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Monahan Family History

Monahan Surname Meaning

Irish: Anglicized form of Gaelic Ó Manacháin ‘descendant of Manachán’ a personal name representing a diminutive of manach ‘monk’. See also Monk.

The Gaelic name is sometimes interpreted as if it were Ó Muineacháin ‘descendant of the little shrubbery’ and is sometimes translated into English as Thornton.

The name is also found in Scotland.

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


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Where is the Monahan family from?

You can see how Monahan families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Monahan family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1840 and 1920. The most Monahan families were found in USA in 1880. In 1891 there were 39 Monahan families living in Lancashire. This was about 29% of all the recorded Monahan's in United Kingdom. Lancashire had the highest population of Monahan families in 1891.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Monahan 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 Monahan 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 Monahan. 50% of Monahan men worked as a General Labourer and 75% of Monahan women worked as an Unpaid Domestic Duties. Some less common occupations for Americans named Monahan were Clerk In Holy Orders and Incapacitated.

View Census Data for Monahan | 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
    50%
  • Joiner
    25%
  • Clerk In Holy Orders
    25%

Top Female Occupations In 1939

  • Unpaid Domestic Duties
    75%
  • Domestic Duties
    8%
  • Private Means
    6%
  • Incapacitated
    4%

What Monahan family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 93,000 census records available for the last name Monahan. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Monahan census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search UK census records for Monahan

Passenger Lists

There are 15,000 immigration records available for the last name Monahan. 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 Monahan immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 19,000 military records available for the last name Monahan. For the veterans among your Monahan ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Monahan military records

You've only scratched the surface of Monahan family history

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What is the average Monahan lifespan?

Between 1942 and 2004, in the United States, Monahan life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1951, and highest in 2003. The average life expectancy for Monahan in 1942 was 43, and 75 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Monahan

An unusually short lifespan might indicate that your Monahan 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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