Shaughnesey History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

• Origins Available:
• Ireland

Early Origins of the Shaughnesey family

Early History of the Shaughnesey family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Shaughnesey research. Another 101 words (7 lines of text) covering the years 1569, 1673, 1690, 1691 and 1744 are included under the topic Early Shaughnesey History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Shaughnesey Spelling Variations

Irish names recorded during the Middle Ages are characterized by many spelling variations. This preponderance of variations for common names can be explained by the fact that the scribes and church officials that kept records during that period individually decided how to capture one's name. These recorders primarily based their decisions on how the name was pronounced or what it meant. Research into the name Shaughnesey revealed many variations, including O'Shaughnessy, Shaughnessy, O'Shanessy, Shanessy and others.

Early Notables of the Shaughnesey family

Notable amongst the family name at this time was Ruaidhrí Gilla Dubh Ó Seachnasaigh (aka Sir Roger O'Shaughnessy) (died 1569), Irish Knight and Chief of the Name; Roger O'Shaughnessy, The O'Shaughnessy (d. 1690), Captain in the Irish...
Another 37 words (3 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Shaughnesey Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Migration of the Shaughnesey family

Irish immigrants began to leave the English-controlled Ireland in sizable numbers during the late 18th century. Many of these Irish immigrated to British North America or the United States in the hopes of gaining their own tract of farmland. This pattern of migration grew steadily until the 1840s when the Great Potato Famine caused a great exodus of immigrants to North America. These immigrants differed from their predecessors in that they were desperately fleeing the disease and starvation that plagued their homeland, and many were entirely destitute when they arrived in North America. Although these penniless immigrants were not warmly welcomed when they arrived, they were critical to the rapid development of the United States and what would become known as Canada. Many went to populate the western frontiers and others provided the cheap labor the new manufacturing sector and the building of bridges, roads, railways, and canals required. A thorough examination of immigration and passenger lists has revealed some of the earliest people to arrive in North America with name Shaughnesey or one of its variants: Thomas O'Shaughnessy settled in Philadelphia in 1854; along with Martin and James; John O'Shanessy settled in Philadelphia in 1820; Patrick, James, John, Michael Shaughnessy all arrived in Philadelphia between 1840 and 1860..