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

Skehan, 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 Skehan surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Skehan in America

Skehan is the 36477th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Skehan surname appeared 613 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 Skehan.

We can also compare 2010 data for Skehan 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 Skehan

The surname Skehan originated in Ireland, tracing its roots back to the early medieval period. It is believed to be a variant of the Gaelic name O'Sgathain, which means "descendant of Sgathan." The name Sgathan itself derives from the Gaelic word "sgath," meaning "wing" or "shade."

One of the earliest recorded instances of the name Skehan can be found in the Annals of the Four Masters, a chronicle of medieval Irish history compiled in the early 17th century. The annals mention a notable figure named Domhnall O'Sgathain, who lived in the 14th century and was a member of a prominent Irish family.

In the 16th century, the name Skehan appeared in several documents and records from County Cork, Ireland. This region is considered the ancestral homeland of many Skehan families. The name was often spelled in various ways, such as O'Skehan, Skeahan, and Skeehan, reflecting the fluidity of spelling practices during that time.

One notable individual with the surname Skehan was Edmund Skehan, a Catholic priest and biblical scholar born in Pennsylvania in 1891. He made significant contributions to the field of biblical studies and was involved in the translation of the Revised Standard Version of the Bible.

Another prominent figure was Michael Skehan, an American archaeologist and biblical scholar born in 1901. He conducted excavations in the Middle East and was instrumental in the discovery and interpretation of ancient manuscripts, including the Dead Sea Scrolls.

In the 19th century, a renowned figure named Daniel Skehan was a prominent Irish politician and member of the British Parliament, representing the constituency of Mallow in County Cork from 1852 to 1857.

The name Skehan has also been associated with several place names in Ireland, such as Skehanagh, a townland in County Cork, and Skehanerine, a civil parish in County Waterford. These place names likely derived from the surname itself, reflecting the presence of Skehan families in those areas.

Throughout history, various individuals with the surname Skehan have made their mark in fields ranging from academia and religion to politics and archaeology. While the name has evolved over time, its origins can be traced back to the rich cultural heritage of Ireland, where it has been deeply rooted for centuries.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Skehan

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

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

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

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