The spelling and overall form of Irish names tend to vary widely. The original Gaelic form of the name O'Sheehan is Ó Siodhachain, which may be derived from "siodhach," which means "peaceful."
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Early Origins of the O'Sheehan family
The surname O'Sheehan was first found in County Limerick (Irish: Luimneach) located in Southwestern Ireland, in the province of Munster, where they held a family seat from very ancient times.
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Early History of the O'Sheehan family
This web page shows only a small excerpt of our O'Sheehan research. Another 65 words (5 lines of text) are included under the topic Early O'Sheehan History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.
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O'Sheehan Spelling Variations
Numerous spelling variations were revealed in the search for the origin of the name O'Sheehan family name. Before widespread literacy, a person entrusted the proper documentation of his name to the individual scribe. As a result, a name was often recorded under several different variations during the life of its bearer. Variations found include Sheehan, Sheeham, Sheahan, O'Sheehan, Sheagan and many more.
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Early Notables of the O'Sheehan family
More information is included under the topic Early O'Sheehan Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.
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Migration of the O'Sheehan family
Often leaving from racial discrimination and colonial oppression, thousands of families left Ireland in the 19th century for North America aboard passenger ships. Many early immigrants found a plot of land to call their own, something unimaginable for most Irish families. Those that arrived later were often accommodated as laborers since there was a large demand for cheap labor. This was the fate for many of the families that arrived in North America during the Great Potato Famine of the late 1840s. Whether they became agrarian settlers or industrial workers, the Irish that came to North America were invaluable for rapid development of the infant nations of the United States and Canada. Early North American immigration records have revealed a number of people bearing the Irish name O'Sheehan or a variant listed above: Cornelius Sheagan who arrived in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania in 1842; John, Morris and Thomas Sheehan arrived in Philadelphia between 1850 and 1870; Denis Sheeham arrived in Maryland in 1774.
Ireland
