History of your Surname
Get access to Maher family records.Start a free trial

Maher Family History

Maher Name Meaning

Irish: from Ó Meachair ‘descendant of Meachar’ a personal name meaning ‘kindly noble majestic’. Slovenian: nickname from maher a colloquial word of Middle High German origin (from macher ‘doer’). Compare German Macher Slovenian: possibly also from a Slovenized form of the Old German personal name Macher German: occupational name for a reaper or mower (see Mader ).

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


Similar surnames: Moher, Mahan, Maheu, Zaher, Macher, Daher, Maser, Maver, Majer, Mamer

Search for a relative to learn more about your family history.

Hint: Try searching for a relative alive in 1940.

Black & white image of a young woman scientist

Where is the Maher family from?

You can see how Maher families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Maher family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1840 and 1920. The most Maher families were found in USA in 1880. In 1891 there were 617 Maher families living in Lancashire. This was about 54% of all the recorded Maher's in United Kingdom. Lancashire had the highest population of Maher families in 1891.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Maher surname lived. Within census records, you can often find information like name of household members, ages, birthplaces, residences, and occupations.

What did your Maher 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 Maher. 20% of Maher men worked as a General Labourer and 69% of Maher women worked as an Unpaid Domestic Duties. Some less common occupations for Americans named Maher were Railway Porter and Housekeeper. .

View Census Data for Maher | 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
    20%
  • Builders Labourer
    8%
  • Dock Labourer
    6%
  • Railway Porter
    5%

Top Female Occupations In 1939

  • Unpaid Domestic Duties
    69%
  • Unpaid Domestic
    4%
  • Domestic Servant
    4%
  • Housekeeper
    2%
Black & white image of two construction labourers

What Maher family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 222,000 census records available for the last name Maher. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Maher census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search UK census records for Maher

Passenger Lists

There are 41,000 immigration records available for the last name Maher. 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 Maher immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 33,000 military records available for the last name Maher. For the veterans among your Maher ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Maher military records

You've only scratched the surface of Maher family history

Discover More

What is the average Maher lifespan?

Between 1942 and 2004, in the United States, Maher life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1948, and highest in 2002. The average life expectancy for Maher in 1942 was 44, and 74 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Maher

Discover the unique achievements of ancestors in the Maher family tree

Explore Your Tree

Browse profiles of historical people with the Maher last name

Search for another surname
Enter last name/surname
Start a 14-Day Free Trial