NameCensus.

UK surname

Mcmahon

Son of Mathghamhain, an Irish given name meaning "bear" or "cub."

In the 1881 census there were 4,001 people recorded with the Mcmahon surname, ranking it #1,130 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 12,437, ranked #528, up from #1,130 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to London parishes, Govan Combination and Edinburgh. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Keppochhill, Caerphilly and Cranhill, Lightburn and Queenslie South.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Mcmahon is 12,743 in 2010. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 210.8%.

1881 census count

4,001

Ranked #1,130

Modern count

12,437

2016, ranked #528

Peak year

2010

12,743 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Mcmahon had 4,001 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #1,130 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 12,437 in 2016, ranked #528.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 4,846 in 1901.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Established but Challenged.

Mcmahon surname distribution map

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

Distribution map

Mcmahon surname density by area, 1881 census.

Loading map
Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

Back to top

Mcmahon 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 1,207 #2,365
1861 historical 1,823 #1,588
1881 historical 4,001 #1,130
1891 historical 4,003 #1,196
1901 historical 4,846 #1,163
1911 historical 3,006 #1,732
1997 modern 11,204 #546
1998 modern 11,476 #555
1999 modern 11,759 #545
2000 modern 11,585 #550
2001 modern 11,389 #546
2002 modern 11,719 #540
2003 modern 11,481 #540
2004 modern 11,622 #538
2005 modern 11,618 #534
2006 modern 11,729 #532
2007 modern 12,010 #523
2008 modern 12,187 #515
2009 modern 12,472 #514
2010 modern 12,743 #513
2011 modern 12,509 #519
2012 modern 12,251 #522
2013 modern 12,473 #524
2014 modern 12,559 #523
2015 modern 12,481 #524
2016 modern 12,437 #528

Geography

Back to top

Where Mcmahons are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around London parishes, Govan Combination, Edinburgh, Dundee, Liff, Benvie and Invergowry and Manchester. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Keppochhill, Caerphilly, Cranhill, Lightburn and Queenslie South, Cardonald West and Central and Wigan. 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 3
2 Govan Combination Lanark
3 Edinburgh Edinburgh
4 Dundee, Liff, Benvie and Invergowry Forfar
5 Manchester Lancashire

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Keppochhill Glasgow City
2 Caerphilly 001 Caerphilly
3 Cranhill, Lightburn and Queenslie South Glasgow City
4 Cardonald West and Central Glasgow City
5 Wigan 004 Wigan

Forenames

Back to top

First names often paired with Mcmahon

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

Modern profile

Back to top

Neighbourhood profile for Mcmahon

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

Semi- and Un-Skilled Workforce

Group

Established but Challenged

Nationally, the Mcmahon surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Established but Challenged, within Semi- and Un-Skilled Workforce. This does not mean every Mcmahon household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

Many households in these neighbourhoods comprise separated or divorced single parents with dependent children. Residents are typically born in the UK, and these neighbourhoods have relatively few members of ethnic minorities. The prevalence of children, their parents and those at or above normal retirement age, suggests neighbourhood structures may be long-established. Levels of unpaid care are high, and long-term disability is more common than in the Supergroup as a whole. Use of the social rented sector is common, often in terraced houses. Levels of overcrowding are above the Supergroup average. Unemployment is high, while those in work are employed in elementary occupations such as caring, leisure and customer services. Many residents have low level qualifications. Neighbourhood concentrations of this Group are found in the South Wales Valleys, Belfast, Londonderry and the Central Lowlands of Scotland.

Wider pattern

Living in terraced or semi-detached houses, residents of these neighbourhoods typically lack high levels of education and work in elementary or routine service occupations. Unemployment is above average. Residents are predominantly born in the UK, and residents are also predominantly from ethnic minorities. Social (but not private sector) rented sector housing is common. This Supergroup is found throughout the UK’s conurbations and industrial regions but is also an integral part of smaller towns.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

The Greater London Mix

Group

Social Rented Sector Professional Support Workers

Within London, Mcmahon 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

Mcmahon 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

Mcmahon 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 Mcmahon 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 Mcmahon, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.

