Morahan
An Anglicized form of the Irish surname Ó Moracháin, derived from a personal name meaning "mariner" or "sailor."
According to the 2010 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 411 Americans carry the last name Morahan. That puts it at #59,017 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.12 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 833,952 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Morahan surname. You will find the Census Bureau frequency data, 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
411
1 in 833,952
Census rank
#59,017
2010 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.1
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
343
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 343 bearers of the surname Morahan in its 2010 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.12 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 59017th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Morahan, the largest self-reported group is White at 96.5%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (2.0%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Morahan
The surname Morahan is of Irish origin, deriving from the Gaelic word "Ó Moracháin," which means "descendant of Morachán." Morachán was a personal name in Irish, derived from the Old Irish word "mor," meaning "great" or "large," combined with a diminutive suffix.
The Morahan name can be traced back to County Sligo in the northwestern region of Ireland, where it was particularly prevalent in the medieval period. It is believed that the name was first adopted by a family residing in the area known as Coolera (Cuil Ire) in County Sligo.
One of the earliest recorded references to the Morahan surname can be found in the Annals of the Four Masters, a chronicle of medieval Irish history compiled by Franciscan monks in the early 17th century. The annals mention a Morahan chieftain named Cormac O'Morahan, who was involved in conflicts with the O'Conors and the English in the late 13th century.
In the 16th century, during the Tudor conquest of Ireland, the Morahan family was among the Irish clans that resisted English rule. A notable figure from this period was Terence Morahan, who fought against the English forces in the Nine Years' War (1594-1603).
Another prominent individual with the Morahan surname was John Morahan (1645-1728), an Irish Catholic priest and historian who wrote a significant work titled "The Ecclesiastical History of Ireland." This book provided a detailed account of the Catholic Church in Ireland during the 17th century.
Other notable individuals with the Morahan surname include:
1. Michael Morahan (1770-1825), an Irish-born soldier who fought in the British Army during the Napoleonic Wars.
2. James Morahan (1803-1879), an Irish-born Australian politician and landowner who played a role in the development of the colony of Victoria.
3. John Morahan (1859-1932), an Irish-born American politician who served as the Mayor of Detroit, Michigan, from 1904 to 1908.
4. Thomas Morahan (1890-1966), an Irish-born American Catholic priest and educator who served as the president of the University of Dayton from 1937 to 1950.
5. Michael Morahan (born 1934), an Irish writer and journalist who authored several books on Irish history and culture.
The Morahan surname has also been associated with various place names in Ireland, such as Morahan's Lough and Morahan's Bridge, both located in County Sligo. These place names reflect the historical presence of the Morahan family in the region.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Morahan
Among Census respondents with the surname Morahan, the largest self-reported group is White at 96.5%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (2.0%).
The bar chart below shows how Morahan bearers described their own race and ethnicity on the 2010 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.
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 Morahan surname at the time of the 2010 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White96.5%
- Hispanic or Latino2.0%
- Unknown or suppressed1.5%
Year on year
2000 vs 2010 Census
How has the Morahan surname changed between Census years? The chart shows bearer count side by side, and the table compares rank, count, and frequency.
Census year comparison
| Metric | 2000 | 2010 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #60,887 | #59,017 | 3.1% |
| Count | 309 | 343 | 11.0% |
| Per 100K | 0.11 | 0.12 | 9.1% |
Between the 2000 and 2010 Census, the number of Morahan bearers went from 309 to 343 (+11.0% change). The surname moved up 1,870 positions in the national ranking, going from #60,887 to #59,017.
Notable bearers
Famous people with the surname Morahan
FAQ
Morahan surname: questions and answers
How common is the last name Morahan?
The surname Morahan holds position #59,017 in the US Census Bureau's surname ranking, with an estimated 411 living bearers. It occurs at a rate of 0.12 per 100,000 Americans.
What is the ethnic background of the Morahan surname?
Among Census respondents with the surname Morahan, the largest self-reported group is White at 96.5%. The next largest groups are Hispanic (2.0%). These figures come from the 2010 Census Bureau surname tables, based on how respondents described their own race and ethnicity.
Where does this surname data come from?
All surname statistics on Name Census are drawn from the US Census Bureau's decennial surname frequency tables. These tables list every surname that appeared 100 or more times in the 2010 Census, along with a frequency rate and self-reported demographic breakdown. You can read the full explanation on our methodology page.