Show ContentsMahon History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

In its ancient Gaelic form, the Irish name Mahon was written Mac Mathghamhna, which later became Mac Mathuna. Both names are derived from the word "mathghamhan," which means "bear."

Early Origins of the Mahon family

The surname Mahon was first found in County Clare (Irish: An Clár) located on the west coast of Ireland in the province of Munster, where the MacMahons were lords of Corca Baisgin; and possessed the greater part of the baronies of Moyarta and Clonderlaw. 1

"The Munster MacMahons formerly possessed the greater part of the Baronies of Moyarta and Clonderalaw, in the County Clare, in which county the predominant name now is McMahon." 2

Early History of the Mahon family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Mahon research. Another 110 words (8 lines of text) covering the years 1119, 1519, 1600, 1606, 1643, 1644, 1650, 1660, 1680, 1707, 1715, 1727, 1737, 1747 and 1780 are included under the topic Early Mahon History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Mahon Spelling Variations

Many variations of the name Mahon were found in archives from the Middle Ages. These variations can be somewhat explained by the challenge of translation of Gaelic names into English. Hence, the spelling and language in which the people's names were recorded was often up to the individual scribe. Variations of the name Mahon found include MacMahon, MacMann, MacMahan, MacMohan and others.

Early Notables of the Mahon family

Notable amongst the family name at this time was

  • Hugh Oge MacMahon (1606-1644), was an Irish conspirator, was probably of Sir Brian MacHugh Oge MacMahon, Lord of the Dartree in the county of Monaghan...
  • Herber MacMahon (1600-1650), Bishop of Clogher in 1643, a Catholic leader, commanded the Ulster army...
  • Hugh MacMahon (1660-1737) was Bishop of Clogher 1707-1715 and Archbishop of Armagh 1715-1737...
  • Bernard MacMahon (1680-1747) was Bishop of Clogher 1727-1737 and Archbishop of Armagh 1737-1747...
  • His brother Ross Roe MacMahon, was also an Archbishop of Armagh...

Mahon Ranking

In the United States, the name Mahon is the 2,515th most popular surname with an estimated 12,435 people with that name. 3


Mahon migration to the United States +

Irish families began leaving their homeland for North America in the late 18th century. These families were usually modestly well off, but they were looking forward to owning and working on a sizable tract of land of their own. This pattern of emigration continued until the 1840s when the Great Potato Famine sparked a major exodus of destitute and desperate Irish people. These people were not leaving for a grant of land in North America because by this time the East Coast had reached its saturation point and free land was scarce. They were merely looking to escape the disease, starvation, and hopelessness that Ireland had fallen into. Although these unfortunate immigrants did not receive a warm welcome by the established populations in the United States and what would become Canada, they were absolutely critical to the rapid development that these two nations enjoyed. They would help populate the western lands and provide the cheap labor required for a rapid industrialization. An examination of passenger and immigration lists has revealed many early bearers of the name Mahon or one of its variants:

Mahon Settlers in United States in the 18th Century
  • Sarah Mahon, who landed in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania in 1746 4
Mahon Settlers in United States in the 19th Century
  • Henry Mahon, who arrived in New York, NY in 1811 4
  • Samuel Mahon, who arrived in South Carolina in 1814 4
  • Bridget Mahon, who arrived in New York, NY in 1815 4
  • Catherine Mahon, who landed in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania in 1816 4
  • Charles Mahon, who arrived in New York, NY in 1816 4
  • ... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Mahon migration to Canada +

Some of the first settlers of this family name were:

Mahon Settlers in Canada in the 19th Century
  • James Mahon, who arrived in Nova Scotia in 1828
  • Patrick Mahon, who arrived in Nova Scotia in 1829
  • Andrew Mahon, aged 22, a labourer, who arrived in Saint John, New Brunswick in 1834 aboard the brig "Sea Horse" from Galway, Ireland
  • Isabella Mahon, aged 20, who arrived in Saint John, New Brunswick aboard the ship "Condor" in 1838
  • Mrs. Dolly Mahon, aged 40 who immigrated to Canada, arriving at the Grosse Isle Quarantine Station in Quebec aboard the ship "Phoenix" departing from the port of Liverpool, England but died on Grosse Isle in June 1847 5
  • ... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Mahon migration to Australia +

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

Mahon Settlers in Australia in the 19th Century
  • Mr. Edward Mahon, English convict who was convicted in London, England for 7 years, transported aboard the "Duke of Portland" in January 1807, arriving in New South Wales, Australia 6
  • Mr. Timothy Mahon, (b. 1801), aged 25, Irish farm labourer who was convicted in Longford, Ireland for life for house breaking, transported aboard the "Boyne" on 28th October 1826, arriving in New South Wales, Australia 7
  • Miss Bridget Mahon, (b. 1804), aged 25, Irish laundress who was convicted in Leitrim, Ireland for 7 years for stealing, transported aboard the "Edward" on 1st January 1829, arriving in New South Wales, Australia, listed as 1 child with her on board 8
  • Mr. Henry Mahon, (b. 1828), aged 2, Irish settler traveling with convict Miss Bridget Mahon , transported aboard the "Edward" on 1st January 1829, arriving in New South Wales, Australia 8
  • Mr. John Mahon, (Maughan), (b. 1792), aged 39, Irish clerk who was convicted in Dublin, Ireland for life for burglary, transported aboard the "Bussorah Merchant" on 16th August 1831, arriving in New South Wales, Australia 9
  • ... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Mahon 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:

