Show ContentsMabon History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

The Welsh name Mabon is derived from the hills and Moors of Wales where a very particular Celtic people, known as the Britons, thrived. This surname is derived from the Welsh personal name Mabon, which means a child or great son.

According to Welsh literature and mythology, Mabon ap Modron, the son of Modron, is a member of King Arthur's war band.

Early Origins of the Mabon family

The surname Mabon was first found in Cornwall, at St. Mabyn, a parish, in the union of Bodmin, hundred of Trigg. 1

"St. Mabyn is indebted for its name to one of the large sainted family that came into this country from Wales. One of these, a female, whose name was Maben, fixed her hermitage in this district, which still retains her name. This name seems to have been appropriated to the parish at an early period; since in the first valor in 1294, we find the name of Ecclesia Sanctae. Mabenae applied to the present rectory not far from Wadebridge. Of the personal history of this female saint, very little is at present known." 2

Early History of the Mabon family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Mabon research. Another 92 words (7 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Mabon History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Mabon Spelling Variations

Although there are comparatively few Welsh surnames, they have a great many spelling variations. Variations of Welsh names began almost immediately after their acceptance within Welsh society. In the Middle Ages, it was up to priests and the few other people that recorded names in official documents to decide how to spell the names that they heard. Variations that occurred because of improper recording increased dramatically as the names were later transliterated into English. The Brythonic Celtic language of Wales, known by natives as Cymraeg, featured many highly inflected sounds that could not be properly captured by the English language. Spelling variations were, however, also carried out according to an individual's design: a branch loyalty within the family, a religious adherence, or even patriotic affiliations were all indicated by the particular variation of one's name. The spelling variations of the name Mabon have included Maben, Mabon, Mabin, Mabben and others.

Early Notables of the Mabon family

More information is included under the topic Early Mabon Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Mabon Ranking

In the United States, the name Mabon is the 14,560th most popular surname with an estimated 2,487 people with that name. 3

Migration of the Mabon family

Many Welsh joined the great migrations to North America in the late 1800s and early 1900s. Like their Scottish and Irish neighbors, many Welsh families left their homeland hoping to find hope and prosperity in a land that the English did not exercise a tight rule over. Those Welsh immigrants that successfully traveled to North America went on to make significant contributions to the rapid development of both Canada and the United States in terms of the settling of land and the establishment of industry. They also added to the rich cultural heritage of both countries. An examination into the immigration and passenger lists has discovered a number of people bearing the name Mabon: Edward Mabin settled in Virginia in 1623; Andrew Maben arrived in Philadelphia in 1864; another Andrew Mabin arrived in Philadelphia in 1879.


Contemporary Notables of the name Mabon (post 1700) +

  • Willie James Mabon (1925-1985), American R&B singer, songwriter and pianist
  • James S. Mabon, American Republican politician, Delegate to Republican National Convention from Oklahoma, 1936 4
  • Dr. Jesse Dickson "Dick" Mabon PC, FRSA (1925-2008), Scottish politician, physician and business executive, Minister of State for Energy (1976-1979), Minister of State for Scotland (1967-1970), Member of Parliament for Greenock and Port Glasgow (1955-1983)
  • Mabon Lewis "Teenie" Hodges (1946-2014), American musician, best known for his work as rhythm and lead guitarist


  1. Lewis, Samuel, A Topographical Dictionary of England. Institute of Historical Research, 1848, Print.
  2. Hutchins, Fortescue, The History of Cornwall, from the Earliest Records and Traditions to the Present Time. London: William Penaluna, 1824. Print
  3. "What are the 5,000 Most Common Last Names in the U.S.?". NameCensus.com, https://namecensus.com/last-names/
  4. The Political Graveyard: Alphabetical Name Index. (Retrieved 2015, November 12) . Retrieved from http://politicalgraveyard.com/alpha/index.html


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