Explore the Family Name Sheehy
The meaning of Sheehy
Irish (Limerick and Kerry): shortened Anglicized form of Gaelic Ó Síthigh, ‘descendant of Sítheach’, or Mac Síthigh ‘son of Sítheach’, a form of the Irish personal name Síodhach ‘peaceful’, from the adjective sítheach ‘peaceful’ or ‘other worldly’ (see Sheehan). The noun síth, from which this adjective derives, means basically ‘settlement’, hence both ‘peace’ and ‘place inhabited by other world beings’. This name was established in Ireland from the early 14th century, when a branch of the Scottish McDonnells, descended from Sítheach, great-grandson of Domhnaill, settled in the country. Some characteristic forenames: Irish Brendan, Aileen, Aisling, Brigid, Declan, Egan, Eoin, Finbar, Ronan.
Dictionary of American Family Names, 2nd edition, © Oxford University Press, 2022.
How common is the last name Sheehy in the United States?
According to the Decennial U.S. Census, the popularity of the surname "Sheehy" slightly declined between 2000 and 2010. In 2000, Sheehy was ranked 6777th in popularity among all surnames, dropping to a rank of 7005 in 2010 - a change of -3.36%. Despite this slight drop in rank, the actual number of people bearing the Sheehy surname increased during this period. The count rose from 4585 in 2000 to 4782 in 2010, marking a 4.3% increase. However, when considering the proportion per 100,000 people, the presence of the Sheehy surname dipped by -4.71%.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #6,777 | #7,005 | -3.36% |
| Count | 4,585 | 4,782 | 4.3% |
| Proportion per 100k | 1.7 | 1.62 | -4.71% |
Race and Ethnicity of people with the last name Sheehy
Looking at the ethnic identity associated with the Sheehy surname, the data from the Decennial U.S. Census revealed some changes between 2000 and 2010. While the majority of individuals with the Sheehy surname identified as White (95.22% in 2000 and 93.62% in 2010), there were noteworthy shifts in other categories. The percentage of those identifying as Hispanic saw a significant rise of 56.76%, going from 1.11% to 1.74%. Similarly, Black and those reporting two or more races also saw increases of 35.22% and 42.55% respectively. The percentage of those identifying as Asian/Pacific Islander and American Indian and Alaskan Native experienced minor changes.
| 2000 | 2010 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| White | 95.22% | 93.62% | -1.68% |
| Black | 1.59% | 2.15% | 35.22% |
| Hispanic | 1.11% | 1.74% | 56.76% |
| Two or More Races | 0.94% | 1.34% | 42.55% |
| Asian/Pacific Islander | 0.72% | 0.67% | -6.94% |
| American Indian and Alaskan Native | 0.41% | 0.48% | 17.07% |
Sheehy 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 Sheehy is British & Irish, which comprises 62.9% of all ancestry found in people with the surname. The next two most common ancestries are French & German (13.3%) and Eastern European (7.1%). Additional ancestries include Italian, Scandinavian, Spanish & Portuguese, Indigenous American, and Ashkenazi Jewish.
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| ANCESTRY BREAKDOWN | COMPOSITION |
|---|---|
| British & Irish | 62.9% |
| French & German | 13.3% |
| Eastern European | 7.1% |
| Other | 16.7% |
Possible origins of the surname Sheehy
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 Sheehy have recent ancestry locations in the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and Ireland.
| RECENT ANCESTRY Location | Percentage |
|---|---|
| Greater London, United Kingdom | 88.40% |
| Glasgow City, United Kingdom | 88.40% |
| West Midlands, United Kingdom | 88.40% |
| Merseyside, United Kingdom | 88.40% |
| Greater Manchester, United Kingdom | 88.40% |
What Sheehy 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 Sheehy is R-L21, which is predominantly found among people with European ancestry. Haplogroup R-L21 is descended from haplogroup R-M343. Other common haplogroups include R-S660 and R-CTS4466, which are predominantly found among people with European and European ancestry. Other surnames with similar common haplogroups are: Daly, Cooney, Glenn, Madden, Breen, Daley, Conner, Dailey, Dugan, Kelly.
The most common maternal haplogroups of people with Sheehy surname are: H1, N, 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 Sheehy 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.
"Sheehy" Surname 35.3%
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.
"Sheehy" Surname 26.3%
23andMe Users 27.9%
Habits
Sugary Drink
Drinks one or more sugary drinks per day.
"Sheehy" Surname 22.0%
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.
"Sheehy" Surname 21.2%
23andMe Users 16.4%
Are health conditions linked to the last name Sheehy?
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 Sheehy are shown below. Important Note: not everyone with a disease allele will develop these health condition