2000
#121,058
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 132
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.05
Very Rare Last name
Meahan
An Irish surname derived from O'Miadhachain, meaning a descendant of the son of Miadhach.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 116 Americans carry the last name Meahan. That puts it at #155,270 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.03 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 2,954,779 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Meahan surname. You will find the Census Bureau frequency data, a multi-census history view, an ancestry and ethnicity breakdown based on self-reported demographics, the name's meaning and origin where available, and answers to the most common questions people ask about this surname.
Bearers in the US
116
1 in 2,954,779
Census rank
#155,270
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.0
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
101
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 101 bearers of the surname Meahan in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.03 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 155270th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Meahan, the largest self-reported group is White at 89.1%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (6.9%) and Hispanic (4.0%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Meahan
The surname Meahan is of Irish origin and can be traced back to the 16th century. It is believed to have derived from the Gaelic surname "O'Meachair", which means "descendant of the hospitable one". The name was commonly found in County Kerry and County Cork in the southern region of Ireland.
One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Meahan can be found in the Fiants of the Tudor Sovereigns during the reign of Queen Elizabeth I in the late 16th century. The Fiants were records of official documents issued under the Great Seal of Ireland, and they mention several individuals with the surname Meahan or variations of the spelling.
In the 17th century, the name Meahan appeared in the Census of Ireland, which was conducted by Sir William Petty in 1659. This census provides valuable information about the distribution and prevalence of surnames in different parts of Ireland during that time period.
During the 18th century, the name Meahan was associated with several notable individuals. One such person was John Meahan (1706-1789), an Irish Catholic priest and scholar who wrote extensively on religious and philosophical topics. Another prominent figure was Patrick Meahan (1735-1812), a successful merchant and landowner in County Cork.
In the 19th century, the Meahan surname was found in various historical records, including birth, marriage, and death registers. One notable individual from this era was Michael Meahan (1847-1924), a successful businessman and philanthropist who made significant contributions to the development of education and healthcare in County Kerry.
Throughout history, there have been several variations of the spelling of the surname, including Meaghan, Meagher, and Mehan. Some of these variations may have originated from different regional dialects or transcription errors in historical records.
Other notable individuals with the surname Meahan include:
1. Patrick Meahan (1810-1892), an Irish-American journalist and author who wrote extensively on politics and social issues.
2. Catherine Meahan (1856-1932), an Irish-American educator and activist who played a significant role in promoting women's rights and education.
3. James Meahan (1878-1945), an Irish-American labor leader and politician who served as a member of the New York State Assembly.
4. Mary Meahan (1902-1987), an Irish-born artist and sculptor known for her works depicting traditional Irish life.
5. Thomas Meahan (1924-2003), an American author and journalist who wrote extensively on sports and popular culture.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Meahan
Among Census respondents with the surname Meahan, the largest self-reported group is White at 89.1%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (6.9%) and Hispanic (4.0%).
The bar chart below shows how Meahan bearers described their own race and ethnicity on the 2020 Census form. The Census Bureau groups responses into six broad categories: White, Black or African American, Hispanic or Latino, Asian and Pacific Islander, American Indian and Alaska Native, and Two or More Races. When a category has too few respondents for a given surname, the Bureau suppresses the figure to protect individual privacy, which is why some names show fewer than six slices.
Percentages are shown for every Census year so the breakdown stays comparable over time. When the source file also includes raw headcounts, Name Census shows those alongside the percentages in the legend.
Keep in mind that these are self-reported numbers. A person's surname does not determine their race or ethnicity, and the distribution you see here reflects the specific population who happened to carry the Meahan surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White89.1% · 90
- Two or more races6.9% · 7
- Hispanic or Latino4.0% · 4
Timeline
Historical Census data for Meahan
Meahan appears in 3 published Census surname files: 2000, 2010, 2020. The cards below show how the name's rank and bearer count changed across each release.
