Explore the Family Name Shanley
The meaning of Shanley
Irish (Leitrim): shortened Anglicized form of Gaelic Mac Seanlaoich ‘son of Seanlaoch’, a personal name composed of the elements sean ‘old’ + laoch ‘hero’. Compare Ganley. Some characteristic forenames: Irish Brendan, Padraic.
Dictionary of American Family Names, 2nd edition, © Oxford University Press, 2022.
How common is the last name Shanley in the United States?
Based on the Decennial U.S. Census, the surname Shanley saw a subtle rise in popularity between 2000 and 2010. The data indicates that in 2000, the Shanley surname ranked 7386, with 4162 individuals identified. By 2010, it had moved slightly up to rank 7384, with a total count of 4511 people, marking an increase of approximately 8.39%. Despite this growth, the proportion of the name per 100k decreased by 0.65%, suggesting it became less common compared to other surnames.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #7,386 | #7,384 | 0.03% |
| Count | 4,162 | 4,511 | 8.39% |
| Proportion per 100k | 1.54 | 1.53 | -0.65% |
Race and Ethnicity of people with the last name Shanley
The ethnic identity associated with the surname Shanley also experienced some shifts, according to the same Decennial U.S. Census data. In 2000, the majority of individuals with the Shanley surname were of white ethnicity (96.54%), with small proportions identifying as Asian/Pacific Islander, Hispanic, Black, or American Indian and Alaskan Native. By 2010, while the white ethnicity still dominated (94.88%), there was a notable increase in those identifying as two or more races (a rise of over 102.86%) and those identifying as Hispanic (an increase of 60%). The proportions of other ethnicities also increased, albeit marginally.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| White | 96.54% | 94.88% | -1.72% |
| Hispanic | 1.3% | 2.08% | 60% |
| Two or More Races | 0.7% | 1.42% | 102.86% |
| Black | 0.53% | 0.62% | 16.98% |
| Asian/Pacific Islander | 0.46% | 0.51% | 10.87% |
| American Indian and Alaskan Native | 0.48% | 0.49% | 2.08% |
Shanley ancestry composition
23andMe computes an ancestry breakdown for each customer. People may have ancestry from just one population or they may have ancestry from several populations. The most commonly-observed ancestry found in people with the surname Shanley is British & Irish, which comprises 63.8% of all ancestry found in people with the surname. The next two most common ancestries are French & German (11.6%) and Italian (7.1%). Additional ancestries include Eastern European, Scandinavian, Spanish & Portuguese, Ashkenazi Jewish, and Indigenous American.
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| ANCESTRY BREAKDOWN | COMPOSITION |
|---|---|
| British & Irish | 63.8% |
| French & German | 11.6% |
| Italian | 7.1% |
| Other | 17.5% |
Possible origins of the surname Shanley
Your DNA provides clues about where your recent ancestors may have lived. Having many distant relatives in the same location suggests that you may all share common ancestry there. Locations with many distant relatives can also be places where people have migrated recently, such as large cities. If a large number of individuals who share your surname have distant relatives in a specific area, it could indicate a connection between your surname and that location, stemming from either recent ancestral ties or migration.
Based on 23andMe data, people with last name Shanley have recent ancestry locations in the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and Ireland.
| RECENT ANCESTRY Location | Percentage |
|---|---|
| West Midlands, United Kingdom | 85.70% |
| Glasgow City, United Kingdom | 85.70% |
| Tyne And Wear, United Kingdom | 85.70% |
| Belfast, United Kingdom | 85.70% |
| Merseyside, United Kingdom | 85.70% |
What Shanley haplogroups can tell you
Haplogroups are genetic population groups that share a common ancestor on either your paternal or maternal line. These paternal and maternal haplogroups shed light on your genetic ancestry and help tell the story of your family.
The top paternal haplogroup of people with the surname Shanley is R-S846, which is predominantly found among people with European ancestry. Haplogroup R-S846 is descended from haplogroup R-M343. Other common haplogroups include R-L21 and R-P311, which are predominantly found among people with European and European ancestry. Other surnames with similar common haplogroups are: Tompkins, Farrell, Brogan, Fagan, Sheridan, Flood, Earley, Ferrell, Early, Mcgarry.
The most common maternal haplogroups of people with Shanley surname are: U4, H1, H. These most commonly trace back to individuals of European ancestry.
Paternal Haplogroup Origins R-M343Your maternal lineage may be linked to Marie Antoinette
Because it is so dominant in the general European population, haplogroup H also appears quite frequently in the continent's royal houses. Marie Antoinette, an Austrian Hapsburg who married into the French royal family, inherited the haplogroup from her maternal ancestors. So did Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh, whose recorded genealogy traces his female line to Bavaria. Scientists also discovered that famed 16th century astronomer Nicolaus Copernicus traced his maternal lineages to haplogroup H.
What do people with the surname Shanley have in common?
Spoiler alert: it's complicated. People with the same last name are usually no more genetically similar than a randomly sampled group of people from the same population. That said, people with the same surname are more likely to have similar ancestries than randomly sampled individuals. The reason is the tendency of people with similar cultural or geographical backgrounds to preferentially mate with one another. That's why people who share a surname may be more likely to share traits and tendencies in common than people within the general population. Check out the percentages below to see the prevalences of tastes, habits, and traits of people with your surname compared with prevalences among 23andMe users.
Preferences
Chocolate Ice Cream
Prefers chocolate flavored ice cream over other flavors.
"Shanley" Surname 27.8%
23andMe Users 41.3%
Traits
Misophonia
When sounds made by others, like the sound of chewing or yawning, provoke strong emotional reactions in an individual.
"Shanley" Surname 18.2%
23andMe Users 27.9%
Habits
Sugary Drink
Drinks one or more sugary drinks per day.
"Shanley" Surname 26.2%
23andMe Users 21.1%
Wellness
Migraine
A severe headache characterized by intense pain, sensitivity to light and sound, and often accompanied by nausea and vomiting.
"Shanley" Surname 14.4%
23andMe Users 16.4%
Are health conditions linked to the last name Shanley?
The short answer is that, if there is an association between surname and health, it's usually more about your ancestry than your name. Individuals with a given surname are no more genetically similar than the general population but often have similar ancestries. The populations of people associated with those shared ancestries often have sets of genetic variations, also known as alleles, in common. Some of those alleles are associated with a greater likelihood of developing certain diseases.
Disease variant frequency by ancestry
Disease allele frequencies in populations associated with the surname Shanley are shown below. Important Note: not everyone with a disease allele will develop these health condition