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Mcmahon Family History

Mcmahon Surname Meaning

Irish: Anglicized form of Gaelic Mac Mathghamhna, a patronymic from the byname Mathghamhain literally meaning ‘good calf’, a kenning for ‘bear’. This was the name of two (unrelated) chieftain families in counties Clare (Thomond) and Monaghan (the kingdom of Oriel). See also Mahon 1 and Mahoney.

In northern Ireland, it is sometimes Anglicized as Matthews since Matha was the Irish form of the Biblical name (see McMath).

In Scotland, Matheson was used to translate both of these surnames.

Source: Dictionary of American Family Names 2nd edition, 2022


Similar surnames: 

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Where is the Mcmahon family from?

You can see how Mcmahon families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Mcmahon family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1840 and 1920. The most Mcmahon families were found in USA in 1880. In 1891 there were 537 Mcmahon families living in Lancashire. This was about 44% of all the recorded Mcmahon's in United Kingdom. Lancashire had the highest population of Mcmahon families in 1891.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Mcmahon surname lived. Within census records, you can often find information like name of household members, ages, birthplaces, residences, and occupations.
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What did your Mcmahon ancestors do for a living?

In 1939, General Labourer and Unpaid Domestic Duties were the top reported jobs for men and women in the United Kingdom named Mcmahon. 23% of Mcmahon men worked as a General Labourer and 68% of Mcmahon women worked as an Unpaid Domestic Duties. Some less common occupations for Americans named Mcmahon were Incapacitated and Unpaid Domestic.

View Census Data for Mcmahon | Data not to scale

*We display top occupations by gender to maintain their historical accuracy during times when men and women often performed different jobs.

Top Male Occupations In 1939

  • General Labourer
    23%
  • Builders Labourer
    9%
  • Dock Labourer
    5%
  • Incapacitated
    4%

Top Female Occupations In 1939

  • Unpaid Domestic Duties
    68%
  • Housewife
    3%
  • Incapacitated
    3%
  • Unpaid Domestic
    3%

What Mcmahon family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 302,000 census records available for the last name Mcmahon. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Mcmahon census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search UK census records for Mcmahon

Passenger Lists

There are 59,000 immigration records available for the last name Mcmahon. Passenger lists are your ticket to knowing when your ancestors arrived in the UK, and how they made the journey - from the ship name to ports of arrival and departure.

View all Mcmahon immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 54,000 military records available for the last name Mcmahon. For the veterans among your Mcmahon ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Mcmahon military records

You've only scratched the surface of Mcmahon family history

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What is the average Mcmahon lifespan?

Between 1941 and 2004, in the United States, Mcmahon life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1941, and highest in 2004. The average life expectancy for Mcmahon in 1941 was 36, and 77 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Mcmahon

An unusually short lifespan might indicate that your Mcmahon ancestors lived in harsh conditions. A short lifespan might also indicate health problems that were once prevalent in your family. The SSDI is a searchable database of more than 70 million names. You can find birthdates, death dates, addresses and more.

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