NameCensus.

UK surname

Mahony

Anglicized form of the Irish surname "Ó Mathghamhna," meaning "descendant of Mathghamhain," derived from "math" (bear) and "gamhain" (calf).

In the 1881 census there were 682 people recorded with the Mahony surname, ranking it #5,288 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 863, ranked #6,496, down from #5,288 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to London parishes, St Mary Whitechapel and St Giles-in-the-Fields. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Hambleton, Wirral and South Northamptonshire.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Mahony is 1,141 in 1851. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 26.5%.

1881 census count

682

Ranked #5,288

Modern count

863

2016, ranked #6,496

Peak year

1851

1,141 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Mahony had 682 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #5,288 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 863 in 2016, ranked #6,496.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 1,141 in 1851.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Diverse Educated Urban Singles.

Mahony surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Mahony surname density by area, 1881 census.

Loading map
Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Mahony 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 1,141 #2,469
1861 historical 799 #3,436
1881 historical 682 #5,288
1891 historical 714 #5,514
1901 historical 731 #6,055
1911 historical 882 #5,048
1997 modern 838 #6,306
1998 modern 888 #6,222
1999 modern 889 #6,268
2000 modern 910 #6,127
2001 modern 885 #6,151
2002 modern 899 #6,203
2003 modern 894 #6,119
2004 modern 901 #6,084
2005 modern 878 #6,134
2006 modern 882 #6,127
2007 modern 867 #6,278
2008 modern 848 #6,439
2009 modern 887 #6,335
2010 modern 913 #6,325
2011 modern 903 #6,310
2012 modern 856 #6,497
2013 modern 882 #6,445
2014 modern 877 #6,497
2015 modern 875 #6,449
2016 modern 863 #6,496

Geography

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Where Mahonys are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around London parishes, St Mary Whitechapel, St Giles-in-the-Fields and All Saints Poplar. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Hambleton, Wirral, South Northamptonshire, Brent and Manchester. 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 London parishes London 1
2 St Mary Whitechapel London (East Districts)
3 London parishes London 3
4 St Giles-in-the-Fields London (Central Districts)
5 All Saints Poplar London (East Districts)

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Hambleton 010 Hambleton
2 Wirral 040 Wirral
3 South Northamptonshire 007 South Northamptonshire
4 Brent 010 Brent
5 Manchester 052 Manchester

Forenames

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First names often paired with Mahony

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

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Mahony

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

Multicultural and Educated Urbanites

Group

Diverse Educated Urban Singles

Nationally, the Mahony surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Diverse Educated Urban Singles, within Multicultural and Educated Urbanites. This does not mean every Mahony 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 includes many never-married individuals not living with dependent children. Many were born in EU countries and are now aged between 25-44. This Group is characterised by its ethnic group diversity, although those identifying as Asian are not well represented. Affiliation with the Christian religion amongst residents is low. Reported disability rates are low. Neighbourhoods include some central locations in London and other major cities. Private renting is the norm, and there is some overcrowding. Many individuals are educated to degree level, and full-time employment is common, particularly in managerial and professional occupations.

Wider pattern

Established populations comprising ethnic minorities together with persons born outside the UK predominate in this Supergroup. Residents present diverse personal characteristics and circumstances: while generally well-educated and practising skilled occupations, some residents live in overcrowded rental sector housing. English may not be the main language used by people in this Group. Although the typical adult resident is middle aged, single person households are common and marriage rates are low by national standards. This Supergroup predominates in Inner London, with smaller enclaves in many other densely populated metropolitan areas.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

The Greater London Mix

Group

Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers

Within London, Mahony is most associated with areas classed as Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers, part of The Greater London Mix. 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

Mainly located in Inner London, these neighbourhoods retain a diverse employment structure, with some concentration in associated professional and technical occupations rather than skilled trades or construction. Social renting is more common and levels of homeownership are low. Many residents identify as Black. There is a lower than average rate of marriage or civil partnership, few that are very old (85 or over) and higher than average incidence of disability.

