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Sheridan History Early Origins Early History Spelling Variations Early Notables World Ranking

United States Canada Australia New Zealand

Contemporary Notables Historic Events Related Stories Motto Citations

Sheridan History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
Ireland

Many Irish surnames have a long, ancient Gaelic history behind them. The original Gaelic form of the name Sheridan is Ó Sirideain, which means descendant of Siridean.

Early Origins of the Sheridan family

The surname Sheridan was first found in county Longford (Irish: An Longfort) traditionally known as Annaly or Teffia, and situated in the Irish Midlands, in Northwest Leinster.

Early History of the Sheridan family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Sheridan research. Another 123 words (9 lines of text) covering the years 1635, 1669, 1682, 1687, 1691, 1711, 1738 and 1751 are included under the topic Early Sheridan History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Sheridan Spelling Variations

Scribes and church officials, lacking today's standardized spelling rules, recorded names by how they were pronounced. This imprecise guide often led to the misleading result of one person's name being recorded under several different spellings. Numerous spelling variations of the surname Sheridan are preserved in documents of the family history. The various spellings of the name that were found include Sheridan, O'Sheridan, Sheridon, Sheridin and others.

Early Notables of the Sheridan family

Notable among the family name at this time was

Thomas Sheridan, tutor to Prince Charles
William Sheridan (c. 1635-1711), Irish clergyman, Bishop of Kilmore and Ardagh (1682-1691), Dean of Down (1669-1682)

Sheridan World Ranking

In the United States, the name Sheridan is the 1,572^nd most popular surname with an estimated 19,896 people with that name. 1 However, in Australia, the name Sheridan is ranked the 842^nd most popular surname with an estimated 4,681 people with that name. 2 And in the United Kingdom, the name Sheridan is the 977^th popular surname with an estimated 7,130 people with that name. 3

Sheridan migration to the United States +

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 Sheridan:

Sheridan Settlers in United States in the 19th Century

Bernard Sheridan, who arrived in Philadelphia in 1807
John Joseph Sheridan, who landed in Charleston, South Carolina in 1824 4
Thomas Sheridan, who landed in New York in 1830 4
Philip Sheridan, who landed in Maryland in 1834 4
Barney, Cornelius, Felix, Hugh, James, John, Martin, Mary, Mathew, Michael, Patrick, Peter, Terence, Thomas, and William Sheridan, all, who arrived in Philadelphia between 1840 and 1870
... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Sheridan migration to Canada +

Some of the first settlers of this family name were:

Sheridan Settlers in Canada in the 19th Century

William Sheridan, aged 30, a labourer, who arrived in Saint John, New Brunswick aboard the ship "Billow" in 1833
Edward Sheridan, aged 26, a labourer, who arrived in Saint John, New Brunswick in 1834 aboard the ship "Edwin" from Dublin, Ireland
Edward Sheridan, aged 5, who arrived in Saint John, New Brunswick aboard the ship "Susan Maria Brooke" in 1838
Miss. Anna Sheridan, aged 10 who immigrated to Canada, arriving at the Grosse Isle Quarantine Station in Quebec aboard the ship "Rose" departing from the port of Liverpool, England but died on Grosse Isle in August 1847 5
Mr. Bernard Sheridan, aged 50 who immigrated to Canada, arriving at the Grosse Isle Quarantine Station in Quebec aboard the ship "Triton" departing from the port of Liverpool, England but died on Grosse Isle in August 1847 5
... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Sheridan migration to Australia +

Emigration to Australia followed the First Fleets of convicts, tradespeople and early settlers. Early immigrants include:

Sheridan Settlers in Australia in the 19th Century

Miss Rose Sheridan, (b. 1794), aged 19, Irish convict who was convicted in Longford, Ireland for 7 years, transported aboard the "Catherine" on 8th December 1813, arriving in New South Wales, Australia 6
James Sheridan, a gun-maker, who arrived in New South Wales, Australia sometime between 1825 and 1832
Walter Sheridan, a mason, who arrived in New South Wales, Australia sometime between 1825 and 1832
Michael Sheridan, a slater, who arrived in Van Diemen’s Land (now Tasmania) sometime between 1825 and 1832
James Sheridan, who arrived in Adelaide, Australia aboard the ship "Trafalgar" in 1847 7
... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Sheridan migration to New Zealand +

Emigration to New Zealand followed in the footsteps of the European explorers, such as Captain Cook (1769-70): first came sealers, whalers, missionaries, and traders. By 1838, the British New Zealand Company had begun buying land from the Maori tribes, and selling it to settlers, and, after the Treaty of Waitangi in 1840, many British families set out on the arduous six month journey from Britain to Aotearoa to start a new life. Early immigrants include:

Sheridan Settlers in New Zealand in the 19th Century

A.J. Sheridan, who landed in Wellington, New Zealand in 1841
Mr. Michael Sheridan, Scottish settler travelling from Clyde aboard the ship "Robert Henderson" arriving in Port Chalmers, Dunedin, Otago, South Island, New Zealand on 5th October 1861 8
Mr. Patrick Sheridan, (b. 1834), aged 28, Irish farm labourer from County Tyrone travelling from London aboard the ship "Zealandia" arriving in Lyttelton, Christchurch, South Island, New Zealand on 23rd May 1862 8
Mrs. Mary Anne Sheridan, (b. 1837), aged 25, Irish settler from County Tyrone travelling from London aboard the ship "Zealandia" arriving in Lyttelton, Christchurch, South Island, New Zealand on 23rd May 1862 8
Thomas Sheridan, who arrived in Auckland, New Zealand aboard the ship "Timaru" in 1870
... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Contemporary Notables of the name Sheridan (post 1700) +

