The Monahan surname

In the 2010 U.S. Census, 15,533 people carried this name — #2,347 among all U.S. surnames, about 1 in every 19,000 people counted. That is up 3% from 15,058 in 2000.

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What the name means

The meaning of the Monahan surname

An anglicization of Irish Ó Manacháin, commonly anglicized as Monaghan.

From Wiktionary, the free dictionary (en.wiktionary.org) — entry «Monahan» (English), by Wiktionary contributors · licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 (creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0) · excerpt, lightly adapted.

As a surname in the United Kingdom

Harrison classes it as a Celtic name: ‘Monk’.

From the Irish and Gaelic manach, “a monk”, with the diminutive -án.

From Henry Harrison, Surnames of the United Kingdom: A Concise Etymological Dictionary, vol. II (London: The Morland Press, 1918), p. 26 · public domain.

In print

Monahan in American newspapers,
1897–1910.

Newspaper page from Der Deutsche Correspondent carrying the name Monahan
Der Deutsche Correspondent 1897-08-14
Newspaper page from The San Angelo Press carrying the name Monahan
The San Angelo Press 1903-09-16
Newspaper page from The Salt Lake Herald-Republican carrying the name Monahan
The Salt Lake Herald-Republican 1910-10-06

Chronicling America, Library of Congress — digitised newspapers in the public domain · 74,272 pages in all carry the name.

In print

Monahan in Australian newspapers,
1840s–1990s.

19,924 articles name a Mr, Mrs or Miss Monahan. The most, 6,028, date from the 1930s. New South Wales has the most articles, but weighed against how much of each state’s press from the same decades has been digitised, the name stands out most in the Australian Capital Territory, at 3.1 times its expected share.

Articles, by state

New South Wales 9,022
Victoria 5,449
Queensland 2,932
South Australia 742
Western Australia 712
Tasmania 532
ACT (Canberra) 484
Northern Territory 17

Trove, National Library of Australia (trove.nla.gov.au) · articles in its digitised newspapers that name a Mr, Mrs or Miss Monahan.

Who carried it

People named Monahan,
with a public archive behind them.

  • James G. Monahan
    James G. Monahan 1855–1923 · lawyer
  • William Henry Monahan
    William Henry Monahan 1857– · politician
  • George F. Monahan
    George F. Monahan 1867–1929 · politician
  • Robert Monahan
    Robert Monahan 1898–1975 · judge
  • George L. Monahan, Jr.
    George L. Monahan, Jr. 1933–1993 · military officer

Wikidata (CC0) · portraits via Wikimedia Commons, shown cropped, in the public domain or CC0 · 106 lives in all are documented under this name.

In the public record

People named Monahan,
in the records of 6 countries.

Soldiers, farmers, migrants and neighbours who carried the name and left a trace in public archives. Everyone shown here died long ago or was born more than a century ago.

United States4,875 records

4,875 records of the Monahan name in the United States
  • New York City birth, marriage and death certificates 2,377
  • U.S. Army enlistment records, World War II 724
  • Other U.S. records 1,774
  1. A United States Selective Service registration card, 1942
    Example: U.S. registration card, 1942
    Military record Charles L. Monahan

    Born 1916 in Nebraska. Enlisted 1939 at Columbus, Ohio; salesperson. U.S. Army Air Forces veteran of World War II and the Korean War; died 2000, buried at St Patrick's Catholic Cemetery, Iowa.

    U.S. National Archives, WWII Army Enlistment Records (public domain); U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, Gravesite Locator (CC0)
  2. Names engraved on the Vietnam Veterans Memorial, Washington, D.C.
    Example: U.S. war memorial
    War record Michael James Monahan

    Born 1945; from San Francisco, California. U.S. Army; killed in action 1967 in Kontum, South Vietnam. Buried at Golden Gate National Cemetery, California.

    U.S. National Archives, Defense Casualty Analysis System (public domain); U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, Gravesite Locator (CC0)
  3. A passenger manifest of the S.S. St. Paul, arriving at New York in 1903
    Example: passenger manifest, 1903
    Passenger record Julia Monahan

    Arrived at New York in 1885 aboard the Aurania from Liverpool, aged 18; servant. From Mayo, Ireland.

