NameCensus.

UK surname

Mahan

An Irish surname derived from the Gaelic "Ó Mathghamhna," meaning "descendant of Mathghamhain," a personal name meaning "bear."

In the 1881 census there were 101 people recorded with the Mahan surname, ranking it #19,636 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 205, ranked #19,250, up from #19,636 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Lenton, Radford, Papplewick, Nuthall, Greasley, Brewhouse Yard, Durham St Oswald and Manchester. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include County Durham, Lichfield and Sunderland.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Mahan is 216 in 2010. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 103.0%.

1881 census count

101

Ranked #19,636

Modern count

205

2016, ranked #19,250

Peak year

2010

216 bearers

Map years

6

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Mahan had 101 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #19,636 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 205 in 2016, ranked #19,250.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 126 in 1851.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Small Town Suburbia.

Mahan surname distribution map

The map shows where the Mahan surname is concentrated in each census or modern distribution year. Darker areas mean a stronger local concentration.

Distribution map

Mahan surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Mahan over time

The table below tracks recorded surname counts and rank from the 19th-century census years through the modern adult-register period.

Year Period Count Rank
1851 historical 126 #14,626
1861 historical 103 #20,650
1881 historical 101 #19,636
1891 historical 59 #29,325
1901 historical 94 #23,588
1911 historical 89 #23,922
1997 modern 142 #21,856
1998 modern 150 #21,665
1999 modern 161 #20,868
2000 modern 175 #19,764
2001 modern 167 #20,060
2002 modern 178 #19,671
2003 modern 182 #19,215
2004 modern 183 #19,251
2005 modern 186 #18,985
2006 modern 192 #18,753
2007 modern 194 #18,855
2008 modern 196 #18,895
2009 modern 210 #18,426
2010 modern 216 #18,492
2011 modern 215 #18,379
2012 modern 207 #18,777
2013 modern 210 #18,932
2014 modern 212 #18,945
2015 modern 204 #19,331
2016 modern 205 #19,250

Geography

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Where Mahans are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Lenton, Radford, Papplewick, Nuthall, Greasley, Brewhouse Yard, Durham St Oswald, Manchester, Greenock and Liverpool. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to County Durham, Lichfield, Sunderland and Melton. Treat these as concentration signals, not proof that every family line began there.

Some modern areas include a three-digit suffix, such as Leeds 110. The suffix is a small-area code, so it stays in the table while the prose uses the plain place name.

Top historical parishes

Rank Parish Area
1 Lenton, Radford, Papplewick, Nuthall, Greasley, Brewhouse Yard Nottinghamshire
2 Durham St Oswald Durham
3 Manchester Lancashire
4 Greenock Renfrew
5 Liverpool Lancashire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 County Durham 029 County Durham
2 County Durham 027 County Durham
3 Lichfield 011 Lichfield
4 Sunderland 023 Sunderland
5 Melton 002 Melton

Forenames

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First names often paired with Mahan

These lists show first names that appear often with the Mahan surname in historical and recent records.

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Mahan

Modern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Mahan, this points to the kinds of places where the surname is most concentrated today.

These neighbourhood labels describe areas, not individual people. They are useful because surnames often cluster through family history, migration, housing patterns and local work. A surname can be strongest in one type of neighbourhood even when people with that name live across the country.

The UK classification gives the national picture. The London classification is more specific to the capital, where housing, age profile, tenure and population mix can look quite different from the rest of the UK.

UK neighbourhood type

UK Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Retired Professionals

Group

Small Town Suburbia

Nationally, the Mahan surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Small Town Suburbia, within Retired Professionals. This does not mean every Mahan household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

This Group is predominantly comprised of married couples with no resident dependent children, living in areas characterised neither by under-occupancy nor overcrowding throughout the UK in or adjacent to small towns. White ethnic groups and affiliation with Christianity predominates. Housing tends to be predominantly semi-detached or detached and workers are employed principally in managerial and professional occupations, with semi-skilled occupations also in evidence. These areas of the Supergroup are of higher population density.

