O'Sherrant History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
Ireland

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

Early Origins of the O'Sherrant family

The surname O'Sherrant 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'Sherrant family

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

O'Sherrant Spelling Variations

Medieval scribes and church officials spelled the names as they sounded, so a name was often spelled many different ways during the lifetime of a single person. The investigation of the origin of the name O'Sherrant revealed many spelling variations including 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'Sherrant family

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

Migration of the O'Sherrant family

During the middle of the 19th century, Irish families often experienced extreme poverty and racial discrimination in their own homeland under English rule. Record numbers died of disease and starvation and many others, deciding against such a fate, boarded ships bound for North America. The largest influx of Irish settlers occurred with Great Potato Famine of the late 1840s. Unfortunately, many of those Irish that arrived in Canada or the United States still experienced economic and racial discrimination. Although often maligned, these Irish people were essential to the rapid development of these countries because they provided the cheap labor required for the many canals, roads, railways, and other projects required for strong national infrastructures. Eventually the Irish went on to make contributions in the less backbreaking and more intellectual arenas of commerce, education, and the arts. Research early immigration and passenger lists revealed many early immigrants bearing the name O'Sherrant: 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'Sherrant 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.