| ![Show Contents]() Shenan History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms
- Origins Available:
Scotland
Ireland
Etymology of ShenanWhat does the name Shenan mean? Shenan 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 Shenan familyThe surname Shenan 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 Shenan familyThis web page shows only a small excerpt of our Shenan research. Another 112 words (8 lines of text) covering the year 1548 is included under the topic Early Shenan History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible. Shenan Spelling VariationsMedieval translation of Gaelic names could not be referred to as an accurate process. Spelling was not yet standardized, and names in documents from that era are riddled with spelling variations. Shenan has been written as Shannon, Shennan, Shennane and others. Early Notables of the Shenan familyMore information is included under the topic Early Shenan Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible. Migration of the Shenan family to IrelandSome of the Shenan 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.
| Shenan migration to the United States | + |
Dalriadan families proliferated in North America. Their descendants still populate many communities in the eastern parts of both the United States and Canada. Some settled in Canada as United Empire Loyalists, in the wake of the American War of Independence. Families on both sides of the border have recovered much of their heritage in the 20th century through Clan societies and highland games. Analysis of immigration records indicates that some of the first North American immigrants bore the name Shenan or a variant listed above:
Shenan Settlers in United States in the 19th Century- Ellen Shenan, who arrived in San Francisco, California in 1855 1
| Shenan migration to Canada | + |
Some of the first settlers of this family name were: Shenan Settlers in Canada in the 19th Century- Mary Shenan, who arrived in Saint John, New Brunswick aboard the ship "Daniel O'Connell" in 1834
| Shenan migration to New Zealand | + |
Emigration to New Zealand followed in the footsteps of the European explorers, such as Captain Cook (1769-70): first came sealers, whalers, missionaries, and traders. By 1838, the British New Zealand Company had begun buying land from the Maori tribes, and selling it to settlers, and, after the Treaty of Waitangi in 1840, many British families set out on the arduous six month journey from Britain to Aotearoa to start a new life. Early immigrants include: Shenan Settlers in New Zealand in the 19th Century- Helen Shenan, who arrived in Wellington, New Zealand aboard the ship "Asterope" in 1867
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.
- 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)
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