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

Sheehy, 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 Sheehy surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Sheehy in America

Sheehy is the 7005th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Sheehy surname appeared 4,782 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 2 people would have the surname Sheehy.

We can also compare 2010 data for Sheehy 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 Sheehy

The surname Sheehy originates from Ireland, specifically in the province of Munster. It is believed to have derived from the Irish Gaelic word "Síodhaí," which translates to "fairy" or "fairy-like." The name is thought to have emerged sometime during the 10th or 11th century.

The surname was initially associated with the ancient territory of Fermoy, located in modern-day County Cork. It is believed that the Sheehy family held lands in this area and may have been prominent figures in the local community.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Sheehy can be found in the Annals of Inisfallen, a historical chronicle compiled by monks in the 12th century. The annals mention a "Sheehy" who was involved in a conflict with the O'Briens, another prominent Irish family, in the year 1178.

During the Norman invasion of Ireland in the 12th century, the Sheehy family is said to have lost some of their lands and influence. However, they remained a respected clan in the region, and their name continued to be recorded in various historical documents.

In the 16th century, a notable member of the Sheehy family was Edmund Sheehy, who was born around 1520. He was a prominent Catholic landowner and is believed to have been involved in the Desmond Rebellions against English rule in Ireland.

Another significant figure was Reverend Nicholas Sheehy, who lived from 1728 to 1766. He was a Catholic priest and a prominent figure in the uprising known as the Whiteboy Movement, which fought against the oppressive laws and conditions imposed on Catholics in Ireland at the time. Sheehy was ultimately convicted and executed, becoming a martyr for the cause.

In the 19th century, John Sheehy (1818-1882) was a notable Irish mathematician and astronomer. He worked as a professor at the Catholic University of Ireland and made contributions to the fields of optics and celestial mechanics.

Additionally, Michael Sheehy (1670-1766) was an Irish-born Roman Catholic priest who served as the Bishop of Waterford and Lismore. He played a significant role in defending the rights of Catholics during the Penal Laws era in Ireland.

Throughout history, the surname Sheehy has been associated with various spellings, such as Shee, Shey, and Shea, reflecting the variations in pronunciation and spelling conventions over time.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Sheehy

We also have some data on the ancestry of people with the surname Sheehy.

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 Sheehy 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 Sheehy 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 Sheehy was researched and written by our team of onomatology and genealogy experts.

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

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