Shinnick History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
Ireland
England

Etymology of Shinnick

What does the name Shinnick mean?

The Shinnick surname originally appeared in Gaelic as Ó Sionnaigh, which is derived from "sionnach," which means "fox." (O'Hart)

Early Origins of the Shinnick family

The surname Shinnick was first found in County Mayo (Irish: Maigh Eo) located on the West coast of the Republic of Ireland in the province of Connacht, where they held a family seat. This most ancient Irish surname is derived from Sionnach, the Fox, an epithet used by the Chief of the Irish Cathernaigh Clann, a branch of the northern Ui Fiachrach.

However, some of the family were found in England in early days and there, the name was an occupational name for a Shinner or Skinner from the Old English word "scinn" meaning "skin." 1 There we found John le Scinner in the Hundredorum Rolls of 1279 in Cambridgeshire; Geoffrey le Schinner in the Subsidy Rolls for Sussex in 1296; and John Schynnere in Hampshire in 1305. 1

The shortened form of the name Shinn or Shynn was first found in Suffolk in the Pipe Rolls of 1165 where Herveus Schinn was listed. Hugo Scin was later found in the Pipe Rolls for Herefordshire in 1190. 1

Early History of the Shinnick family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Shinnick research. Another 98 words (7 lines of text) covering the year 1845 is included under the topic Early Shinnick History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Shinnick Spelling Variations

Because 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 Shinnick were found in the archives researched. These included Shiner, Shinner, Shunny, Shunagh, Shunnagh, Shinnick, Shinnock, Shinick and many more.

Early Notables of the Shinnick family

More information is included under the topic Early Shinnick Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Migration of the Shinnick family

A massive wave of Irish immigrants hit North America during the 19th century. Although many early Irish immigrants made a carefully planned decision to leave left Ireland for the promise of free land, by the 1840s immigrants were fleeing a famine stricken land in desperation. The condition of Ireland during the Great Potato Famine of the late 1840s can be attributed to a rapidly expanding population and English imperial policies. Those Irish families that arrived in North America were essential to its rapid social, industrial, and economic development. Passenger and immigration lists have revealed a number of early Irish immigrants bearing the name Shinnick: L. Shiner who settled in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania in 1754; followed by John A. Shiner in 1868; W.S. Shinner who settled in Boston Massachusetts in 1820.

Contemporary Notables of the name Shinnick (post 1700) +

Thomas Shinnick (b. 1833), Irish-born, American politician, Member of the Wisconsin State Assembly in 1867
Timothy James Shinnick (1867-1944), American Major League Baseball second baseman for the Louisville Colonels from 1890 to 1891
Pete Shinnick (b. 1965), American head coach of the UNC Pembroke Braves college football team, former head coach of the NAIA's Azusa Pacific Cougars
Donald Dee Shinnick, American NFL football linebacker for the Baltimore Colts from 1957 to 1969

Sources +

Reaney, P.H and R.M. Wilson, A Dictionary of English Surnames. London: Routledge, 1991. Print. (ISBN 0-415-05737-X)