McMahon
An Irish surname meaning “son of Mahon,” with Mahon coming from an old Gaelic personal name associated with a bear or a champion.
The #883 most common surname in the United States (2010 Census) — about 1 in every 7,834 Americans shares it.
Etymology
McMahon is an Anglicized form of Irish Mac Mathghamhna, meaning “son of Mathghamhain.” The personal name Mathghamhain is traditionally explained as “bear,” though older writers often glossed it more freely as “hero” or “champion.” The surname therefore points back to an ancestral personal name rather than to a place or occupation.
History
The McMahons were a prominent Irish family, especially in County Clare, where the name became strongly established. In older English-language sources the surname also appears in forms such as Mahon and Mahony, and in some cases these names were treated as related or interchangeable spellings. The name was carried abroad through Irish migration and is now well established in English-speaking countries.
Origin
Regions
Variant spellings
Fun fact
A historical source from 1857 glossed the name rather romantically as “the son of a bear; a hero,” reflecting how early surname dictionaries often interpreted Gaelic names.
From the historical record
“OF FAMILY NAMES. 197 McMAHON. (G-aelic.) The son of a bear ; a hero. McMANUS. The son of Manus or Magnus, the great, or re- nowned. McMARTIK The son of Martin, or the warlike. McMASTER. The son of Master. McMULLIK .The son of the miller. McMURROUGH. The son of Murrough or Murrach; MOT, great^”
— An Etymological Dictionary of Family and Christian Names