The Shunagh surname originally appeared in Gaelic as Ó Sionnaigh, which is derived from "sionnach," which means "fox." 1
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Early Origins of the Shunagh family
The surname Shunagh 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
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Early History of the Shunagh family
This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Shunagh research. Another 98 words (7 lines of text) covering the year 1845 is included under the topic Early Shunagh History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.
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Shunagh Spelling Variations
The search for the origins of the name Shunagh family name revealed numerous spelling variations. These variants can be somewhat accounted for when it is realized that before widespread literacy people only recognized their name by pronunciation; it was up to scribes to decide how it was to be formally recorded. Variations found include Shiner, Shinner, Shunny, Shunagh, Shunnagh, Shinnick, Shinnock, Shinick and many more.
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Early Notables of the Shunagh family
More information is included under the topic Early Shunagh Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.
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Migration of the Shunagh family
The 18th century saw the slow yet steady emigration of Irish families to British North America and the United States. Those early Irish settlers that left their homeland were typically moderately well off: they were enticed by the promise of a sizable plot of land. However, by the 1840s, this pattern of immigration was gone: immigrants to North America were seeking refuge from the starvation and disease that the Great Potato Famine of that decade brought. The great numbers of Irish that arrived to the United States and the soon to be Canada were instrumental in their quick development as powerful industrial nations. An examination of early immigration and passenger lists uncovered many early immigrants bearing the name Shunagh: L. Shiner who settled in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania in 1754; followed by John A. Shiner in 1868; W.S. Shinner who settled in Boston Massachusetts in 1820.
