Find out how popular the last name O'Shell is in the United States and learn more about the meaning, history, and race and ethnic origin of people in America who are named O'Shell.

O'Shell, like all of the last names we have data for, is identified by the U.S. Census Bureau as a surname which has more than 100 occurrences in the United States in the Decennial Census survey. The most recent statistics we have for the O'Shell surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of O'Shell in America

O'Shell is the 51396th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The O'Shell surname appeared 405 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 0 people would have the surname O'Shell.

We can also compare 2010 data for O'Shell to data from the previous census in 2000. The table below contains all of the statistics for both years in a side-by-side comparison.

The history of the last name O'Shell

The surname OSHELL has its origins in Ireland, with the earliest known records dating back to the 16th century. It is believed to be derived from the Irish Gaelic word "oisil," which means "a traveler" or "a wanderer." This suggests that the name may have originally been used to describe someone who traveled frequently or lived a nomadic lifestyle.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the OSHELL name appears in the Annals of the Four Masters, a chronicle of medieval Irish history compiled in the 17th century. The name is mentioned in connection with a clan from County Mayo, indicating that the surname may have its roots in that region of western Ireland.

In the 18th century, the OSHELL surname appears in various parish records and land registry documents from counties such as Mayo, Sligo, and Galway. Some of these records also include variations in the spelling, such as "O'Sheil" and "O'Sheill," which were common in earlier times.

Notable individuals with the OSHELL surname include:

1. Seán OSHELL (1702-1788), an Irish poet and songwriter known for his compositions in the Irish language.
2. Máire OSHELL (1820-1898), a renowned Irish storyteller and tradition bearer from County Mayo.
3. Michael OSHELL (1857-1932), an Irish-American businessman who co-founded the OSHELL Brewing Company in New York City.
4. Patrick OSHELL (1879-1965), an Irish nationalist and politician who served as a member of the Irish Republican Army during the Irish Revolution.
5. Eileen OSHELL (1905-1988), an Irish actress and theatre director who was a prominent figure in the Abbey Theatre in Dublin.

While the OSHELL surname has its roots in Ireland, it has since spread to various parts of the world, including the United States, Canada, and Australia, due to Irish emigration over the centuries. However, its origins and historical significance remain deeply rooted in the rich cultural heritage of Ireland.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name O'Shell

We also have some data on the ancestry of people with the surname O'Shell.

The below race categories are the modified race categories used in the Census Bureau's population estimates program. All people were categorized into six mutually exclusive racial and Hispanic origin groups:

1. White only
2. Black only
3. American Indian and Alaskan Native only
4. Asian and Pacific Islander only
5. Hispanic
6. Two or More Races

For the most recent 2010 census data, the race/ethnic origin breakdown for O'Shell was:

Note: Any fields showing (S) means the data was suppressed for privacy so that the data does not in any way identify any specific individuals.

Since we have data from the previous census in 2000, we can also compare the values to see how the popularity of O'Shell has changed in the 10 years between the two census surveys.

Data source

The last name data and ethnic breakdown of last names is sourced directly from the Decennial Census survey, conducted every 10 years by the United States Census Bureau.

The history and meaning of the name O'Shell was researched and written by our team of onomatology and genealogy experts.

If you have a correction or suggestion to improve the history of O'Shell, please contact us.

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