Surname Shea - Meaning and Origin
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Unraveling the Shea Lineage: A Personal Journey with iGENEA DNA Testing
As someone curious about my familial lineage, taking the iGENEA DNA test helped me gain insights into the origins of my surname, Shea. The test provides a comprehensive report based on comparison with a large database of genetic markers. My results confirmed Irish-Celtic origins and unveiled an unexpected trace of Middle Eastern lineage. I appreciated this deepened understanding of my heritage.
R. Shea
read moreShea: What does the surname Shea mean?
The surname Shea is of Irish origin, derived from the Gaelic term "O'Seaghdha," which means "descendant of Seaghdha." The term "Seaghdha" is a personal name that means "esteemed" or "majestic." The Shea surname is most commonly found in the counties of Kerry, Cork, and Limerick in Ireland. Over time, variations of the name have appeared, including O'Shea, Shee, and others. The name may also be used to refer to someone from a place called Shea, like the town in France. Despite its different meanings and origins, the universally accepted meaning of the surname Shea is "descendant of the majestic one."
Order DNA origin analysisShea: Where does the name Shea come from?
The last name Shea is most commonly associated with Ireland. In 1880, the surname Shea was most commonly found in County Cork, Ireland, where it was the third most popular surname in the region. It has since spread throughout all of Ireland and the rest of the world.
Today, there are over 8,000 with the last name Shea living in the United States according to US census data. The most heavily concentrated population of Sheas is found in the Northeast, with New York State accounting for the largest population of Sheas at 8.3%. Other heavily populated states include Massachusetts, New Jersey, Rhode Island, Connecticut, and Pennsylvania.
In Canada, Shea is considered to be one of the top 100 surnames. According to 2016 census data, the province of Quebec has the highest concentration of people with the last name Shea at more than 1,000, followed by Alberta and Ontario.
Other countries where the last name Shea is found include the United Kingdom, Ireland, Australia, and New Zealand. According to House of Names, the largest concentration of people with the last name Shea live in the United Kingdom.
Overall, the surname Shea has a global presence due to its Irish heritage. It is most popular in countries with large Irish diasporas, such as the United States, Canada, and the United Kingdom, but is also found in smaller numbers in other countries such as Australia and New Zealand.
Variations of the surname Shea
The surname Shea has many variants, spellings and surnames of the same origin.
The Irish form of Shea or O'Shea can also be spelled O'Shee, O'Shea, O'Sheagh, MacShee, O'Shay, O'Shaugh, O'Sea and MacShay. The Shea family is traditionally associated with County Cork in Ireland.
The Scottish spelling of Shea is Shee, which is thought to have been derived from the Gaelic MacShui, meaning “son of Shui”. This form is usually found in northern counties such as Inverness and Sutherland.
The English form of Shea is Sha, or sometimes Shaa, which is an abbreviation of the more common spelling of Shaw. This form can also be found in areas such as Surrey and Kent.
The Italian form of Shea is Sciacca, which is likely a variation of the name Sichel, meaning “shield”. This form can be found mainly in Sicily and southern Italy.
The Polish form of Shea is Szuwał, which is likely derived from the Polish word szuwać, meaning “to shave” or “to trim”. This form is mainly found in Poland and Central Europe.
The Spanish form of Shea is Scha, which is derived from the Spanish word sacha, meaning “brave”. This form is mainly found in Spain and Latin America.
In conclusion, the surname Shea has many variants, spellings and surnames of the same origin, from old Irish to Spanish and Polish. It is important to research the location and spelling of your family name in order to make sure that it has not been changed over time.
Famous people with the name Shea
- Faith Shea: American actress
- Jakob Shea: American actor
- Michael Shea: English actor
- Meagan Shea: Australian actor
- John Shea: American actor
- Jaeger Shea: American actor
- Pat Shea: Australian actor
- Brady Shea: American actor
- Jim Shea: American attorney and Olympic athlete
- Scott Shea: American actor
- Joe Shea: American journalist
- Christina Shea: American politician
- Bridget Shea: American para-equestrian
- Patrick Shea: Irish rugby player
- Bernie Shea: American former professional baseball player
- Molly Shea: American actress
- Ronnie Shea: American former professional rugby league footballer
- Amy Shea: American former professional basketball player