Surname O'Shaughnessy - Meaning and Origin
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O'Shaughnessy: What does the surname O'Shaughnessy mean?
The last name O’Shaughnessy is an Irish surname which dates back to the mid-16th century. The Irish name comes from “O’Seanachain”, which was historically a patronymic name meaning “descendant of Seanachan”. The given name “Seanachan” was derived from the Irish Gaelic word “seaghann” meaning “hawk like”, or “stately”.
The Irish surname O’Shaughnessy is mainly found in the province of Connacht, located in Northern Ireland. It is also seen in southern Scotland, the United States, and other parts of the diaspora. It is a moderately rare family name and only 11,000 people in the United States are known to have this surname.
Many of the Irish bearers of the name O’Shaughnessy can trace their ancestry to one of the seven distinct family clans located in the County of Mayo, Ireland. The O’Shaughnessy family were able to preserve their lands and heritage through the centuries; some of the old family castles and manors remain intact, and many of the family members still cultivate their ancestral lands in the present day.
The O’Shaughnessy name is an important part of Irish history and culture, with its roots going back many centuries. The surname stands for strength, resilience and loyalty, the values which the Irish have demonstrated throughout their past. The O’Shaughnessy family name still lives on and will continue to have a presence in modern history.
Order DNA origin analysisO'Shaughnessy: Where does the name O'Shaughnessy come from?
The last name O'Shaughnessy is of Irish origin, with the Gaelic spelling “O Seachnasaigh”. It is thought to have originated from the region of Connacht in Northwest Ireland or County Tipperary in the South East, reflecting an ancient Irish kingdom known as O'Shaughnessy.
Today, the O'Shaughnessy name remains very common in Ireland, especially in the counties of Galway, Mayo and Roscommon. It is also found in large numbers in the United States, United Kingdom and Australia, due to significant Irish immigration in the 19th and 20th centuries. In the US in particular, O'Shaughnessy is ranked in the top 1000 most common surnames, making it one of the most widely spread Irish-American surnames.
In Canada, the name is found mainly in Ontario, where it ranks in the top 500 most common surnames. Other smaller concentrations of the name can also be found in Newfoundland, British Columbia and Alberta.
Finally, other countries with large numbers of the O'Shaughnessy last name include New Zealand and South Africa, though it is considerably less common. As Irish culture continues to be celebrated in these countries, the O'Shaughnessy surname is likely to spread to other parts of the world.
Variations of the surname O'Shaughnessy
The surname O'Shaughnessy is an Irish patronymic, which is to say that it refers to the descendants of a particular ancestor. Variant spellings include O'Shaughnessy, O'Shaghnessy, SHAUGHNESSY and Shaughnessy. Other surnames of the same origin include Shaughnessey, Shaughnesy, Shaughnessy, Shagnessy, Shannesy, and Shannesy.
Originally, the surname derived from "O Seachnasaigh", the Irish form of the Anglo-Norman French names "de Seognes" and "de Segonne". It is frequently associated with Connacht and Munster provinces in Ireland.
The meaning of the name loosely translates as ‘descendant of the hawk-like one’. In one interpretation of the story behind this surname, a Hawk King fleeted of two sons: Seaghaill and Seachnasaigh. These sons produced descendants with surnames that eventually became O’Seaghaill and O’Seachnasaigh. Over the years, the names have evolved and shortened to Seon, Seohn, Sha, Shaugh and Shaughnessy.
The origin of the surname is closely related to two other Irish surnames: O’Sheehan and O’Shanahan. In some cases, the names have been anglicized and blurred over time, making it difficult to tell the between the three surnames.
Today, O'Shaughnessy is a relatively common surname in Ireland. It can also be found in England, Scotland, the United States, Canada, Australia and New Zealand, as well as other countries.
Famous people with the name O'Shaughnessy
- Pierce O'Shaughnessy: American soldier and politician
- John O'Shaughnessy: British army officer and politician
- Dan O'Shaughnessy: Irish-Canadian ice hockey player
- Mike O'Shaughnessy: British historian and journalist
- Jim O'Shaughnessy: American stock market investor and author
- Sean O'Shaughnessy: Irish rugby union player
- Chris O'Shaughnessy: American musician and composer
- Cormac O'Shaughnessy: Irish poet and novelist
- Charlie O'Shaughnessy: Irish-American actor and producer
- Niall O'Shaughnessy: Irish actor