Wider pattern

Typically married but no longer with resident dependent children, these well-educated households either remain working in their managerial, professional, administrative or other skilled occupations, or are retired from them – the modal individual age is beyond normal retirement age. Underoccupied detached and semi-detached properties predominate, and unpaid care is more prevalent than reported disability. The prevalence of this Supergroup outside most urban conurbations indicates that rural lifestyles prevail, typically sustained by using two or more cars per household.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Older Residents in Owner-Occupied Suburbs

Group

Professional Periphery

Within London, Mahan is most associated with areas classed as Professional Periphery, part of Older Residents in Owner-Occupied Suburbs. This gives the surname a London-specific profile rather than forcing the capital into the same pattern as the rest of the country.

Read profile summary

Group profile

These neighbourhoods predominantly house residents aged 45+, with many aged 85+. Most employed residents work in senior roles, and relatively few work in unskilled jobs. Terraced housing is comparatively rare, but communal living is more common. More residents identify as of Indian ethnicity and more affiliate with non-Christian religions. Disability levels are below the Supergroup average.

Wider London pattern

The age distribution of these neighbourhoods is skewed towards the middle-aged and old, although few residents live alone or in communal establishments and numbers of dependent children are around average. Owner occupation is the norm, as is residence in detached or semi-detached houses. Residential densities are low and many households have spare rooms. Most residents were born in the UK and, aside from some identifying as members of Chinese or Indian ethnicities, identify as White. Mixed ethnicity households are rare. Incidence of married couples is higher than average and few individuals have never been married. A large proportion of individuals still in employment work in administrative and secretarial occupations, or in the construction industry. Few residents are students, and many households own more than one car.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Mahan is most concentrated in decile 4 for access to healthy assets and hazards. This places the surname near the middle of the scale.

Lower deciles point towards weaker access to healthy assets or stronger exposure to local hazards. Higher deciles point towards stronger access and fewer hazards.

4
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Mahan falls in decile 1 for neighbourhood deprivation. This puts the surname towards the more deprived end of the index.

Decile 1 represents the more deprived end of the scale. Decile 10 represents the less deprived end.

1
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Mahan is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of 25-30 mbit/s.

The scale below places that band in context, from slower local download bands through to faster ones.

5
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - Irish

This describes the area pattern most associated with Mahan, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.

Meaning and origin of Mahan

The surname Mahan has its origins in Ireland, where it first emerged in the 12th century. It is derived from the Irish Gaelic word "mathghamhain," meaning "bear." The name likely referred to someone with a bear-like appearance or demeanor.

Historically, the Mahan surname was concentrated in County Mayo, located in the northwestern part of Ireland. It is believed to have been an anglicized version of the Irish name "O'Madaghain," which was common in that region.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the Mahan surname can be found in the Annals of Ulster, a chronicle of medieval Irish history. The annals mention a certain "Maghnus O'Madaghain" in the year 1253, who was involved in a conflict with the O'Conors of Connacht.

In the 16th century, the Mahans were among the Irish families who were dispossessed of their lands during the Plantation of Ulster, a state-sponsored colonization of the northern Irish provinces by English and Scottish settlers. Many Mahans were forced to seek refuge in other parts of Ireland or emigrate to other countries.

Notable individuals bearing the Mahan surname throughout history include:

1. Dennis Hart Mahan (1802-1871), an American military officer and civil engineer who served as a professor at the United States Military Academy at West Point.

2. Alfred Thayer Mahan (1840-1914), a renowned American naval officer and historian whose works, such as "The Influence of Sea Power upon History," had a significant impact on naval strategy and maritime doctrine.

3. John Mahan (1624-1676), an English Puritan minister and writer who emigrated to New England and served as the first pastor of the church in Eastham, Massachusetts.

4. Asa Mahan (1799-1889), an American minister, educator, and philosopher who served as the president of Oberlin College in Ohio and was an early advocate for the abolition of slavery.

5. Milo Mahan (1899-1970), an American football player and coach who played for the Chicago Cardinals and later served as the head coach of the Buffalo Bills in the All-America Football Conference.

