Find out how popular the last name Bohan is in the United States and learn more about the meaning, history, and race and ethnic origin of people in America who are named Bohan.

Bohan, like all of the last names we have data for, is identified by the U.S. Census Bureau as a surname which has more than 100 occurrences in the United States in the Decennial Census survey. The most recent statistics we have for the Bohan surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Bohan in America

Bohan is the 13057th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Bohan surname appeared 2,351 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 1 people would have the surname Bohan.

We can also compare 2010 data for Bohan to data from the previous census in 2000. The table below contains all of the statistics for both years in a side-by-side comparison.

The history of the last name Bohan

The surname BOHAN has its roots in Ireland, where it first appeared in the 8th century AD. It is derived from the Gaelic words "bo" meaning cow, and "bhan" meaning white, suggesting the name may have originally referred to someone who owned or tended white cattle.

Records indicate the name was particularly prevalent in County Fermanagh, where the Bohan clan settled and established themselves as landowners. The earliest known bearer of the name was Conall Bohan, a nobleman mentioned in the Annals of Ulster in the year 780.

During the medieval period, the name appears in various Irish manuscripts and legal documents. One notable example is the mention of Diarmaid Bohan in the 14th century Annals of Connacht, detailing his involvement in a local conflict.

The Bohan name also has ties to place names in Ireland, such as Bohanagh in County Galway, which likely means "the place of the Bohans." This suggests the name was once associated with specific territories held by the family.

Throughout history, there have been several notable individuals bearing the Bohan surname. One of the earliest was Eoghan Bohan, born in 1598, who served as a captain in the Irish Confederate Wars of the 1640s.

Another prominent figure was Michael Bohan (1640-1702), a Catholic priest who faced persecution during the Penal Laws but continued to minister in secret. His defiance earned him the nickname "The Hunted Priest."

In more recent times, James Bohan (1892-1972) was an Irish Republican Army volunteer who participated in the 1916 Easter Rising and later became a respected historian and author.

John Bohan (1928-2001) was a celebrated Irish sculptor whose works can be found in galleries and public spaces across Ireland and beyond.

Additionally, Mary Bohan (1934-2005) was a renowned Irish actress who graced stages in Ireland, Britain, and the United States, earning critical acclaim for her performances in both classic and contemporary plays.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Bohan

We also have some data on the ancestry of people with the surname Bohan.

The below race categories are the modified race categories used in the Census Bureau's population estimates program. All people were categorized into six mutually exclusive racial and Hispanic origin groups:

1. White only
2. Black only
3. American Indian and Alaskan Native only
4. Asian and Pacific Islander only
5. Hispanic
6. Two or More Races

For the most recent 2010 census data, the race/ethnic origin breakdown for Bohan was:

Note: Any fields showing (S) means the data was suppressed for privacy so that the data does not in any way identify any specific individuals.

Since we have data from the previous census in 2000, we can also compare the values to see how the popularity of Bohan has changed in the 10 years between the two census surveys.

Data source

The last name data and ethnic breakdown of last names is sourced directly from the Decennial Census survey, conducted every 10 years by the United States Census Bureau.

The history and meaning of the name Bohan was researched and written by our team of onomatology and genealogy experts.

If you have a correction or suggestion to improve the history of Bohan, please contact us.

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