Dick Sheridan (1941-2023), American college football coach and college athletics administrator, head football coach at Furman University from 1978 to 1985 and North Carolina State University from 1986 to 1992, inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame as a coach in 2020
Michael John Sheridan (1945-2022), American prelate of the Catholic Church, Bishop of Colorado Springs from 2003 to 2021
Elizabeth Ann "Liz" Sheridan (1929-2022), American actress and dancer, best known for her roles as Jerry's mother in Seinfeld and the nosy neighbor, Mrs. Ochmonek and on the sitcom ALF
Lisa Sheridan (1974-2019), American actress from Macon, Georgia, known for Still the King (2016), Halt and Catch Fire (2014) and CSI: Miami (2007-2008)
Neill Rawlins Sheridan (1921-2015), nicknamed "Wild Horse," an American Major League Baseball player who played one season for the Boston Red Sox in 1948
Nicolette Sheridan (b. 1963), English Golden Globe Award nominated actress, known for her work on Desperate Housewives (2004), Knots Landing (1979) and Beverly Hills Ninja (1997)
James Patrick "Jamey" Sheridan (b. 1951), American three-time Screen Actors Guild Award nominated actor, known for his work on Law & Order: Criminal Intent (2001), The Ice Storm (1997) and Game Change (2012)
Martin Sheridan (1881-1918), American winner of three gold and one bronze Olympic medals at the 1904 and 1908 games
Philip Sheridan (1831-1888), United States Army General, eponym of the M551 Sheridan
Ann Sheridan (1915-1967), American film actress who has a star on the Hollywood Walk Of Fame
... (Another 17 notables are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Historic Events for the Sheridan family +

Empress of Ireland

Mr. Robert Sheridan, British Greaser from United Kingdom who worked aboard the Empress of Ireland (1914) and survived the sinking 9

Flight 191

Mary Sheridan (d. 1979), American passenger from Deerfield, Illinois, USA, who flew aboard American Airlines Flight 191 and died in the crash 10

Halifax Explosion

Mr. James A. Sheridan (1871-1917), Canadian resident from Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada who died in the Halifax Explosion (1917) 11

HMS Prince of Wales

Mr. Thomas Brinsley Sheridan, British Lieutenant Marine, who sailed into battle on the HMS Prince of Wales (1941) and survived the sinking 12
Mr. Sheridan, British Able Seaman, who sailed into battle on the HMS Prince of Wales (1941) and died in the sinking 12

RMS Lusitania

Mr. Geoffrey Sheridan, Irish Fireman from Liverpool, England, who worked aboard the RMS Lusitania (1915) and died in the sinking 13
Mr. Patrick Sheridan, Irish Fireman from Liverpool, England, who worked aboard the RMS Lusitania (1915) and died in the sinking 13

SS Atlantic

John Sheridan, crew member who was aboard the ship "SS Atlantic" when it struck rocks off Nova Scotia in 1873, survived the sinking

The Sheridan Motto +

The motto was originally a war cry or slogan. Mottoes first began to be shown with arms in the 14th and 15th centuries, but were not in general use until the 17th century. Thus the oldest coats of arms generally do not include a motto. Mottoes seldom form part of the grant of arms: Under most heraldic authorities, a motto is an optional component of the coat of arms, and can be added to or changed at will; many families have chosen not to display a motto.

Motto: Cervus lacessitus Leo
Motto Translation: The stag at bay becomes a lion.

Citations +

"What are the 5,000 Most Common Last Names in the U.S.?". NameCensus.com, https://namecensus.com/last-names/
"Most Common Last Names in Australia." Forebears, https://forebears.io/australia/surnames
"UK surname ranking." UK Surname map, https://www.surnamemap.eu/unitedkingdom/surnames_ranking.php?p=10
Filby, P. William, Meyer, Mary K., Passenger and immigration lists index : a guide to published arrival records of about 500,000 passengers who came to the United States and Canada in the seventeenth, eighteenth, and nineteenth centuries. 1982-1985 Cumulated Supplements in Four Volumes Detroit, Mich. : Gale Research Co., 1985, Print (ISBN 0-8103-1795-8)
Charbonneau, André, and Doris Drolet-Dubé. A Register of Deceased Persons at Sea and on Grosse Île in 1847. The Minister of Canadian Heritage, 1997. ISBN: 0-660-198/1-1997E (p. 55)
Convict Records of Australia (Retreived 2nd January 2021, retreived from https://convictrecords.com.au/ships/catherine
State Records of South Australia. (Retrieved 2010, November 5) TRAFALGAR 1847. Retrieved from http://www.slsa.sa.gov.au/BSA/1847Trafalgar.htm
New Zealand Yesteryears Passenger Lists 1800 to 1900 (Retrieved 26th March 2019). Retrieved from http://www.yesteryears.co.nz/shipping/passlist.html
Commemoration Empress of Ireland 2014. (Retrieved 2014, June 17) . Retrieved from http://www.empress2014.ca/seclangen/listepsc1.html
Flight 191's Victims - latimes. (Retrieved 2014, April 16) . Retrieved from http://articles.latimes.com/1985-08-04/news/mn-4349_1_fort-lauderdale-area
Halifax Explosion Book of Remembrance | Maritime Museum of the Atlantic. (Retrieved 2014, June 23) . Retrieved from https://maritimemuseum.novascotia.ca/what-see-do/halifax-explosion/halifax-explosion-book-remembrance
HMS Prince of Wales Crew members. (Retrieved 2014, April 9) . Retrieved from http://www.forcez-survivors.org.uk/biographies/listprincecrew.html
Lusitania Passenger List - The Lusitania Resource. (Retrieved 2014, March 7) . Retrieved from http://www.rmslusitania.info/lusitania-passenger-list/