Wider London pattern

A Supergroup embodying London's diversity in many respects, apart from low numbers of residents identifying as of Bangladeshi, Indian, Pakistani or Other (non-Chinese) Asian ethnicity. There is lower than average prevalence of families with dependent children, while there are above average occurrences of never-married individuals and single-person households. The age distribution is skewed towards younger, single residents and couples without children, with many individuals identifying as of mixed or multiple ethnicity. Social rented or private rented housing is slightly more prevalent than average, and many residents live in flats. Individuals typically work in professional and associated roles in public administration, education or health rather than in elementary occupations in agriculture, energy, water, construction or manufacturing. Incidence of students is slightly below average. Individuals declaring no religion are more prevalent than average and non-use of English at home is below average.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Mahony 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

Mahony falls in decile 7 for neighbourhood deprivation. This puts the surname near the middle of the scale.

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

7
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Mahony is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of 30-40 mbit/s.

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

6
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - Irish

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

Meaning and origin of Mahony

The surname MAHONY is an anglicized version of the Irish name Ó Mathghamhna, which originated in County Cork, Ireland. The name derives from the old Irish word "mathghamhan," meaning "bear-calf" or "descendant of the bear."

In its earliest forms, the name was spelled Ó Mathghamhna or Ó Mahúna, reflecting the pronunciation of the Irish language. As the name spread to English-speaking areas, it evolved into various spellings such as Mahony, Mahoney, and Mahon.

One of the earliest recorded references to the name can be found in the Annals of Inisfallen, an Irish chronicle dating back to the 12th century. The annals mention a member of the Ó Mathghamhna family as early as 1135 AD.

The name MAHONY has been associated with several notable individuals throughout history. One of the most prominent was Daniel Mahony (1650-1714), an Irish Jacobite and soldier who served in the armies of James II and later fought in the War of the Spanish Succession.

Another notable figure was Francis Sylvester Mahony (1804-1866), an Irish writer and journalist who wrote under the pen name "Father Prout." He is best known for his work "The Reliques of Father Prout," which satirized various literary and political figures of the time.

In the 19th century, Charles Mahony (1800-1891) was an Irish-born Australian politician and explorer. He played a significant role in the exploration and settlement of the Australian state of Victoria and served as the first Speaker of the Legislative Council of Victoria.

The name MAHONY has also been associated with religious figures, such as Michael Mahony (1824-1892), an Irish-born Catholic priest who served as the first Bishop of Armidale in Australia, and John Mahony (1785-1866), an Irish Roman Catholic bishop who served as the Bishop of Kilmore and Ardagh in Ireland.

Additionally, the name has been linked to various place names in Ireland, such as Mahonbrook, a townland in County Cork, and Mahon Falls, a waterfall located near the town of Killarney, also in County Cork.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Mahony families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Mahony 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. Middlesex leads with 145 Mahonys recorded in 1881 and an index of 2.18x.

County Total Index
Middlesex 145 2.18x
Lancashire 114 1.45x
Surrey 99 3.06x
Yorkshire 68 1.03x
Glamorgan 54 4.67x
Kent 28 1.24x
Essex 23 1.75x
Devon 22 1.59x
Warwickshire 16 0.96x
Somerset 14 1.31x
Lanarkshire 13 0.61x
Durham 11 0.56x
Monmouthshire 11 2.29x
Pembrokeshire 9 4.26x
Caernarfonshire 8 2.98x
Cheshire 8 0.55x
Buckinghamshire 6 1.49x
Brecknockshire 5 3.76x
Staffordshire 5 0.22x
Cumberland 4 0.70x
Sussex 4 0.36x
Gloucestershire 3 0.23x
Carmarthenshire 2 0.71x
Channel Islands 2 1.02x
Hampshire 2 0.15x
Wigtownshire 2 2.27x
Wiltshire 2 0.34x
Derbyshire 1 0.10x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Bermondsey in Surrey leads with 25 Mahonys recorded in 1881 and an index of 12.64x.

