Show ContentsHoban History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Early Origins of the Hoban family

The surname Hoban was first found in County Mayo (Irish: Maigh Eo) located on the West coast of the Republic of Ireland in the province of Connacht, where they held a family seat as one of the important tribes of the Clan Eoghain(Owen). Irish history was greatly influenced by the Norman invasion of 1172, and thereafter, the surnames of Irish Gaelic clanns and septs and many of the Norman families became almost indistinguishable. This family name was found later in Kilkenny where they represented an important contribution from the 17th century onwards.

Early History of the Hoban family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Hoban research. Another 100 words (7 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Hoban History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Hoban Spelling Variations

Spelling variations of this family name include: Hoban, O'Hoban and others.

Early Notables of the Hoban family

Notable amongst the family name at this time was

  • the Hoban family of Mayo

Hoban Ranking

In the United States, the name Hoban is the 12,407th most popular surname with an estimated 2,487 people with that name. 1


United States Hoban migration to the United States +

Some of the first settlers of this family name were:

Hoban Settlers in United States in the 18th Century
  • Edmond Hoban, who settled in America in 1742
  • William Hoban, who landed in Boston, Massachusetts in 1767 2
Hoban Settlers in United States in the 19th Century
  • Dennis Hoban, who settled in Detroit in 1840
  • Cath. Hoban, who arrived in New Orleans in 1852
  • Martin Hoban, who arrived in Ohio in 1852 2
  • Peter Hoban, who landed in Allegany (Allegheny) County, Pennsylvania in 1872 2
  • Edward Hoban, who settled in Nebraska in 1889

Canada Hoban migration to Canada +

Some of the first settlers of this family name were:

Hoban Settlers in Canada in the 19th Century
  • James Hoban, aged 24, a labourer, who arrived in Saint John, New Brunswick in 1834 aboard the brig "Breeze" from Dublin, Ireland
  • Anne Hoban, aged 24, who arrived in Saint John, New Brunswick in 1834 aboard the brig "Breeze" from Dublin, Ireland
  • Patrick Hoban, aged 2, who arrived in Saint John, New Brunswick in 1834 aboard the brig "Breeze" from Dublin, Ireland
  • Robert Hoban, who arrived in Halifax, Nova Scotia in 1843
  • Catherine Hoban, who settled in Quebec in 1847
  • ... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Australia Hoban migration to Australia +

Emigration to Australia followed the First Fleets of convicts, tradespeople and early settlers. Early immigrants include:

Hoban Settlers in Australia in the 19th Century
  • Michael Hoban, aged 29, a labourer, who arrived in South Australia in 1855 aboard the ship "Europa" 3
  • Daniel Hoban, aged 18, a labourer, who arrived in South Australia in 1855 aboard the ship "South Sea"
  • Patrick Hoban, aged 18, a labourer, who arrived in South Australia in 1855 aboard the ship "South Sea"

New Zealand Hoban migration to New Zealand +

Emigration to New Zealand followed in the footsteps of the European explorers, such as Captain Cook (1769-70): first came sealers, whalers, missionaries, and traders. By 1838, the British New Zealand Company had begun buying land from the Maori tribes, and selling it to settlers, and, after the Treaty of Waitangi in 1840, many British families set out on the arduous six month journey from Britain to Aotearoa to start a new life. Early immigrants include:

Hoban Settlers in New Zealand in the 19th Century
  • Miss Eleanor Hoban, (b. 1844), aged 21, British domestic servant travelling from Gravesend aboard the ship "Indian Empire" arriving in Lyttelton, Christchurch, South Island, New Zealand on 23rd July 1865 4
  • Julia Hoban, aged 26, a servant, who arrived in Wellington, New Zealand aboard the ship "British Queen" in 1883 5

Contemporary Notables of the name Hoban (post 1700) +

  • James Hoban (1758-1831), Irish architect, best known for designing The White House
  • James Hoban Jr. (1808-1846), American lawyer who served as United States Attorney for the District of Columbia in the 1840s, son of James Hoban, the Irish-American architect
  • Edward Francis Hoban (1878-1966), American prelate of the Roman Catholic Church, Bishop of Rockford (1928-1942) and Bishop of Cleveland (1945-1966)
  • Russell Conwell Hoban (1925-2011), American writer of fantasy and science fiction from Lansdale, Pennsylvania who lived in London, England, from 1969 until his death
  • Lillian Hoban (1925-1998), American children's literature author and artist
  • Tana Hoban (1917-2006), American author and photographer
  • Patricia Hoban (b. 1932), former Australian basketball player who played for the Australia women's national basketball team at the 1957 FIBA World Championship for Women
  • Ovidiu Hoban (b. 1982), Romanian footballer
  • Jeanne Hoban (1924-1997), British Trotskyist from Gillingham, Kent
  • Barry Hoban (b. 1940), former English professional cyclist who rode during the late 1960s and early 1970s
  • ... (Another 1 notables are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)


  1. "What are the 5,000 Most Common Last Names in the U.S.?". NameCensus.com, https://namecensus.com/last-names/
  2. Filby, P. William, Meyer, Mary K., Passenger and immigration lists index : a guide to published arrival records of about 500,000 passengers who came to the United States and Canada in the seventeenth, eighteenth, and nineteenth centuries. 1982-1985 Cumulated Supplements in Four Volumes Detroit, Mich. : Gale Research Co., 1985, Print (ISBN 0-8103-1795-8)
  3. South Australian Register Monday 14th May 1855. (Retrieved 2010, November 5) Europa 1855. Retrieved http://www.theshipslist.com/ships/australia/europa1855.shtml
  4. New Zealand Yesteryears Passenger Lists 1800 to 1900 (Retrieved 17th October 2018). Retrieved from http://www.yesteryears.co.nz/shipping/passlist.html
  5. New Zealand Yesteryears Passenger Lists 1800 to 1900 (Retrieved 12th November 2011). Retrieved from http://www.yesteryears.co.nz/shipping/passlist.html


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