| ![Show Contents]() McShee History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms
- Origins Available:
 Ireland Irish names tend to vary widely in their spelling and overall form. The original Gaelic form of the name McShee is Ó Seaghdha, which is modified to Ó Se. The surname is derived from the word seaghdha which means hawk like but has a secondary meaning of stately. 1 Early Origins of the McShee familyThe surname McShee was first found in County Kerry (Irish:Ciarraí) part of the former County Desmond (14th-17th centuries), located in Southwestern Ireland, in Munster province, where they held a family seat from ancient times. The O'Shee variant claims Kilkenny as their ancestral home. At one time they were one of the most important of the ruling families of Kilkenny. Robert O'Shee was sovereign of the area in 1493. This family alternated using the "O'" prefix as not, as later his son Richard Shee, the Sovereign of Kilkenny (1545-1546) and (1553-1554) was Member of Parliament for Kilkenny in 1559. Early History of the McShee familyThis web page shows only a small excerpt of our McShee research. Another 98 words (7 lines of text) covering the years 1172 and 1500 are included under the topic Early McShee History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible. McShee Spelling VariationsJust like the English language, the Gaelic language of Ireland was not standardized in the Middle Ages. Therefore, one's name was often recorded under several different spellings during the life of its bearer. Spelling variations revealed in the search for the origins of the McShee family name include O'Shea, O'Shee, McShea, McShee and others. Early Notables of the McShee familyAnother 30 words (2 lines of text) are included under the topic Early McShee Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible. Migration of the McShee familyDeath and immigration greatly reduced Ireland's population in the 19th century. For the native Irish people poverty, hunger, and racial prejudice was common. Therefore, thousands left their homeland to seek opportunity in North America. Those who survived the journey and the quarantine camps to which they arrived, were instrumental towards building the strong developing nations of the United States and the future Canada. By far, the largest influx of Irish settlers occurred with Great Potato Famine during the late 1840s. These were employed as construction or factory workers. An examination of passenger and immigration lists has shown early immigrants bearing the name McShee: Daniel, James, John, Patrick, Thomas McShea all arrived in Philadelphia between 1840 and 1860; Bartholomew, David, Edward, Lawrence, James, John, Michael, Timothy O'Shea all arrived in Philadelphia between 1840 and 1860..
- MacLysaght, Edward, The Surnames of Ireland. Ireland: Irish Academic Press, sixth edition, 1985. Print. (ISBN 0-7165-2366-3)
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