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

Bohanan, 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 Bohanan surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Bohanan in America

Bohanan is the 14191st most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Bohanan surname appeared 2,116 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 Bohanan.

We can also compare 2010 data for Bohanan 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 Bohanan

The surname Bohanan originated in Ireland, likely emerging during the Middle Ages between the 5th and 15th centuries. It is believed to have derived from the Old Irish "Ó Bánáin," which translates to "descendant of Bánán," a personal name meaning "white" or "fair-haired."

Bohanan is a variant spelling of the more common Irish surname Bannon or Banon, which dates back to the 12th century. In early records, the name was often written as "O'Bannon" or "O'Bannan," reflecting its Irish patronymic origins.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name can be found in the Annals of Ulster, a chronicle of medieval Irish history compiled by monks in the 15th century. The entry from 1435 mentions a "Domhnall O'Bánáin," likely a chieftain or prominent figure from that era.

In the 16th century, the Bohanan family was well-established in County Fermanagh, Ulster province, where they held lands and positions of influence. Notable individuals from this period include Fearghal O'Bannon (c. 1520-1590), a poet and historian renowned for his works on Irish genealogy and mythology.

As the name spread throughout Ireland, it underwent various spelling variations, including Bohannon, Bohanon, Bohenon, and Bohannan. One notable bearer was Patrick Bohanan (1683-1758), a Catholic priest and educator from County Cavan who founded several schools during the Penal Laws era.

In the 18th and 19th centuries, many individuals with the Bohanan surname emigrated from Ireland to North America, often anglicizing the spelling to Bohannon or Bohanon. Among them was John Bohanan (1792-1878), an early settler in Kentucky who served as a militia captain during the War of 1812.

Another prominent figure was James Bohanan (1823-1897), a Scottish-born entrepreneur who made his fortune in the California gold rush and later became a successful banker and real estate developer in San Francisco.

As the name spread across the globe, it continued to evolve, with variations such as Bohannan, Bohanon, and Bohannen emerging in different regions. Despite these changes, the surname Bohanan remains firmly rooted in its Irish heritage, carrying the legacy of its ancient Gaelic origins.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Bohanan

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

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 Bohanan 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 Bohanan 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 Bohanan was researched and written by our team of onomatology and genealogy experts.

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

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