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Sheehan Family History

Sheehan Surname Meaning

Irish (Cork): shortened form of O'Sheehan an Anglicized form of Gaelic Ó Síodhacháin ‘descendant of Siódachán’ a personal name representing a diminutive of síodhach ‘peaceful’.

The same word as sítheach.

Compare Sheehy.

Source: Dictionary of American Family Names 2nd edition, 2022


Similar surnames: 

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Where is the Sheehan family from?

You can see how Sheehan families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Sheehan family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1840 and 1920. The most Sheehan families were found in USA in 1880. In 1911 there were 118 Sheehan families living in Ontario. This was about 49% of all the recorded Sheehan's in Canada. Ontario had the highest population of Sheehan families in 1911.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Sheehan surname lived. Within census records, you can often find information like name of household members, ages, birthplaces, residences, and occupations.
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What did your Sheehan ancestors do for a living?

In 1921, Farmer and Servant were the top reported jobs for men and women in the Canada named Sheehan. 27% of Sheehan men worked as a Farmer and 15% of Sheehan women worked as a Servant. Some less common occupations for Americans named Sheehan were Fireman and Operator.

View Census Data for Sheehan | Data not to scale

*We display top occupations by gender to maintain their historical accuracy during times when men and women often performed different jobs.

Top Male Occupations In 1921

  • Farmer
    27%
  • Laborer
    13%
  • Labourer
    11%
  • Fireman
    8%

Top Female Occupations In 1921

  • Servant
    15%
  • Teacher
    12%
  • Income
    12%
  • Operator
    12%

What Sheehan family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 197,000 census records available for the last name Sheehan. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Sheehan census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search Canadian census records for Sheehan

Passenger Lists

There are 44,000 immigration records available for the last name Sheehan. Passenger lists are your ticket to knowing when your ancestors arrived in Canada, and how they made the journey - from the ship name to ports of arrival and departure.

View all Sheehan immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 35,000 military records available for the last name Sheehan. For the veterans among your Sheehan ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Sheehan military records

You've only scratched the surface of Sheehan family history

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What is the average Sheehan lifespan?

Between 1941 and 2004, in the United States, Sheehan life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1944, and highest in 1989. The average life expectancy for Sheehan in 1941 was 50, and 75 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Sheehan

An unusually short lifespan might indicate that your Sheehan ancestors lived in harsh conditions. A short lifespan might also indicate health problems that were once prevalent in your family. The SSDI is a searchable database of more than 70 million names. You can find birthdates, death dates, addresses and more.

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