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

McMahon, 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 McMahon surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of McMahon in America

McMahon is the 883rd most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The McMahon surname appeared 39,411 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 13 people would have the surname McMahon.

We can also compare 2010 data for McMahon 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 McMahon

The surname McMahon originated in Ireland and derived from the Gaelic 'Mac Mathghamhna', meaning 'son of the bear'. It is an ancient Irish name that can be traced back to the 10th century. The McMahon clan was prominent in County Down, particularly in the baronies of Iveagh and Kinalea.

The McMahons were a powerful family who ruled over territories in County Down and parts of County Armagh. They were among the most important septs of the Oireacht Ui Eathach, a powerful dynasty that dominated much of Ulster from the 11th to the 16th century. The McMahons were noted for their involvement in various conflicts and battles during this period.

One of the earliest recorded references to the name is found in the Annals of Ulster, which mentions a chieftain named Mathghamhain (McMahon) who died in 1022. The name also appears in the Annals of the Four Masters, a chronicle of medieval Irish history compiled in the early 17th century.

In the 14th century, the McMahons were involved in a long-standing feud with the Savages, another prominent family in County Down. This conflict is mentioned in several historical records, including the Patent Rolls of James I, which refer to the "McMahons and Savages" as the two principal septs of the region.

Notable individuals with the surname McMahon include:

1. Heber McMahon (1600-1650), an Irish bishop and author who played a significant role in the Confederate Wars of the 1640s.
2. Maurice McMahon (1719-1792), an Irish-American merchant and politician who served as a delegate to the Continental Congress.
3. Martin McMahon (1835-1906), an Irish-American lawyer and politician who served as a US Senator from Ohio.
4. Sir Brian McMahon (1909-1998), an Irish judge and politician who served as the Attorney General of Ireland.
5. Ed McMahon (1923-2009), an American comedian and television personality best known as the longtime host of the Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson.

The McMahon surname has been widespread throughout Ireland and has also been prominent in other countries with significant Irish diaspora populations, such as the United States, Canada, and Australia.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name McMahon

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

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

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

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