2010
#147,253
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 112
-20 bearers (-15.2%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Down 26,195 places
2020
#155,270
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 101
-11 bearers (-9.8%)
Per 100,000 0.03
Rank movement Down 8,017 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #121,058 | 132 | 0.05 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #147,253 | 112 | 0.04 | -20 bearers (-15.2%) | Down 26,195 places |
| 2020 | #155,270 | 101 | 0.03 | -11 bearers (-9.8%) | Down 8,017 places |
For 2020, the Census Bureau published race and Hispanic-origin columns as counts rather than percentages. Name Census converts those counts back into shares so the ancestry section stays comparable with the older surname files.
Year on year
2010 vs 2020 Census
How has the Meahan surname changed between Census years? The chart shows bearer count side by side, and the table compares rank, count, and frequency.
Census year comparison
20102020
| Metric | 2010 | 2020 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #147,253 | #155,270 | -5.4% |
| Count | 112 | 101 | -9.8% |
| Per 100K | 0.04 | 0.03 | -15.5% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Meahan bearers went from 112 to 101 (-9.8% change). The surname moved down 8,017 positions in the national ranking, going from #147,253 to #155,270.
FAQ
Meahan surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Meahan?
Name Census estimates that about 116 living Americans carry the surname Meahan. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 2,954,779 residents.
How common is Meahan?
Meahan ranks #155,270 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Very Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 0.03 per 100,000 residents, which is about 0 people out of every 100,000.
How many people with this surname were counted in the Census?
The raw 2020 Census file counted 101 people with the surname Meahan. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (116), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 0.03 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 0.03 per 100,000 means that if you picked a random group of 100,000 U.S. residents, you would expect about 0 of them to have the surname Meahan.
Has Meahan become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Meahan went from 112 recorded bearers to 101. That is a decrease of 11 (-9.8%). In the national ranking it fell from #147,253 to #155,270.
What does the Census say about the background of Meahan?
Among Census respondents with the surname Meahan, the largest self-reported group is White at 89.1%. The next largest groups are Two or More Races (6.9%) and Hispanic (4.0%). These figures come from the 2020 Census Bureau surname tables, based on how respondents described their own race and ethnicity.
Which group reports this surname most often?
White is the largest self-reported group for the surname Meahan in the 2020 Census, accounting for 89.1% (90 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Meahan appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (89.1%), Two or More Races (6.9%), Hispanic (4.0%). For 2020, the source file also published raw headcounts for each group, which is why this page can show both percentages and counts in the ancestry section.
Is this page using the latest Census data?
Yes. This page is using the latest surname file currently loaded on Name Census, which is 2020. The historical section above also keeps any older Census surname entries we have for Meahan (2000, 2010, 2020).
Does the Census include every surname?
No. The Census Bureau only publishes surnames that appeared at least 100 times in a given decennial Census. That means very rare surnames are excluded entirely, and a surname can appear in one Census release but disappear from a later one if it falls below the reporting threshold.
Why don't the ancestry percentages always add up to exactly 100%?
There are two main reasons: rounding and suppression. The Census Bureau rounds published values, and it may suppress very small cells to protect privacy. For 2020, the Bureau also published raw group counts rather than direct percentages, so Name Census converts those counts back into shares for comparability across census years.
What does Meahan mean?
An Irish surname derived from O'Miadhachain, meaning a descendant of the son of Miadhach. The fuller origin note on this page goes into more detail.
Where does the surname data come from?
All surname statistics on Name Census are drawn from the US Census Bureau's decennial surname frequency tables. These files list every surname that appeared 100 or more times in the 2020 Census, along with a count, a per-100,000 rate, and a self-reported demographic breakdown. You can read the full explanation on our methodology page.
How does Name Census estimate living bearers?
For surnames, Name Census does not age cohorts the way it does for first names. Instead, it takes the Census Bureau's published frequency for Meahan (0.03 per 100,000) and applies that rate to the current U.S. resident population to estimate how many living Americans have the surname today.
How many people share the surname Meahan?
For a faster, more casual read, check HowManyOfMe.org — our sister site built around that single question.