{{ad}} |
|
|
Origins Available: |
| Ireland |
The family name Shanlee has an intrinsic connection to the Gaelic culture of Ireland. This east Connacht sept gathered their original Gaelic form of the name Shanlee is Mac Seanlaoich, which is derived from the words "sean," meaning "old," and "laoch," meaning "hero."
The surname Shanlee was first found in Leitrim (Irish: Liatroim) anciently the western half of the kingdom of Breifne, located in Northeastern Ireland, in Leinster province, where they held a family seat in that county, some say, well before the 10th century.
This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Shanlee research. Another 198 words (14 lines of text) covering the years 1404, 1473 and 1714 are included under the topic Early Shanlee History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.
Many different spelling variations of the surname Shanlee exist in the archives researched. Ancient scribes and church officials recorded names as they were pronounced, often resulting in a single person being recorded under several different spellings. Different spellings that were found include Shanley, Shanly, MacShanley, McShanley, MacShanly and many more.
More information is included under the topic Early Shanlee Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.
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 Shanlee: Thomas Shanley, who settled in Charles Town, SC in 1767; Bernardo Shanly, who settled in Mississippi in 1789; James D. Shanley, who settled in Philadelphia in 1819.