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

Mahaney, 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 Mahaney surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Mahaney in America

Mahaney is the 10806th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Mahaney surname appeared 2,949 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 Mahaney.

We can also compare 2010 data for Mahaney 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 Mahaney

The surname Mahaney is believed to have originated in Ireland, with roots dating back to the 17th century. It is thought to be an Anglicized version of the Irish Gaelic name "Ó Maoldhomhnaigh," which translates to "descendant of the servant of the Lord."

One of the earliest known records of the Mahaney name can be found in the Hearth Money Rolls of 1665, which was a tax imposed on households in Ireland. This document mentions several families bearing the name, primarily located in the counties of Tipperary and Kilkenny.

The name Mahaney is believed to have several spelling variations, including Mahoney, Mahony, and Mahoney. These variations likely arose due to the difficulties encountered by English officials in transcribing the Irish Gaelic name into English.

In the late 17th century, many Irish families, including those with the Mahaney surname, migrated to other parts of Europe and America, seeking better opportunities and escaping religious persecution. This diaspora contributed to the spread of the name across various regions.

One notable figure bearing the Mahaney surname was Sir John Mahaney (1723-1792), an Irish-born merchant and landowner who settled in the American colonies. He played a significant role in the development of trade and commerce in the Philadelphia area during the 18th century.

Another prominent Mahaney was Mary Mahaney (1846-1924), an Irish-American educator and activist. She was deeply involved in the labor movement and fought for the rights of working-class women and children in the late 19th and early 20th centuries.

In the realm of sports, Michael Mahaney (1894-1976), an American baseball player, made his mark as a pitcher in the Major League Baseball during the 1920s and 1930s. He played for several teams, including the Boston Red Sox and the New York Giants.

The literary world also saw a notable contribution from the Mahaney surname with the works of author and poet James Mahaney (1920-2005). He was known for his explorations of themes related to Irish-American identity and the immigrant experience.

In more recent times, Patrick Mahaney (1957-present) has gained recognition as a successful entrepreneur and business leader, having co-founded and served as the CEO of several technology companies in the United States.

While these are just a few examples, the Mahaney surname has a rich history dating back centuries, with its origins deeply rooted in Irish culture and tradition.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Mahaney

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

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

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

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