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

Mahon, 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 Mahon surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Mahon in America

Mahon is the 3749th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Mahon surname appeared 9,441 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 3 people would have the surname Mahon.

We can also compare 2010 data for Mahon 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 Mahon

The surname Mahon has its origins in Ireland and is derived from the Irish Gaelic name "O'Mathghamhna," meaning "descendant of Mathghamhain." The clan name Mathghamhain is believed to have originated from the Old Irish personal name "Math-ghaimhin," which means "bear-calf" or "son of the bear."

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Mahon can be found in the Annals of the Four Masters, a chronicle of medieval Irish history, which mentions a chieftain named Mahon O'Brien who lived in the 12th century. The Mahon family was historically associated with County Cork in the province of Munster, where they held significant influence and power.

In the 16th century, the Mahon family played a prominent role during the Desmond Rebellions, a series of uprisings against English rule in Ireland. One notable figure was Sir William Mahon, who served as the Lord President of Munster and was instrumental in suppressing the rebellion led by James Fitzmaurice Fitzgerald, the cousin of the Earl of Desmond.

Another notable individual with the surname Mahon was Reverend Hugh Mahon, an Irish Catholic priest born in County Cork in 1857. He served as the President of St. Patrick's College in Maynooth and was known for his efforts in promoting Catholic education in Ireland.

The Mahon surname can also be found in various historical records, such as the Pipe Rolls of Cloyne, which date back to the 13th century and mention individuals with the name. Additionally, the name appears in the Fiants of the Tudor Sovereigns, a collection of letters patent issued by the English monarchy during the Tudor period.

Throughout history, several prominent figures have borne the surname Mahon, including:

1. Andrew Mahon (1752-1817), an Irish-American merchant and politician who served in the Pennsylvania General Assembly.
2. Lord Hartington Mahon (1805-1875), an Irish politician and writer who served as the Member of Parliament for Roscommon and later as the Secretary of State for Ireland.
3. James Mahon (1837-1891), an Irish-born Australian politician who served as a member of the Legislative Assembly of Victoria.
4. William Mahon (1849-1920), an Irish-born Australian politician and journalist who served as the Premier of Western Australia from 1901 to 1904.
5. Andrew Mahon (1882-1952), an Irish Catholic priest and writer who served as the President of St. Patrick's College in Maynooth.

While the Mahon surname has its roots in Ireland, it has since spread to various parts of the world due to Irish emigration and has become a part of the cultural fabric in countries like the United States, Australia, and others.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Mahon

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

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

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

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