Mahon Settlers in New Zealand in the 19th Century
  • Alexander Mahon, aged 42, a farm servant, who arrived in Otago aboard the ship "Philip Laing" in 1848
  • Catherine Mahon, aged 43, who arrived in Otago aboard the ship "Philip Laing" in 1848
  • Robert Mahon, aged 11, who arrived in Otago aboard the ship "Philip Laing" in 1848
  • Mr. Patrick Mahon, British settler as part of the 8th Detachment of the Royal New Zealand Fencibles travelling from Gravesend aboard the ship "Oriental Queen" arriving in Auckland, New Zealand on 18th September 1849 10
  • Mrs. Susan Mahon, British settler travelling from Gravesend aboard the ship "Oriental Queen" arriving in Auckland, New Zealand on 18th September 1849 10
  • ... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Contemporary Notables of the name Mahon (post 1700) +

  • Mark P. Mahon (1930-2017), American Democratic Party politician, Member of the Minnesota House of Representatives from 1993 to 1998
  • Elizabeth B. Mahon (1919-2001), American female outfielder who played from 1944 through 1954 in the All-American Girls Professional Baseball League
  • Jackson Barrett "Barry" Mahon (1921-1999), American film director, cinematographer and producer
  • George Herman Mahon (1900-1985), American politician, 41st Dean of the United States House of Representatives (1976-1979)
  • John K. Mahon (1912-2003), American historian, Chairman of the History Department at the University of Florida from 1965 to 1973
  • John Mahon, American professional percussionist and backing vocalist, most noted for his work with Elton John
  • John J. Mahon, American politician and professional baseball executive, president and principal owner of the Baltimore Orioles of the American League in 1902
  • Keith Mahon, American fighter pilot and flying ace in the U.S. Army Air Forces, during World War II, credited with 5 aerial victories
  • Derek Mahon (1941-2020), Irish poet, born in Belfast, Northern Ireland
  • Jack Mahon (1933-2005), Irish Gaelic footballer who played from 1947 to 1962
  • ... (Another 16 notables are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

RMS Titanic
  • Miss Bridget Delia Mahon (d. 1912), aged 20, Irish Third Class passenger from Derrymartin, Mayo who sailed aboard the RMS Titanic and died in the sinking 11
SS Atlantic
  • Bridget Mahon, who was traveling aboard the ship "SS Atlantic" when it struck rocks off Nova Scotia in 1873, died in the sinking
  • Frederick Mahon, who was traveling aboard the ship "SS Atlantic" when it struck rocks off Nova Scotia in 1873, died in the sinking


The Mahon Motto +

The motto was originally a war cry or slogan. Mottoes first began to be shown with arms in the 14th and 15th centuries, but were not in general use until the 17th century. Thus the oldest coats of arms generally do not include a motto. Mottoes seldom form part of the grant of arms: Under most heraldic authorities, a motto is an optional component of the coat of arms, and can be added to or changed at will; many families have chosen not to display a motto.

Motto: Sic nos sic sacra tuemur
Motto Translation: Thus we guard our sacred rights.


  1. MacLysaght, Edward, Irish Families Their Names, Arms and Origins 4th Edition. Dublin: Irish Academic, 1982. Print. (ISBN 0-7165-2364-7)
  2. Matheson, Robert E., Special Report on Surnames in Ireland with Notes as to Numeric Strength, Derivation, Ethnology, and Distribution. Dublin: Alexander Thom & Co., 1894. Print
  3. "What are the 5,000 Most Common Last Names in the U.S.?". NameCensus.com, https://namecensus.com/last-names/
  4. 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)
  5. Charbonneau, André, and Doris Drolet-Dubé. A Register of Deceased Persons at Sea and on Grosse Île in 1847. The Minister of Canadian Heritage, 1997. ISBN: 0-660-198/1-1997E (p. 41)
  6. Convict Records Voyages to Australia (Retrieved 28th July 2021). Retrieved from https://convictrecords.com.au/ships/duke-of-portland
  7. Convict Records Voyages to Australia (Retrieved 27th October 2020). Retrieved from https://convictrecords.com.au/ships/Boyne
  8. Convict Records Voyages to Australia (Retrieved 19th November 2021). Retrieved from https://convictrecords.com.au/ships/edward
  9. Convict Records Voyages to Australia (Retrieved 12th November 2020). Retrieved from https://convictrecords.com.au/ships/bussorah-merchant
  10. New Zealand Yesteryears Passenger Lists 1800 to 1900 (Retrieved 26th March 2019). Retrieved from http://www.yesteryears.co.nz/shipping/passlist.html
  11. Titanic Passenger List - Titanic Facts. (Retrieved 2016, July 13) . Retrieved from http://www.titanicfacts.net/titanic-passenger-list.html


Houseofnames.com on Facebook