NameCensus.

UK surname

Mahon

An Irish surname derived from the Gaelic "Mathghamhain," meaning "bear."

In the 1881 census there were 1,326 people recorded with the Mahon surname, ranking it #3,097 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 3,469, ranked #1,956, up from #3,097 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Bury, London parishes and Manchester. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Bury and Stratford-on-Avon.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Mahon is 3,517 in 2014. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 161.6%.

1881 census count

1,326

Ranked #3,097

Modern count

3,469

2016, ranked #1,956

Peak year

2014

3,517 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Mahon had 1,326 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #3,097 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 3,469 in 2016, ranked #1,956.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 1,494 in 1901.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Challenged Communities.

Mahon surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Mahon surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Mahon 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 854 #3,185
1861 historical 941 #2,947
1881 historical 1,326 #3,097
1891 historical 1,265 #3,415
1901 historical 1,494 #3,433
1911 historical 1,346 #3,560
1997 modern 3,190 #2,016
1998 modern 3,299 #2,028
1999 modern 3,292 #2,058
2000 modern 3,304 #2,037
2001 modern 3,234 #2,038
2002 modern 3,344 #2,022
2003 modern 3,271 #2,022
2004 modern 3,269 #2,017
2005 modern 3,256 #2,001
2006 modern 3,291 #1,991
2007 modern 3,355 #1,963
2008 modern 3,340 #2,001
2009 modern 3,418 #1,999
2010 modern 3,514 #1,981
2011 modern 3,489 #1,963
2012 modern 3,453 #1,954
2013 modern 3,496 #1,962
2014 modern 3,517 #1,966
2015 modern 3,469 #1,967
2016 modern 3,469 #1,956

Geography

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Where Mahons are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Bury, London parishes, Manchester, Liverpool and Glasgow. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Bury and Stratford-on-Avon. 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 Bury Lancashire
2 London parishes London 3
3 Manchester Lancashire
4 Liverpool Lancashire
5 Glasgow Lanark

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Bury 007 Bury
2 Bury 004 Bury
3 Bury 008 Bury
4 Bury 009 Bury
5 Stratford-on-Avon 007 Stratford-on-Avon

Forenames

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First names often paired with Mahon

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Mahon

Modern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Mahon, 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

Baseline UK

Group

Challenged Communities

Nationally, the Mahon surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Challenged Communities, within Baseline UK. This does not mean every Mahon household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

Residents of these neighbourhoods typically live in households with dependent children, and there are fewer-than-average residents of normal retirement age or over. Identification with ethnic minorities, particularly Black, or Mixed or Multiple ethnicities is common. The rate of Christian religious affiliation is low. Housing predominantly consists of semi-detached houses, along with a significant number of terraced properties and flats. Overcrowded social housing is common, and private renting occurs at average UK levels. Those in employment work mainly in caring leisure and other services; process, plant and machine operation; or elementary occupations. Unemployment is high, and few individuals have degree level qualifications. Many of these neighbourhoods occur in commuter towns or less accessible areas of larger towns and cities.

Wider pattern

This Supergroup exemplifies the broad base to the UK’s social structure, encompassing as it does the average or modal levels of many neighbourhood characteristics, including all housing tenures, a range of levels of educational attainment and religious affiliations, and a variety of pre-retirement age structures. Yet, in combination, these mixes are each distinctive of the parts of the UK. Overall, terraced houses and flats are the most prevalent, as is employment in intermediate or low-skilled occupations. However, this Supergroup is also characterised by above average levels of unemployment and lower levels of use of English as the main language. Many neighbourhoods occur in south London and the UK’s other major urban centres.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Social Rented Sector Families with Children

Group

Social Rented Sector Pockets

Within London, Mahon is most associated with areas classed as Social Rented Sector Pockets, part of Social Rented Sector Families with Children. 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

Found in pockets across London, residents are less likely to live in private sector rentals and fewer adults are students. Fewer individuals work in transport and communications occupations relative to the Supergroup average. More individuals identify as Black and were born in Africa.

Wider London pattern

Residents of these neighbourhoods include sizable numbers identifying with ethnicities originating outside Europe, particularly in Africa or Bangladesh. The proportion of residents identifying as White, Indian or Pakistani is well below the London average. Neighbourhood age profiles are skewed towards younger adults, and above average numbers of families have children. Rates of use of English at home are below average. Marriage rates are low, and levels of separation or divorce are above average. Housing is predominantly in flats, and renting in the social rented sector the norm - few residents are owner occupiers. Housing is often overcrowded, and neighbourhoods are amongst the most densely populated in London. Disability rates are above average, although levels of unpaid care provision are about average. Employment is in caring, leisure, other service occupations, sales and customer service, or process, plant, and machine operation. Part time working and full-time student study are common. Levels of unemployment are slightly above average. Most residents have only Level 1 or 2 educational qualifications or have completed apprenticeships.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Mahon is most concentrated in decile 10 for access to healthy assets and hazards. This places the surname towards the healthier end of the index.

