Shanan History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
Scotland
Ireland

Etymology of Shanan

What does the name Shanan mean?

Shanan is an ancient Dalriadan-Scottish nickname for a person noted as possessing great wisdom, or an elderly person. The surname is derived from the Irish Gaelic name O Seanain, which comes from the word sean, which has the double meaning of old and wise.

Early Origins of the Shanan family

The surname Shanan was first found in Kintyre, where they held a family seat from early times and their first records appeared on the early census rolls taken by the early Kings of Scotland to determine the rate of taxation of their subjects.

Early History of the Shanan family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Shanan research. Another 112 words (8 lines of text) covering the year 1548 is included under the topic Early Shanan History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Shanan Spelling Variations

Translation in medieval times was an undeveloped science and was often carried out without due care. For this reason, many early Scottish names appeared radically altered when written in English. The spelling variations of Shanan include Shannon, Shennan, Shennane and others.

Early Notables of the Shanan family

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

Migration of the Shanan family to Ireland

Some of the Shanan family moved to Ireland, but this topic is not covered in this excerpt. More information about their life in Ireland is included in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Shanan migration to the United States +

Ancestors of many of the Dalriadan families who crossed the Atlantic still live along the east coast of the United States and Canada. Some Scottish settlers arrived in Canada during the American War of Independence as United Empire Loyalists, while others stayed south to fight for a new nation. The descendants of Scottish settlers in both countries began to rediscover their heritage in the 19th and 20th centuries through Clan societies and highland games. An inquiry into the early roots of North American families has revealed a number of immigrants bearing the name Shanan or a variant listed above:

Shanan Settlers in United States in the 18th Century

Jane Shanan, who arrived in Boston, Massachusetts in 1766 1

The Shanan 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: Virtute Duce
Motto Translation: With virtue for guide.

Sources +

Filby, P. William, Meyer, Mary K., Passenger and immigration lists index : a guide to published arrival records of about 500,000 passengers who came to the United States and Canada in the seventeenth, eighteenth, and nineteenth centuries. 1982-1985 Cumulated Supplements in Four Volumes Detroit, Mich. : Gale Research Co., 1985, Print (ISBN 0-8103-1795-8)