Meaning and origin of Mcmahon

The surname McMahon originated in Ireland and derived from the Gaelic 'Mac Mathghamhna', meaning 'son of the bear'. It is an ancient Irish name that can be traced back to the 10th century. The McMahon clan was prominent in County Down, particularly in the baronies of Iveagh and Kinalea.

The McMahons were a powerful family who ruled over territories in County Down and parts of County Armagh. They were among the most important septs of the Oireacht Ui Eathach, a powerful dynasty that dominated much of Ulster from the 11th to the 16th century. The McMahons were noted for their involvement in various conflicts and battles during this period.

One of the earliest recorded references to the name is found in the Annals of Ulster, which mentions a chieftain named Mathghamhain (McMahon) who died in 1022. The name also appears in the Annals of the Four Masters, a chronicle of medieval Irish history compiled in the early 17th century.

In the 14th century, the McMahons were involved in a long-standing feud with the Savages, another prominent family in County Down. This conflict is mentioned in several historical records, including the Patent Rolls of James I, which refer to the "McMahons and Savages" as the two principal septs of the region.

Notable individuals with the surname McMahon include:

1. Heber McMahon (1600-1650), an Irish bishop and author who played a significant role in the Confederate Wars of the 1640s. 2. Maurice McMahon (1719-1792), an Irish-American merchant and politician who served as a delegate to the Continental Congress. 3. Martin McMahon (1835-1906), an Irish-American lawyer and politician who served as a US Senator from Ohio. 4. Sir Brian McMahon (1909-1998), an Irish judge and politician who served as the Attorney General of Ireland. 5. Ed McMahon (1923-2009), an American comedian and television personality best known as the longtime host of the Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson.

The McMahon surname has been widespread throughout Ireland and has also been prominent in other countries with significant Irish diaspora populations, such as the United States, Canada, and Australia.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

Back to top

Mcmahon families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Mcmahon 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 185 Mcmahons recorded in 1881 and an index of 3.27x.

County Total Index
Lancashire 185 3.27x
Yorkshire 76 1.61x
Middlesex 37 0.78x
Durham 32 2.25x
Warwickshire 28 2.33x
Essex 21 2.23x
Hampshire 15 1.53x
Cheshire 14 1.33x
Staffordshire 13 0.81x
Dorset 11 3.51x
Sussex 11 1.37x
Gloucestershire 7 0.75x
Kent 7 0.43x
Flintshire 6 4.68x
Lanarkshire 6 0.39x
Cumberland 5 1.22x
Northumberland 4 0.56x
Surrey 3 0.13x
Buckinghamshire 2 0.69x
Cornwall 2 0.37x
Denbighshire 1 0.56x
Glamorgan 1 0.12x
Royal Navy 1 1.76x
Worcestershire 1 0.16x

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 49 Mcmahons recorded in 1881 and an index of 14.25x.

