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

Monahan, 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 Monahan surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Monahan in America

Monahan is the 2347th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Monahan surname appeared 15,533 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 5 people would have the surname Monahan.

We can also compare 2010 data for Monahan 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 Monahan

The surname Monahan is of Irish origin and is derived from the Gaelic words "O'Monachan," which translates to "descendant of the monk." This suggests that the name may have been originally bestowed upon someone who lived as a monk or had close ties to a monastery.

The earliest recorded instances of the Monahan surname can be traced back to the 16th century in County Monaghan, Ireland. This county is believed to be the place of origin for the name, as it shares a similar spelling. It's possible that the name evolved from a place name or a descriptive term referring to a geographical feature associated with a monastery or religious establishment.

During the medieval period, the Monahan name appeared in various Irish annals and manuscripts, although specific references are scarce due to the age and limited documentation from that era. One notable mention is found in the Annals of the Four Masters, a historical chronicle compiled in the early 17th century, which recorded events and genealogies of Irish families and clans.

In the 17th century, the Monahan surname gained prominence with the birth of Theobald Monahan (1615-1699), an Irish Catholic priest and philosopher who was a prominent figure in the Catholic Reformation movement. Another significant figure was John Monahan (1768-1835), an Irish-born American physician and politician who served in the U.S. House of Representatives for Pennsylvania.

Other notable individuals with the Monahan surname include:

1. Thomas Monahan (1828-1903), an Irish-born American businessman and co-founder of the Monahan Truck and Transfer Company in Chicago.
2. Cornelius Monahan (1860-1942), an Irish-born American prelate who served as the Bishop of Wilmington, Delaware, from 1925 to 1942.
3. Michael Monahan (1885-1964), an Irish-American labor leader and president of the Brotherhood of Railway Carmen of America.
4. James Monahan (1904-1995), an American film director and producer known for his work on television series like "Gunsmoke" and "The Rifleman."
5. Terry Monahan (born 1938), an American football player who played as a defensive back for the Chicago Bears in the National Football League.

While the Monahan surname has evolved over time, its roots can be traced back to Ireland, where it originated as a patronymic name associated with monasteries and religious orders. Despite its humble beginnings, the name has been carried by notable individuals in various fields throughout history.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Monahan

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

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

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

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