O'Sheerin History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
Ireland

The surname O'Sheerin is derived from Mac Searthuin, which means son of Searthun. The personal name Searthun is equivalent to Geoffrey.

Early Origins of the O'Sheerin family

The surname O'Sheerin was first found in County Donegal (Irish: Dún na nGall), northwest Ireland in the province of Ulster, sometimes referred to as County Tyrconnel, where they held a family seat, some say before the Anglo Norman invasion of Ireland by Strongbow in 1172. However, others claim that it is an offshoot of the Prendergast Clan in County Mayo, where they adopted the Gaelic name of O'Sirin, and established themselves on the Donegal/Fermanagh border about the year 1250.

Early History of the O'Sheerin family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our O'Sheerin research. Another 92 words (7 lines of text) covering the years 1659 and 1673 are included under the topic Early O'Sheerin History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

O'Sheerin Spelling Variations

During an investigation of the origin of each name, it was found that church officials and medieval scribes spelled many surnames as they sounded. Therefore, during the lifetime of a single person, a name could be spelt numerous ways. Some of the spelling variations for the name O'Sheerin include Shearing, Sheering, Sheeran, Sharron, Sherren, Sherran, Shirran, Sheeran, Sheerin, O'Shearing, O'Sheering, O'Sheeran, O'Sharron, O'Sherren, O'Sherran, O'Shirran, O'Sheeran, O'Shearing and many more.

Early Notables of the O'Sheerin family

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

Migration of the O'Sheerin family

Ireland experienced a dramatic decrease in its population during the 19th century. This was in a great measure, a response to England's imperialistic policies. Hunger and disease took the lives of many Irish people and many more chose to leave their homeland to escape the horrific conditions. North America with its promise of work, freedom, and land was an extremely popular destination for Irish families. For those families that survived the journey, all three of these things were often attained through much hard work and perseverance. Research into early immigration and passenger lists revealed many immigrants bearing the name O'Sheerin: Daniel, Edward, Hugh, Patrick and Thomas Sheerin who landed in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania between 1804 and 1864; Edward and John Sheering landed in Philadelphia in 1867.

The O'Sheerin 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: Vincit Veritas
Motto Translation: Truth conquers.