Find out how popular the last name O'Shields 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'Shields.

O'Shields, 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'Shields surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of O'Shields in America

O'Shields is the 18467th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The O'Shields surname appeared 1,498 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 1 people would have the surname O'Shields.

We can also compare 2010 data for O'Shields 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'Shields

The surname OSHIELDS has its origins in Ireland, tracing back to the early medieval period. It is believed to have evolved from the Gaelic name Ó Siadhail, meaning "descendant of Siadhail." Siadhail is thought to be a diminutive form of the given name Siodhalán, which means "streamer" or "pennon."

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name OSHIELDS can be found in the Annals of Ulster, a chronicle of medieval Irish history. In the year 1119, the name appears as "O'Sheghill," referring to a member of an Irish clan or family.

The OSHIELDS name has its roots in County Tyrone, Northern Ireland, where it was particularly prominent in the region known as the Barony of Clogher. In the 16th century, during the Tudor conquest of Ireland, the OSHIELDS family held lands in the territory of Clann Aodha, near the town of Coalisland.

Notable individuals with the surname OSHIELDS include Patrick OSHIELDS (c. 1560-1630), a prominent Irish landowner and chieftain who fought in the Nine Years' War against English forces. Another noteworthy figure was Seán OSHIELDS (1695-1768), a renowned Irish harpist and composer who helped preserve traditional Irish music during a time of cultural suppression.

In the 17th century, the OSHIELDS name appeared in various forms, such as O'Shiel, O'Sheill, and O'Sheel, reflecting the spelling variations common at the time. One individual of note was Fearghal OSHIELDS (1620-1680), a Gaelic poet and scholar who wrote extensively on Irish history and culture.

As the OSHIELDS family dispersed throughout Ireland and beyond, the name took on different spellings and variations. In the 18th century, John OSHIELDS (1745-1820) was a prominent merchant and landowner in County Donegal, while in the 19th century, Mary OSHIELDS (1825-1898) was a renowned writer and activist who campaigned for women's rights and Irish nationalism.

While the OSHIELDS name has its roots in Ireland, it has since spread to other parts of the world, carried by Irish emigrants and their descendants. The name has left an indelible mark on the cultural and historical landscape of Ireland, reflecting the richness and endurance of Irish heritage.

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

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

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'Shields 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'Shields 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'Shields 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'Shields, please contact us.

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