Place Total Index
Liverpool 49 14.25x
Toxteth Park 26 13.57x
West Derby 19 11.47x
Birmingham 18 4.49x
Everton 15 8.31x
Kirkdale 15 15.75x
Oldham 13 7.12x
Leeds 12 4.50x
Aston 10 3.02x
Batley 10 22.26x
Monkwearmouth 10 73.64x
Brighton 9 5.55x
Portland 8 47.53x
South Weald 8 99.26x
Walton On Hill 8 26.09x
Whitechapel London 8 17.01x
Wortley In Bramley 8 21.37x
Manchester 7 2.75x
West Ham 7 3.37x
Bishopwearmouth 6 4.93x
Blackrod 6 85.35x
Glasgow 6 2.19x
Portsea 6 3.13x
Saddleworth 6 16.46x
Aismunderby Cum 5 373.13x
Bradford 5 4.37x
Chiswick 5 19.19x
Clifford Cum Boston 5 117.65x
Flint 5 68.68x
Islington London 5 1.08x
St Luke London 5 6.54x
Witton Le Wear 5 124.38x
Cheltenham 4 5.54x
Darlaston 4 17.98x
Farnborough 4 38.95x
Poulton Cum Seacombe 4 33.03x
Preston 4 2.64x
Sheffield 4 2.66x
Stockton On Tees 4 5.85x
York St Denis In 4 193.24x
Birkenhead 3 3.57x
Bootle Cum Linacre 3 6.67x
Bowling 3 6.41x
Burton Upon Trent 3 7.96x
Great Bolton 3 4.00x
Hulme 3 2.54x
Richmond 3 9.21x
Salford 3 1.80x
Seaton 3 62.63x
Shipley 3 12.23x
Shoreditch London 3 1.45x
Stockport 3 5.54x
Stoke Upon Trent 3 1.76x
West Bromwich 3 3.25x
Wolviston 3 303.03x
Aldershot 2 6.11x
Boddington 2 298.51x
Carisbrooke 2 14.74x
Cerne Abbas 2 131.58x
Deptford St Paul 2 1.59x
Elswick 2 3.53x
Gorton 2 3.76x
Lamesley 2 26.18x
Leyland 2 20.30x
Liscard 2 10.54x
Liskeard 2 22.12x
Macclesfield 2 4.27x
Middlesbrough 2 3.25x
Morley 2 8.14x
Normanby In 2 15.82x
Old Artillery Ground 2 48.66x
Poplar London 2 2.22x
St Marylebone London 2 0.79x
Stanley Cum Wrenthorpe 2 9.11x
Wanstead 2 12.13x
Dewsbury 1 2.06x
Dover Castle 1 84.75x
Icklesham 1 70.42x
Merthyr Tydfil 1 1.25x
Stanhope 1 6.83x

Top female names

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

Name Count
Mary 54
Margaret 22
Bridget 16
Catherine 14
Elizabeth 14
Ann 12
Jane 11
Ellen 10
Sarah 9
Annie 8
Anne 5
Hannah 4
Rose 4
Agnes 3
Eliza 3
Dorethea 2
Emma 2
Kate 2
Maria 2
Martha 2
May 2
C. 1
Caroline 1
Cath 1
Cathrine 1
Charlotte 1
Christia 1
Daisey 1
Daisy 1
Eldred 1
Elisabeth 1
Emily 1
Ethel 1
Eugene 1
Fanny 1
Florence 1
Frances 1
Harriet 1
Helen 1
Isabella 1
Jeanie 1
Johanna 1
Juliet 1
Katie 1
Lizzie 1
Louisa 1
Louise 1
Margrett 1
Margt. 1
Winifred 1

Top male names

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

Name Count
John 55
James 28
Michael 17
Thomas 15
Patrick 14
Edward 10
William 9
Bernard 7
Joseph 7
Peter 6
Henry 5
Martin 5
Frank 4
Hugh 4
Jno. 4
Arthur 3
Francis 3
Jas. 3
Andrew 2
Charles 2
Donal 2
George 2
Lawrence 2
Robert 2
Samuel 2
Wm. 2
Alex 1
Bartholomew 1
Beresford 1
Daniel 1
Dennis 1
Ed. 1
Elizah 1
Fredk.Thos. 1
Gerald 1
Jesse 1
Laurence 1
Mathew 1
Norman 1
Owen 1
Pat. 1
Philip 1
Rob. 1
Robt.T.G. 1
Simon 1
Stephen 1
Thos 1
Thos. 1
Timothy 1
Vincent 1

FAQ

Mcmahon surname: questions and answers

How common was the Mcmahon surname in 1881?

In 1881, 4,001 people were recorded with the Mcmahon surname. That placed it at #1,130 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Mcmahon surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 12,437 in 2016. That gives Mcmahon a modern rank of #528.

What does the Mcmahon surname mean?

Son of Mathghamhain, an Irish given name meaning "bear" or "cub."

What does the Mcmahon map show?

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