Shorghnessy History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

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• Ireland

Early Origins of the Shorghnessy family

Early History of the Shorghnessy family

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

Shorghnessy Spelling Variations

The general population of Ireland, like those of Europe and Britain during the Middle Ages, scribes recorded people's names as they saw fit. As a result, surnames often had many spelling variations. For Shorghnessy some of these variations included: O'Shaughnessy, Shaughnessy, O'Shanessy, Shanessy and others.

Early Notables of the Shorghnessy 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 Shorghnessy Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Migration of the Shorghnessy family

The 18th and 19th centuries saw many Irish families immigrate to North America in search of land and opportunities. The largest influx of Irish immigrants to the United States and British North America came during the 1840s when the Great Potato Famine laid waste to their homeland. Hundreds of thousands left the island in an attempt to escape the starvation and disease it brought. Although the arrival of such a large number of destitute Irish was not welcomed by the established population in the United States and what would become known as Canada at the time, these Irish were an essential element to the rapid development of these growing industrial nations. They filled the demand for the cheap labor needed for the work in factories and in the construction of bridges, roads, canals, and railways. An examination of passenger and immigration lists has revealed many immigrants bearing the name of Shorghnessy 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..