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

10
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Mahon 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 Mahon is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of 60-70 mbit/s.

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

9
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - Irish

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

Meaning and origin of Mahon

The surname Mahon has its origins in Ireland and is derived from the Irish Gaelic name "O'Mathghamhna," meaning "descendant of Mathghamhain." The clan name Mathghamhain is believed to have originated from the Old Irish personal name "Math-ghaimhin," which means "bear-calf" or "son of the bear."

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Mahon can be found in the Annals of the Four Masters, a chronicle of medieval Irish history, which mentions a chieftain named Mahon O'Brien who lived in the 12th century. The Mahon family was historically associated with County Cork in the province of Munster, where they held significant influence and power.

In the 16th century, the Mahon family played a prominent role during the Desmond Rebellions, a series of uprisings against English rule in Ireland. One notable figure was Sir William Mahon, who served as the Lord President of Munster and was instrumental in suppressing the rebellion led by James Fitzmaurice Fitzgerald, the cousin of the Earl of Desmond.

Another notable individual with the surname Mahon was Reverend Hugh Mahon, an Irish Catholic priest born in County Cork in 1857. He served as the President of St. Patrick's College in Maynooth and was known for his efforts in promoting Catholic education in Ireland.

The Mahon surname can also be found in various historical records, such as the Pipe Rolls of Cloyne, which date back to the 13th century and mention individuals with the name. Additionally, the name appears in the Fiants of the Tudor Sovereigns, a collection of letters patent issued by the English monarchy during the Tudor period.

Throughout history, several prominent figures have borne the surname Mahon, including:

1. Andrew Mahon (1752-1817), an Irish-American merchant and politician who served in the Pennsylvania General Assembly. 2. Lord Hartington Mahon (1805-1875), an Irish politician and writer who served as the Member of Parliament for Roscommon and later as the Secretary of State for Ireland. 3. James Mahon (1837-1891), an Irish-born Australian politician who served as a member of the Legislative Assembly of Victoria. 4. William Mahon (1849-1920), an Irish-born Australian politician and journalist who served as the Premier of Western Australia from 1901 to 1904. 5. Andrew Mahon (1882-1952), an Irish Catholic priest and writer who served as the President of St. Patrick's College in Maynooth.

While the Mahon surname has its roots in Ireland, it has since spread to various parts of the world due to Irish emigration and has become a part of the cultural fabric in countries like the United States, Australia, and others.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Mahon families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Mahon 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 477 Mahons recorded in 1881 and an index of 3.10x.

County Total Index
Lancashire 477 3.10x
Yorkshire 172 1.34x
Cheshire 75 2.62x
Middlesex 74 0.57x
Lanarkshire 73 1.74x
Staffordshire 71 1.62x
Durham 31 0.80x
Surrey 31 0.49x
Derbyshire 30 1.48x
Kent 27 0.61x
Northumberland 25 1.30x
Hampshire 17 0.64x
Somerset 16 0.77x
Renfrewshire 15 1.49x
Devon 14 0.52x
Gloucestershire 13 0.51x
West Lothian 13 6.66x
Dunbartonshire 12 3.45x
Hertfordshire 11 1.23x
Essex 10 0.39x
Sussex 10 0.46x
Angus 8 0.67x
Denbighshire 8 1.63x
Shropshire 8 0.71x
Westmorland 8 2.81x
Anglesey 7 3.05x
Bedfordshire 6 0.89x
Leicestershire 6 0.42x
Royal Navy 6 3.89x
Warwickshire 6 0.18x
Berkshire 5 0.51x
Midlothian 5 0.29x
Nottinghamshire 5 0.29x
Selkirkshire 5 4.27x
Wiltshire 4 0.35x
Fife 3 0.39x
Norfolk 3 0.15x
Worcestershire 3 0.18x
East Lothian 2 1.17x
Flintshire 2 0.57x
Suffolk 2 0.13x
Cambridgeshire 1 0.12x
Channel Islands 1 0.26x
Cumberland 1 0.09x
Northamptonshire 1 0.08x
Oxfordshire 1 0.13x
Ross-shire 1 0.28x
Roxburghshire 1 0.43x
Stirlingshire 1 0.21x
Wigtownshire 1 0.58x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Liverpool in Lancashire leads with 62 Mahons recorded in 1881 and an index of 6.64x.