    U.S. National Archives, Castle Garden Immigration Center Collection, Ship Passenger Records (unrestricted)

Showing 3 of 4,875 records for Monahan in the United States.

Counts: NYC Department of Records & Information Services, Historical Vital Records (NYC Open Data) · U.S. National Archives, WWII Army Enlistment Records (public domain) · U.S. National Archives, Castle Garden Immigration Center Collection, Ship Passenger Records (unrestricted) · U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, Gravesite Locator (CC0) · New York State Department of Health, Genealogical Research Death Index · U.S. National Archives, Famine Irish Passenger Records (public domain) · U.S. National Archives, Flexoline Index Data File (public domain) · U.S. National Archives, Defense Casualty Analysis System (public domain) · New York State, Open NY (police and firefighter memorial rolls) · Sacramento County, Historic Burials (CC BY 4.0). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: U.S. Selective Service registration card, 1942 (public domain); Vietnam Veterans Memorial, photo by U.S. Army Sgt. 1st Class Michael J. Carden, 2009 (public domain); Passenger manifest of the S.S. St. Paul, New York, 1903 (public domain).

Australia323 records

323 records of the Monahan name in Australia
  • Victoria passenger lists, 1839–1923 156
  • Victoria wills and probate, deaths to 2001 93
  • Other Australian records 74
  1. A passenger manifest of the S.S. St. Paul, arriving at New York in 1903
    Example: passenger manifest, 1903
    Passenger record Mary Monahan

    Arrived in Victoria in 1853 aboard the Asia, aged 9; Irish.

    Public Record Office Victoria (CC BY 4.0)
  2. A petition to the probate court of St. Louis, 1848
    Example: probate petition, 1848
    Probate record Timothy Monahan

    Laborer of Fitzroy, Victoria; died 1914.

    Public Record Office Victoria (CC BY 4.0)
  3. A page of the burial register of Newtown, Wales, 1858
    Example: burial register, 1858
    Burial record Doris Grace Monahan

    Buried in 1969 at Woden Cemetery, Canberra, ACT.

    ACT Government, Transport Canberra and City Services (CC BY 4.0)

Showing 3 of 323 records for Monahan in Australia.

Counts: Public Record Office Victoria (CC BY 4.0) · Queensland State Archives (CC BY 4.0) · Museums of History NSW – State Archives Collection (CC BY) · ACT Government, Transport Canberra and City Services (CC BY 4.0) · Libraries Tasmania, Tasmanian Names Index (CC BY 4.0). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Passenger manifest of the S.S. St. Paul, New York, 1903 (public domain); Petition to the probate court, St. Louis, 1848, Missouri Historical Society (public domain); Burial register of Newtown, Montgomeryshire, 1858, National Library of Wales (CC0).

Canada57 records

57 records of the Monahan name in Canada
  • Nova Scotia Archives name indexes 39
  • Canadian Virtual War Memorial 9
  • Other Canadian records 9
  1. Fairview Lawn Cemetery in Halifax, Nova Scotia
    Example: Canadian cemetery
    Burial record Harry Monahan

    Buried in 1930 at St. Mary's Pioneer Cemetery, Calgary, Alberta, aged 66.

    City of Calgary. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – City of Calgary.
  2. A page of the Berlin civil register, 1880
    Example: civil register, 1880
    Death record Mary Monahan

    Died 1909 in Sweets Corner, Hants, Nova Scotia.

    Nova Scotia Archives. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence - Nova Scotia.
  3. A Canadian First World War grave register card for a soldier who died of wounds in 1917
    Example: Canadian war grave register, 1917
    War record Daniel Monahan

    Died in service in 1918.

    Veterans Affairs Canada. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence - Canada.

Showing 3 of 57 records for Monahan in Canada.

Counts: Nova Scotia Archives. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence - Nova Scotia. · Veterans Affairs Canada. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence - Canada. · City of Vancouver. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Vancouver. · City of Calgary. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – City of Calgary. · National Library of Scotland, War Office Weekly Casualty Lists (public domain) · Archives of Ontario. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Ontario. · City of Winnipeg. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – Winnipeg. Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Fairview Lawn Cemetery, Halifax, photo by Edgar El (CC BY 3.0); Civil register, Berlin, 1880, Landesarchiv Berlin (CC0); Canadian First World War circumstances-of-death register (scan by Scottgraham87 via Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0).

