Captain)
- Greg McAulay – World Curling Champion
- Helene Macaulay – celebrity makeup artist
- Herbert Heelas Macaulay – Nigerian Activist
- Hugh McAuley b.1953- English professional footballer and coach.
- Hugh McAuley b.1976 – English professional footballer.
- Iain MacMillan MacAulay – Elected Chief of Clan MacAulay 2002
- Ike McAuley, (1891–1928), American, professional baseball player
- Iris MacAulay – official holder of Block Island’s gold-headed ebony cane
- Jack McCauley – American engineer, hardware designer, inventor, video game developer and philanthropist
- James Macaulay – Doctor and Medical Officer in Upper Canada
- James Macauley, (1889-1945), Irish, professional footballer
- James McAulay (1860–1943), Scottish footballer
- James McAuley – Australian Poet
- James Adelbert McCauley -19th-century Major League Baseball catcher
- James Alvan Macaulay – Former President of Packard Motor Car Company
- James Buchanan Macaulay, Sir (1793-1859), Canadian lawyer
- James D. McCawley (1938–1999), Scottish-born American, a linguist
- Jerry McAuley, (1839–1884), Irish born American, convicted criminal who founded America’s first gospel rescue mission
- Jim McCawley (1942–1997), American, a screenwriter and television producer
- Jimmy McAuley – Northern Irish, football player
- Jonathan McCully – Founding Father of Modern Canada
- John Macaulay (1792-1833), businessman, office holder, newspaperman, justice of the peace, militia officer, and politician
- John Macaulay – San Francisco Police Department
- John Alexander MacAulay, Canadian lawyer and Red Cross activist
- John McAulay – Scottish policeman, soldier and recipient of the Victoria Cross
- Sir John Patrick Joseph McCauley, KBE, CB – senior commander in the Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF)
- John Simcoe Macaulay (1792-1855), businessman, office holder, newspaperman, justice of the peace, militia officer, and politician
- Johnny McCauley – Irish singer/songwriter
- Ken McAuley, (1931–1992) Canadian, professional ice hockey player
- Kenneth Macaulay (colonialist) (1792–1829), colonial official in Sierra Leone
- Kenneth Macaulay (politician) (1815–1867), English politician
- Kyle Macaulay – Scottish professional footballer
- Lawrence MacAulay, Canadian politician
- Leon McCawley – British, a classical pianist
- Leopold Macaulay (1887–1979), Canadian politician
- Lincoln MacCauley Alexander (24th Lieutenant Governor of Ontario)
- Linda McAuley, radio presenter
- Marc Macaulay – American actor
- Marcus Xavier McCauley, Jr. – former American football cornerback
- Maria McAuley, (1847–1919), co-founder of the McAuley Water St Mission, in New York City
- Matthew McCauley – Canadian composer
- Michael Darragh MacAulay, Irish Gaelic Footballer
- Michael Macaulay – South African cricketer
- Michael McCally, M.D., Ph.D. – Nobel Prize Laureate
- Michael J. McCulley, Captain U.S.N., Ret. – NASA Astronaut
- Morton MacAuley, Canadian politician
- Neill W. Macaulay, Jr. (1935–2007), American writer, professor and Cuban revolutionary
- Park McCallie (Dr.) and Spencer McCallie (founders of McCallie Schoo,Chattanooga TN)
- Pat McAuley, (1921–1970), Scottish, footballer
- Paul J. McAuley – British, author
- Peter McCauley – New Zealand actor
- Reginald Macaulay (1858–1937), English footballer
- Robert Macaulay (1921-2010), Canadian politician
- Robertson Macaulay (1833–1915), Canadian insurance company executive
- Robie Macauley, (1919–1995), American, writer and editor
- Robin McAuley – Irish, musician
- Roisin McAuley, Irish, novelist
- Rosa Louise McCauley Parks, American, activist
- Rose Macaulay (Dame, DBE), English, author
- Sarah Jane Macaulay Brown – wife of former UK prime minister Gordon Brown
- Scott Macaulay – Producer
- Sean Macaulay – Screenwriter
- Sean McAuley – English, footballer
- Stephen McCauley, author
- Steve Macauley – English, professional footballer
- Sue Mccauley – Author, New Zealand
- Terry McAulay, American football official
- Thomas Babington MacAulay (Baron MacAulay)
- Thomas Bassett Macaulay
- Thomas McCawley (1881–1925) Australian, a judge
- Tony Macaulay – Author, Northern Ireland
- Tony Macaulay – Songwriter
- Tony McAuley – Irish, TV and radio director and producer
- Vince Macaulay – head coach and owner of British Basketball League franchise Milton Keynes Lions
- Wes_McCauley – NHL Referee
- William Macaulay (The Reverend)
- Willie John Macaulay (Mod Gold Medallist)
- Zachary Macaulay (abolitionist)