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

Maughan, 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 Maughan surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Maughan in America

Maughan is the 9319th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Maughan surname appeared 3,494 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 Maughan.

We can also compare 2010 data for Maughan 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 Maughan

The surname Maughan originates from England, specifically from the northern counties of Yorkshire and Durham. It is believed to have derived from the Old English words "maw" and "gan," which together mean "descendant of the gull." This suggests that the name may have been given to someone who lived near the coast or in an area with a large gull population.

Records indicate that the name Maughan first appeared in the 13th century, with the earliest known reference being William Maugan, who was mentioned in the Yorkshire Feet of Fines in 1246. Other early spellings of the name include Mawghan, Maughan, and Maughen, reflecting the variations in pronunciation and spelling common during that time.

In the Domesday Book of 1086, a survey of landholdings commissioned by William the Conqueror, there are references to places with similar names, such as Maugham in Kent and Maughan in Yorkshire, suggesting a connection to the surname's origins.

One notable bearer of the name was John Maughan (c. 1592-1673), an English clergyman and author who served as the Rector of Bewcastle in Cumberland for over 50 years. Another was Thomas Maughan (1795-1871), a prominent British engineer and inventor who made significant contributions to the development of steam engines and railway technology.

In the United States, one of the earliest recorded Maughans was Robert Maughan, who arrived in Pennsylvania from Ireland in 1773. His descendant, Joseph Maughan (1828-1910), was a Mormon pioneer who helped establish settlements in Utah and Idaho.

Other individuals of note with the surname Maughan include:

1. William Maughan (1849-1935), an English cricketer who played first-class cricket for Yorkshire County Cricket Club.
2. David Maughan (born 1969), a Welsh former professional footballer who played as a midfielder for various clubs in England and Wales.
3. Clive Maughan (born 1950), a British musician and songwriter, best known as the lead vocalist and guitarist of the rock band Deaf School.
4. John Maughan (born 1951), an English former professional footballer and manager, who notably managed the Republic of Ireland national team from 1986 to 1988.

While the surname Maughan is not as common as some others, it has a rich history rooted in the northern counties of England, with bearers of the name making notable contributions in various fields throughout the centuries.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Maughan

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

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

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

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