Shann History, Family Crest & Coats of ArmsThe surname Shann is originally a name that appeared in Gaelic as Ó Seanachain, which is derived from the word "sean," meaning "old." Early Origins of the Shann familyThe surname Shann was first found in County Clare (Irish: An Clár) located on the west coast of Ireland in the province of Munster, where they held a family seat from very ancient times. Early History of the Shann familyThis web page shows only a small excerpt of our Shann research. Another 92 words (7 lines of text) covering the years 1318, 1802, 1863, 1877, 1916 and 1937 are included under the topic Early Shann History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible. Shann Spelling VariationsBecause early scribes and church officials often spelled names as they sounded, a person could have many various spellings of his name.Many different spelling variations of the surname Shann were found in the archives researched. These included Shanahan, O'Shanahan, Shahan, Shannon, Gilshenan and many more. Early Notables of the Shann familyProminent amongst the family at this time was
In the 18th and 19th centuries, thousands of Irish families fled an Ireland that was forcibly held through by England through its imperialistic policies. A large portion of these families crossed the Atlantic to the shores of North America. The fate of these families depended on when they immigrated and the political allegiances they showed after they arrived. Settlers that arrived before the American War of Independence may have moved north to Canada at the war's conclusion as United Empire Loyalists. Such Loyalists were granted land along the St. Lawrence River and the Niagara Peninsula. Those that fought for the revolution occasionally gained the land that the fleeing Loyalist vacated. After this period, free land and an agrarian lifestyle were not so easy to come by in the East. So when seemingly innumerable Irish immigrants arrived during the Great Potato Famine of the late 1840s, free land for all was out of the question. These settlers were instead put to work building railroads, coal mines, bridges, and canals. Whenever they came, Irish settlers made an inestimable contribution to the building of the New World. Early North American immigration records have revealed a number of people bearing the Irish name Shann or a variant listed above, including: Shann Settlers in United States in the 20th Century
RMS Lusitania
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