While the Mahan surname has evolved over time, with various spellings appearing in historical records, such as Mahon, Mahaun, and Mahoune, its roots can be traced back to the ancient Irish Gaelic language and the distinctive traditions of County Mayo.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Mahan families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Mahan surname. Use the location tables for concentration, then the name and occupation tables for the people behind the surname.

Top counties

Total is the county count. Frequency and index adjust for local population size, so they are better concentration signals. Lancashire leads with 30 Mahans recorded in 1881 and an index of 2.57x.

County Total Index
Lancashire 30 2.57x
Yorkshire 20 2.05x
Renfrewshire 9 11.79x
Middlesex 8 0.81x
Warwickshire 8 3.22x
Durham 6 2.05x
Kent 5 1.49x
Hampshire 4 1.98x
Cheshire 2 0.92x
Sussex 2 1.20x
Aberdeenshire 1 1.10x
Angus 1 1.10x
Derbyshire 1 0.65x
Dunbartonshire 1 3.78x
Gloucestershire 1 0.52x
Lanarkshire 1 0.31x
West Lothian 1 6.74x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Birmingham in Warwickshire leads with 8 Mahans recorded in 1881 and an index of 9.66x.

Place Total Index
Birmingham 8 9.66x
Blackburn 8 25.72x
West Greenock 8 58.39x
Warley 7 248.23x
Escomb 6 444.44x
Manchester 6 11.41x
Northowram 6 87.72x
Leeds 5 9.07x
Shoreditch London 5 11.71x
Liverpool 4 5.63x
Plumstead 4 35.71x
Warrington 4 28.86x
Westleigh 4 150.94x
Aldershot 2 29.59x
Bradford 2 8.46x
Millbrook 2 39.29x
Stoke Newington London 2 26.08x
Aberdeen St Nicholas 1 5.86x
Barrow In Furness 1 6.29x
Beswick 1 33.44x
Bristol St James In 1 35.21x
Cardross 1 31.45x
Chorlton On Medlock 1 5.39x
Derby All Sts 1 77.52x
Dukinfield 1 9.95x
Eastbourne 1 13.09x
Govan 1 1.27x
Lewes St John Southover 1 89.29x
Middle Greenock 1 48.08x
Paddington London 1 2.76x
Runcorn 1 19.96x
St Vigeans 1 20.28x
Uphall 1 61.35x
Woolwich 1 8.05x
Worsley 1 13.87x

Top female names

These are the female first names most often recorded with the Mahan surname in 1881. Names are not merged, so initials, variant spellings and transcription quirks can appear as separate rows.

Name Count
Mary 13
Ellen 4
Margaret 4
Bridget 3
Catherine 3
Sarah 3
Ada 1
Ann 1
Annie 1
Babara 1
Cathrine 1
Charlotte 1
Ellenar 1
Elsie 1
Flora 1
Hannah 1
Jane 1
Kate 1
Margret 1
Marion 1
Susan 1
Susanah 1
Winifred 1

Top male names

These are the male first names most often recorded with the Mahan surname in 1881. Names are not merged, so initials, variant spellings and transcription quirks can appear as separate rows.

Name Count
John 7
James 6
Thomas 6
Patrick 5
David 2
Michael 2
Anthony 1
Asa 1
Austin 1
Batley 1
Bejamin 1
Benjamin 1
Dennis 1
Edwin 1
Frederick 1
Mark 1
Micheal 1

FAQ

Mahan surname: questions and answers

How common was the Mahan surname in 1881?

In 1881, 101 people were recorded with the Mahan surname. That placed it at #19,636 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Mahan surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 205 in 2016. That gives Mahan a modern rank of #19,250.

What does the Mahan surname mean?

An Irish surname derived from the Gaelic "Ó Mathghamhna," meaning "descendant of Mathghamhain," a personal name meaning "bear."

What does the Mahan map show?

The map shows local surname concentration for the selected year. Darker areas have a stronger concentration of Mahan bearers relative to the surrounding population.

What records is this surname page based on?

The historical counts come from census surname records. The modern counts and neighbourhood summaries come from later surname distribution records. Counts are recorded bearers in those records, not a live estimate of everyone with the name today.