The McMahon Coat of Arms and Name Meaning
Discover the meaning of McMahon, its origins in Ireland, and the story behind a McMahon family crest.
Order your pack and our heraldry team researches and paints the McMahon coat of arms for you.
Origin of the McMahon name
McMahon anglicises Mac Mathúna, "son of Mathúin", a personal name meaning "bear". Two separate families bore it: one in County Clare, descended from the O'Briens of Thomond and lords of Corca Bhaiscinn, and one in County Monaghan, lords of Oriel. Patrice de MacMahon, President of France, was of Irish McMahon descent.
Our historical archives hold much more on the McMahon name: dates, names and records of early bearers.
This overview covers the McMahon name in Ireland. We also hold records of the name in other countries, such as the United States, England and Australia; your full pack is researched for your family's country of origin.
Get your full McMahon family history
The complete McMahon pack goes much further: documented origins, early records and family spread, plus a hand-checked coat of arms.
McMahon name FAQ
What does the McMahon name mean?
Son of Mathúin ("bear"). Common variants include MacMahon, Mahon, MacMahan.
Where does the McMahon surname come from?
It originates in Ireland, and is also found in the United States, England and Australia.
Is there a McMahon coat of arms?
Arms were granted to individuals, not whole surnames, so there is no single McMahon crest. Herald Lab paints a personalized McMahon coat of arms based on historic heraldry.
Researched by Herald Lab Research Studio, since 1993. Sources: MacLysaght, The Surnames of Ireland; Dictionary of American Family Names (Oxford); US Census Bureau 2010.