Shirren History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
Ireland

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

Early Origins of the Shirren family

The surname Shirren 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 Shirren family

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

Shirren Spelling Variations

Medieval scribes and church officials spelt names simply the way they sounded, which explains the various name spelling variations of the name Shirren that were encountered when researching that surname. The many spelling variations included: 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 Shirren family

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

Migration of the Shirren family

A great number of Irish families left their homeland in the late 18th century and throughout the 19th century, migrating to such far away lands as Australia and North America. The early settlers left after much planning and deliberation. They were generally well off but they desired a tract of land that they could farm solely for themselves. The great mass of immigrants to arrive on North American shores in the 1840s differed greatly from their predecessors because many of them were utterly destitute, selling all they had to gain a passage on a ship or having their way paid by a philanthropic society. These Irish people were trying to escape the aftermath of the Great Potato Famine: poverty, starvation, disease, and, for many, ultimately death. Those that arrived on North American shores were not warmly welcomed by the established population, but they were vital to the rapid development of the industry, agriculture, and infrastructure of the infant nations of the United States and what would become Canada. Early passenger and immigration lists reveal many Irish settlers bearing the name Shirren: 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 Shirren 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.