Sheehy Family History

Irish (Limerick and Kerry): shortened Anglicized form of Gaelic Ó Síthigh ‘descendant of Sítheach’ or Mac Síthigh ‘son of Sítheach’ a form of the Irish personal name Siódach ‘peaceful’ from the adjective sítheach ‘peaceful’ or ‘other worldly’ (see Sheehan).

The noun síth from which this adjective derives means basically ‘settlement’ hence both ‘peace’ and ‘place inhabited by other world beings’.

This name was established in Ireland from the early 14th century when a branch of the Scottish McDonnells descended from Sítheach, great-grandson of Domhnaill, settled in the country.