Place Total Index
Liverpool 62 6.64x
Manchester 40 5.79x
Glasgow 34 4.57x
Bury 30 17.08x
Bowling 25 19.66x
Salford 23 5.09x
Heap 22 26.98x
Stoke Upon Trent 22 4.74x
Dukinfield 21 15.89x
Camberwell 20 2.42x
Everton 20 4.08x
West Derby 20 4.45x
Great Bolton 18 8.84x
Ince In Makerfield 17 23.77x
Warrington 16 8.78x
Leeds 15 2.07x
Birkenhead 14 6.14x
St Marylebone London 14 2.02x
Toxteth Park 14 2.69x
Holy Trinity 13 4.21x
Oldham 13 2.62x
Uphall 13 60.61x
Huddersfield 12 6.42x
Wolstanton 12 9.04x
Ashton Under Lyne 11 3.27x
Bishopwearmouth 11 3.33x
Doncaster 11 11.73x
Leigh On Mendip 11 539.22x
Lower Booths 11 39.94x
Ardwick 10 7.21x
Bradford 10 3.22x
Brighton 10 2.27x
Cheltenham 10 5.10x
Derby All Sts 10 59.03x
East Greenock 10 10.55x
Govan 10 0.97x
Kinderton Cum Hulme 10 416.67x
St George Hanover 10 5.91x
Walsall Foreign 10 4.43x
Wigan 10 4.66x
Attercliffe Cum Darnall 9 7.53x
Clayton Le Moors 9 30.17x
Stafford St Mary 9 14.54x
Aldershot 8 8.99x
Derby St Michael 8 187.79x
Middlesbrough 8 4.79x
Newcastle On Tyne All Sts 8 6.95x
Old Monkland 8 4.81x
Shettleston 8 21.33x
St Botolph Aldgate 8 45.25x
Tyldesley Cum Shakerley 8 18.08x
Wakefield 8 8.12x
Wrexham Regis 8 22.01x
Canterbury St Peter 7 140.56x
Crowton 7 341.46x
Dundee 7 1.56x
Hackney London 7 0.96x
Halifax 7 3.71x
Holme 7 202.90x
Holyhead 7 16.35x
Kirkdale 7 2.71x
New Monkland 7 5.65x
Newton 7 5.91x
Old Kilpatrick 7 17.02x
Plumstead 7 4.75x
Rothwell 7 27.00x
West Ham 7 1.24x
Burslem 6 4.79x
Dewsbury 6 4.56x
Farnworth 6 6.51x
Findern 6 333.33x
Middlewich 6 102.04x
Northowram 6 6.67x
Royal Navy 6 4.55x
Sheffield 6 1.47x
St Sepulchre London 6 31.63x
Tweedmouth 6 24.97x
Usworth 6 29.33x
Watford 6 8.67x
Widnes 6 5.41x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 123
Catherine 41
Margaret 38
Ann 34
Sarah 26
Bridget 25
Ellen 25
Jane 25
Elizabeth 21
Annie 17
Anne 10
Kate 10
Hannah 8
Maria 8
Eliza 7
Emily 7
Rose 7
Charlotte 6
Edith 6
Harriet 6
Caroline 5
Emma 5
Isabella 5
Susan 5
Alice 4
Louisa 4
Martha 4
Agnes 3
Cathrine 3
Clara 3
Eleanor 3
Frances 3
Julia 3
Ethel 2
Honor 2
Katherine 2
Kathleen 2
Lizzie 2
Lucy 2
Margret 2
Margt. 2
Marian 2
Maud 2
Nellie 2
Nora 2
Rosalie 2
Theresa 2
Dora 1
Dorothea 1
Winifrid 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 112
Thomas 66
James 63
William 45
Patrick 40
Michael 28
Joseph 17
George 15
Edward 13
Peter 13
Francis 10
Henry 9
Martin 9
Charles 7
Owen 7
Robert 7
Thos. 7
Richard 6
Arthur 5
Daniel 5
Frank 5
Hugh 5
Alexander 4
Dennis 4
Alfred 3
Bernard 3
David 3
Frederick 3
Matthew 3
Wm. 3
Abraham 2
Herbert 2
Luke 2
Maurice 2
Michal 2
Ross 2
Stephen 2
Willm. 2
Albert 1
Andrew 1
Bertie 1
Brien 1
Brion 1
Cortlandt 1
Deven 1
Ed. 1
Edwd.E. 1
F.C. 1
Ian 1
Jas. 1

FAQ

Mahon surname: questions and answers

How common was the Mahon surname in 1881?

In 1881, 1,326 people were recorded with the Mahon surname. That placed it at #3,097 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Mahon surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 3,469 in 2016. That gives Mahon a modern rank of #1,956.

What does the Mahon surname mean?

An Irish surname derived from the Gaelic "Mathghamhain," meaning "bear."

What does the Mahon map show?

The map shows local surname concentration for the selected year. Darker areas have a stronger concentration of Mahon 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.