Sheils History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
England
Ireland
Scotland

This name was anglicized from Ó Siadhail in Gaelic, meaning an 'ancestor of Siadhail' (the prefix Ó denotes 'grandfather of'). Siadhail has been translated to mean 'sloth' or 'sluggishness'. As this name is descriptive of its original bearer, it is considered to be a nickname. However, many Irish of this name originally came from England or Scotland where the name Shields is derived from an Old English word meaning 'shed' or 'hut' - a somewhat more flattering meaning.

Early Origins of the Sheils family

The surname Sheils was first found in the Ulster region counties of Donegal, Derry, Antrim and Down. This family are reputed to be descendents of the great King Niall of the Nine Hostages.

Early History of the Sheils family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Sheils research. Another 99 words (7 lines of text) covering the years 1545, 1548, 1677, 1693, 1698, 1745, 1800, 1879, 1886 and 1949 are included under the topic Early Sheils History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Sheils Spelling Variations

Spelling variations of this family name include: Shiel, Sheilles, Sheild, Sheill, Sheels, Sheils, Sheil, Shield, Shields, Shieles, Shiels, Shiells, Shielles, Shiell, Sheills, Sheilds and many more.

Early Notables of the Sheils family

Notable amongst the family name at this time was Luke O'Shiell (1677-1745), Irish Jacobite, born in Dublin who emigrated to Nantes, France after the Irish defeat, father of Mary O'Shiell, a French-Irish businessperson in Nantes and her sisters Agnés O'Shiell and Anne O'Shiell, founder of the family manor of the O'Shiell, Manoir de la Placelière, which became the gathering place of the large Irish colony in Nantes; Michael...
Another 68 words (5 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Sheils Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Sheils migration to the United States +

Some of the first settlers of this family name were:

Sheils Settlers in United States in the 20th Century

William Sheils, aged 29, who arrived in New York in 1919 aboard the ship "Toloa" from Liverpool via Brest 1
Bernard Sheils, who arrived in New York in 1919 aboard the ship "Mauretania" from Southampton, England 1
William Sheils, aged 46, who arrived in New York in 1919 aboard the ship "Byron" from Rio de Janeiro 1
Michael Stephen Sheils, originally from Liverpool, who arrived in New York in 1919 aboard the ship "Mauretania" from Southampton, England 1
Bridget Sheils, aged 22, originally from Letterkenny, Ireland, who arrived in New York in 1920 aboard the ship "Columbia" from Londonderry, Ireland 1

Sheils migration to Australia +

Emigration to Australia followed the First Fleets of convicts, tradespeople and early settlers. Early immigrants include:

Sheils Settlers in Australia in the 19th Century

Mr. Peter Sheils, Scottish convict who was convicted in Edinburgh, Scotland for 10 years, transported aboard the "Bangalore" on 28th March 1848, arriving in Tasmania (Van Diemen's Land) from Bermuda 2

Contemporary Notables of the name Sheils (post 1700) +

William J. Sheils, American Democratic Party politician, Delegate to Democratic National Convention from New York, 1932; Candidate for Justice of New York Supreme Court 9th District, 1935 3
Darren Sheils, member of the Ireland national Australian rules football team in 2011
P. Sheils, English Headmaster at Abbotsford Preparatory School, Urmston, Greater Manchester, England
Tony "Doc" Sheils, English paranormal researcher, known for his "sightings" of the Owlman or Cornish Owlman in the mid 1970s at Mawnan, Cornwall

The Sheils 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: Omne solum forti patria
Motto Translation: Every land is a native country to a brave man

Citations +

Ellis Island Search retrieved 15th November 2022. Retrieved from https://heritage.statueofliberty.org/passenger-result
Convict Records Voyages to Australia (Retrieved 15th September 2020). Retrieved from https://convictrecords.com.au/ships/bangalore
The Political Graveyard: Alphabetical Name Index. (Retrieved 2015, October 22) . Retrieved from http://politicalgraveyard.com/alpha/index.html