Shinnock History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
Ireland
England

The Shinnock surname originally appeared in Gaelic as Ó Sionnaigh, which is derived from "sionnach," which means "fox." 1

Early Origins of the Shinnock family

The surname Shinnock was first found in County Mayo (Irish: Maigh Eo) located on the West coast of the Republic of Ireland in the province of Connacht, where they held a family seat. This most ancient Irish surname is derived from Sionnach, the Fox, an epithet used by the Chief of the Irish Cathernaigh Clann, a branch of the northern Ui Fiachrach.

However, some of the family were found in England in early days and there, the name was an occupational name for a Shinner or Skinner from the Old English word "scinn" meaning "skin." 2 There we found John le Scinner in the Hundredorum Rolls of 1279 in Cambridgeshire; Geoffrey le Schinner in the Subsidy Rolls for Sussex in 1296; and John Schynnere in Hampshire in 1305. 2

The shortened form of the name Shinn or Shynn was first found in Suffolk in the Pipe Rolls of 1165 where Herveus Schinn was listed. Hugo Scin was later found in the Pipe Rolls for Herefordshire in 1190. 2

Early History of the Shinnock family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Shinnock research. Another 98 words (7 lines of text) covering the year 1845 is included under the topic Early Shinnock History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Shinnock Spelling Variations

The archives that survive today demonstrate the difficulty experienced by the scribes of the Middle Ages in their attempts to record these names in writing. Spelling variations of the name Shinnock dating from that time include Shiner, Shinner, Shunny, Shunagh, Shunnagh, Shinnick, Shinnock, Shinick and many more.

Early Notables of the Shinnock family

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

Shinnock migration to Australia +

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

Shinnock Settlers in Australia in the 19th Century

Edward Shinnock, who arrived in Adelaide, Australia aboard the ship "Cromwell" in 1849 3

Citations +

O'Hart, John, Irish Pedigrees 5th Edition in 2 Volumes. Baltimore: Genealogical Publishing Company, 1976. Print. (ISBN 0-8063-0737-4)
Reaney, P.H and R.M. Wilson, A Dictionary of English Surnames. London: Routledge, 1991. Print. (ISBN 0-415-05737-X)
State Records of South Australia. (Retrieved 2010, November 5) CROMWELL 1849. Retrieved from http://www.slsa.sa.gov.au/BSA/1849Cromwell.htm