Ireland24 records

24 records of the Monahan name in Ireland County Galway graveyard records
  1. A page of the burial register of Newtown, Wales, 1858
    Example: burial register, 1858
    Burial record Kate Monahan

    Died 1903, aged 65; buried at Athenry Heritage Centre, Co. Galway.

    Galway County Council (CC BY 4.0)
  2. A page of the burial register of Newtown, Wales, 1858
    Example: burial register, 1858
    Burial record Martin Monahan

    Died 1906, aged 81; buried at Killererin (Old), Co. Galway.

    Galway County Council (CC BY 4.0)
  3. A page of the burial register of Newtown, Wales, 1858
    Example: burial register, 1858
    Burial record Michael F. Monahan

    Died 1969, aged 65; buried at Kilcummin, Co. Galway.

    Galway County Council (CC BY 4.0)

Showing 3 of 24 records for Monahan in Ireland.

Counts: Galway County Council (CC BY 4.0). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Burial register of Newtown, Montgomeryshire, 1858, National Library of Wales (CC0).

New Zealand5 records

5 records of the Monahan name in New Zealand
  • Christchurch City cemetery records 4
  • Timaru and Mackenzie District cemetery records 1
  1. A page of the burial register of Newtown, Wales, 1858
    Example: burial register, 1858
    Burial record Dorothy Alice Monahan

    Died 1993, aged 87; buried at Ruru Lawn, Christchurch, Canterbury.

    Christchurch City Council (CC BY 4.0)
  2. A page of the burial register of Newtown, Wales, 1858
    Example: burial register, 1858
    Burial record Marie Lucia Monahan

    Died 1917, aged 21; buried at Linwood Cemetery, Christchurch, Canterbury.

    Christchurch City Council (CC BY 4.0)
  3. A page of the burial register of Newtown, Wales, 1858
    Example: burial register, 1858
    Burial record Ellen Maria Monahan

    Died 1932, aged 65; buried at Linwood Cemetery, Christchurch, Canterbury.

    Christchurch City Council (CC BY 4.0)

Showing 3 of 5 records for Monahan in New Zealand.

Counts: Christchurch City Council (CC BY 4.0) · Canterbury Maps (Environment Canterbury), Timaru and Mackenzie District Councils (CC BY 3.0 NZ). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: Burial register of Newtown, Montgomeryshire, 1858, National Library of Wales (CC0).

United Kingdom3 records

3 records of the Monahan name in the United Kingdom War Office casualty lists, 1917–1919, among the dead
  1. A First World War roll of honour of the staff of C. & E. Morton Ltd
    Example: roll of honour, 1914–1919
    War record P. Monahan

    Royal Dublin Fusiliers. Listed among the dead in the War Office casualty list of 1917.

    National Library of Scotland, War Office Weekly Casualty Lists (public domain)
  2. A First World War roll of honour of the staff of C. & E. Morton Ltd
    Example: roll of honour, 1914–1919
    War record J. Monahan

    Royal Irish Regiment. Listed among the dead in the War Office casualty list of 1918.

    National Library of Scotland, War Office Weekly Casualty Lists (public domain)
  3. A First World War roll of honour of the staff of C. & E. Morton Ltd
    Example: roll of honour, 1914–1919
    War record M. Monahan

    Welsh Guards. Listed among the dead in the War Office casualty list of 1917.

    National Library of Scotland, War Office Weekly Casualty Lists (public domain)

Counts: National Library of Scotland, War Office Weekly Casualty Lists (public domain). Example pages, not the records of the people shown: C. & E. Morton Ltd roll of honour, 1914–1919, photo by Adrian S Pye via Geograph (CC BY-SA 2.0).

Nearby in the index

Surnames next to Monahan.

When the index is not enough

This page says where Monahan is.
A volume says what happened to it.

Every page in the index is free and stays free. The Heritage Volume is the long form: the full paper trail, the arms, the crossing — bound, and yours.

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