Place Total Index
Bermondsey 25 12.64x
Southwark St George Martyr 23 17.21x
Liverpool 20 4.18x
Bradford 19 11.92x
Camberwell 18 4.24x
Everton 17 6.77x
St Marylebone London 16 4.51x
West Ham 16 5.53x
Poplar London 13 10.37x
Chelsea London 11 5.50x
Lambeth 11 1.90x
Stoke Damerel 11 11.37x
Birmingham 10 1.79x
Rotherhithe 10 12.18x
St Giles In Fields 10 43.65x
Swansea Town 10 10.55x
Greenwich 9 8.51x
Pembroke St Mary 9 33.10x
Plymouth St Andrew 9 8.45x
Preston 9 4.27x
Sheffield 9 4.29x
St Andrew Holborn 9 39.96x
Stockton On Tees 9 9.45x
Chiselborough 8 975.61x
Llanllechid 8 42.37x
Minster In Sheppey 8 21.30x
Southwark St John 8 39.37x
St George Bloomsbury 8 20.99x
St Luke London 8 7.51x
Barony 7 1.29x
Bethnal Green London 7 2.43x
Cardiff St Mary 7 10.99x
Ecclesall Bierlow 7 5.23x
Great Lever 7 83.73x
Halifax 7 7.24x
Kirkdale 7 5.28x
Linthorpe 7 17.82x
Neath 7 29.75x
Penarth 7 61.95x
Roath 7 13.32x
Westminster St John 7 8.65x
Wigan 7 6.36x
Bedwellty 6 7.08x
Chorlton On Medlock 6 4.79x
Fulham London 6 6.23x
Leyton Low 6 22.51x
Merthyr Tydfil 6 5.40x
Old Monkland 6 7.04x
Toxteth Park 6 2.25x
Widnes 6 10.55x
Wolverton 6 72.20x
Aston 5 1.08x
Birkenhead 5 4.28x
Bromley London 5 3.42x
Clerkenwell London 5 3.19x
Hulme 5 3.04x
Mile End Old Town 5 4.77x
Oswaldtwistle 5 17.95x
Arlecdon 4 26.30x
Bath St Michael 4 74.07x
Bootle Cum Linacre 4 6.39x
Heap 4 9.57x
Heckmondwike 4 18.89x
Kensington London 4 1.08x
Leeds 4 1.08x
Llanelly 4 25.17x
St Anne Soho London 4 10.54x
Westham 4 175.44x
Aberystruth 3 7.09x
Bury 3 3.33x
Cardiff St John 3 7.94x
Hammersmith London 3 1.83x
Manchester 3 0.85x
Middlesbrough 3 3.50x
Newington 3 1.22x
St Pancras London 3 0.56x
Bristol St Paul In 2 5.76x
Deptford St Paul 2 1.14x
Paddington London 2 0.82x
St George In East 2 4.43x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 84
Ellen 36
Margaret 25
Catherine 20
Elizabeth 12
Ann 11
Bridget 11
Eliza 9
Hannah 9
Jane 8
Annie 7
Sarah 7
Julia 6
Agnes 4
Frances 4
Johanna 4
Kate 4
Clara 3
Emily 3
Laura 3
Nora 3
Winifred 3
Alice 2
Anna 2
Caroline 2
Cathrine 2
Charlotte 2
Fanny 2
Florence 2
Johannah 2
Katie 2
Maria 2
Martha 2
May 2
Norah 2
Adelaide 1
Angelina 1
Beatrice 1
Betrice 1
Blanche 1
Dorothy 1
Edith 1
Eleanor 1
Elizab. 1
Elizh. 1
Elizth. 1
Honorine 1
Joanna 1
Johana 1
Johann 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 74
William 27
James 23
Patrick 17
Thomas 12
Michael 9
Timothy 9
Daniel 8
Richard 8
Cornelius 7
Edward 7
Martin 7
Jeremiah 6
David 5
Denis 5
Dennis 5
Joseph 5
Arthur 4
Charles 4
Peter 3
Philip 3
Stephen 3
Alfred 2
Dan 2
Ernest 2
Florence 2
Francis 2
Harry 2
Henry 2
Jerry 2
Joshua 2
Michel 2
Nicholas 2
Saml. 2
Samuel 2
Wm. 2
Andrew 1
Cecil 1
Danl. 1
Eugene 1
Frederick 1
Fredrick 1
George 1
Harold 1
Larance 1
Mathew 1
Maurice 1
Ml. 1
Nichlos 1
Oliver 1

FAQ

Mahony surname: questions and answers

How common was the Mahony surname in 1881?

In 1881, 682 people were recorded with the Mahony surname. That placed it at #5,288 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Mahony surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 863 in 2016. That gives Mahony a modern rank of #6,496.

What does the Mahony surname mean?

Anglicized form of the Irish surname "Ó Mathghamhna," meaning "descendant of Mathghamhain," derived from "math" (bear) and "gamhain" (calf).

What does the Mahony map show?

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