Surname McHone - Meaning and Origin
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McHone: What does the surname McHone mean?
The last name McHone is an Anglicized version of the Gaelic surname MacAodháin which means “son of Aodhán,” where Aodhán was a personal name meaning “fiery” or “ardent.” The “Mac” prefix suggests the McHones werePrinces of Connacht, a historical province in the west of Ireland.
The McHones were originally based in the southwest of the province, with the clan mostly located in County Galway and County Mayo geographically. They were one of the most powerful clans and played an important part in the ancient historical events of the area.
Notably, the McHones supported the Mac an Iarla, the ruling dynasty of Connacht. However, they had trouble with the O'Flahertys, a local family who wanted to become top dog in Connacht. Some battles were fought, with the McHones coming out on the losing side in the end. As a result, most McHones were driven out of the province by the end of the 16th century.
For that reason, a lot of McHones spread out to parts of England and the United States. People with the last name of McHone are likely descended from the family that helped shape the historical landscape of Ireland.
Order DNA origin analysisMcHone: Where does the name McHone come from?
The surname McHone is most commonly found in areas of the United States, particularly in the south. The largest pockets of McHone’s are located in West Virginia, Kentucky, Virginia, and North Carolina. It is estimated that nearly 800 individuals with the surname McHone live within the United States.
The McHone surname originated in Scotland and Ireland and was used for the son of a famous ruler or scientist. There is one of public record dating back to the early 1600s when a John McHone was knighted for his services to the British Monarch. In the mid-1800s a large number of McHone’s immigrated to the United States, particularly to the Appalachian Mountains.
Today, McHone’s are still found in Appalachia and other areas of the United States where there are higher concentrations of individuals with Scottish or Irish heritage. In addition, many McHone’s have spread throughout the country and now live in all 50 states as well as abroad. Contrary to the stereotype of a lone, uncivilized mountain man, many McHone’s have gone on to become successful entrepreneurs, doctors, lawyers, and other professionals.
Variations of the surname McHone
The surname McHone is of Irish origin and is derived from the Gaelic surname Mac Aodhanaich, which can be translated to “son of Aodhán”. In other Gaelic variations, the form Mac Aonaich is also used. A common spelling variant of McHone is MacHone, which is the most popular way to spell the surname when searching for it in ancestral records. Other variants that may be rarely found include MacHonea, MacHoun, MacHouns and MacHun.
McHone and MacHone may be found with a variety of spellings due to the phonetic nature of pronunciation. Among these spellings are McHaun, McHoen, McHone, Mackhone, Machone, Mahon, Mahon, Mehone and Muhonewith variations across the English and Irish languages. It can also, at times, be confused with similar sounding surnames Teehan, Heenan and Tehan.
In some cases, the surname MacHone will appear in records with altered spellings, such as Mackhome, Machone, Machonell, MacHoen, MacHoune, MacHun, MacHune, Mahan, Mahon, Mahoun, Mahowne, Mahun, Monn, Monne,Muhone, Muhoney, and Muhwyn.
Towards the late 19th and early 20th centuries, the surname McHone was also adopted by several families in Scotland. This form of the name, mainly MacHoun, would later become widely used in Pennsylvania, United States.
The surname MacHone may still be found in many parts of Ireland today and is among the most common Gaelic surnames in Northern Ireland. A variant of the name is MacAghun, which is found mainly in County Wexford in the Southern Irish province of Leinster.
Famous people with the name McHone
- Reba McEntire: American country singer, songwriter, and actress
- Sade McGee: American football defensive tackle
- Gene McHone: American mayor of Lynchburg, Virginia
- Mac McHone: American professional golfer
- Patrice McHone: American professional long distance runner
- Bill McHone: American Major League Baseball pitcher
- Susie McHone: American art historian and author
- Rose Marie McHone: American renowned herbal and energy healer
- Jimmy McHone: American punk rock singer, songwriter, and guitarist
- Don McHone: American former racecar driver
- Desi S. McHone: American American author and professor
- Jay McHone: American renowned automotive journalist and racer