Gaelic sept

O'Shaughnessy

Ó Seachnasaigh

Also: Shaughnessy, O'Shannessy

“descendant of Seachnasach”

🏔 Galway · Gaillimh 🏔 Limerick · Luimneach Source: Wikipedia ↗ Source: Woulfe, Irish Names and Surnames (1923) ↗

The sept's historic heartland, highlighted. People moved — a name can be found far from home.

The story

A branch of the Uí Fiachrach Aidhne, Woulfe writes, who became chiefs of Kinelea around Gort when the kindred O'Cahills declined in the 13th century. Dermot O'Shaughnessy was knighted in 1533 and surrendered the clan lands ten years later to receive them back. A later Sir Dermot joined the Confederation of Kilkenny and lost his estates, received back 2,000 acres at the Restoration, and lost them again in 1697; Colonel William, the last chief in the direct line, died in France in 1744. Woulfe disagrees with O'Donovan on the Limerick branch: they were at Dromard near Rathkeale before 1600.

Their world In 1533 — The Kildare Ascendancy. The English crown is too poor to govern Ireland directly, so it governs through the greatest of the Geraldines instead.

See them on the atlas ↗

What the name is made of

Ó Seachnasaigh
Ó — descendant of (originally grandson of)
Seachnasaigh — the ancestor, trade or place the name is built on

Find this form in the Irish-to-English index → · What Ó and Mac actually mean

Is O'Shaughnessy an Irish name?

O'Shaughnessy is a Gaelic name: it was formed in Irish, from an Irish ancestor, before English was spoken here.

The five answers, and why it is rarely yes or no →

Where the O'Shaughnessy country is

County Galway County Limerick Limerick Galway Tuam Newcastle West Ballinasloe Loughrea Athenry Gort 37 castles in Galway 14 castles in Limerick

Neighbours — other names from the same counties

Duane · Galway, Limerick O'Grady · Galway, Limerick Bermingham · Galway Blake · Galway Bodkin · Galway Broderick · Galway Burke · Galway Cahill · Galway Canavan · Galway Carmody · Limerick Casey · Limerick Clarke · Galway Collins · Limerick Concannon · Galway

Quick answers

Is O'Shaughnessy an Irish name?

O'Shaughnessy is a Gaelic name: it was formed in Irish, from an Irish ancestor, before English was spoken here. In Irish the name is Ó Seachnasaigh.

What does the surname O'Shaughnessy mean?

O'Shaughnessy (Irish: Ó Seachnasaigh) means “descendant of Seachnasach”. Origin: Gaelic sept.

Where in Ireland is the surname O'Shaughnessy from?

The historic homeland of the O'Shaughnessy name is Galway, Limerick. People moved, so the name can be found far beyond it.

What is the Irish for O'Shaughnessy?

Ó Seachnasaigh. Related spellings: Shaughnessy, O'Shannessy.

Looking for the O'Shaughnessy family crest? Read this first — arms belong to people, not surnames, and the honest version is more interesting. Tracing O'Shaughnessy ancestors? The step-by-step guide.

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