Mahony Surname: Origin and Coat of Arms
What does Mahony mean, and where does it come from? Here is a brief introduction.
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Origin of the Mahony name
Mahony comes from Ó Mathghamhna, "descendant of Mathghamhain", a personal name from mathghamhan, "bear". The sept descends from Mathghamhain, son of Cian, a son-in-law of Brian Boru, and held lands in west County Cork, in Kinelmeaky and Ivagha around the Mizen peninsula. The name is still most common in Cork and Kerry. O'Mahony and Mahoney are the same name.
Our historical archives hold much more on the Mahony name: dates, names and records of early bearers.
This overview covers the Mahony 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.
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Your full Mahony pack adds the researched history, early records and migration. Order your pack and our heraldry team researches and paints the Mahony coat of arms for you.
Mahony name FAQ
What does the Mahony name mean?
Descendant of Mathghamhain ("bear"). Common variants include O'Mahony, Mahoney, Mahon.
Where does the Mahony surname come from?
It originates in Ireland, and is also found in the United States, England and Australia.
Is there a Mahony coat of arms?
Arms were granted to individuals, not whole surnames, so there is no single Mahony crest. Herald Lab paints a personalized Mahony 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).