Surname McShields - Meaning and Origin
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McShields: What does the surname McShields mean?
The surname McShields is of Irish origin and it is derived from the Gaelic name Mac Giolla tSéaghdha. Mac means ‘son of’ and Giolla tSéaghdha means ‘servant of St. Séaghdha’. St. Séaghdha is an Irish saint who was known for his virtue and wisdom. Over time, the pronunciation and spelling of this name was anglicized to McShields. The name can therefore be considered to mean ‘son of the servant of St. Séaghdha’. Like many Irish surnames, it was likely adopted as a family name during the Middle Ages, when patronymic naming was commonplace. However, the exact date of its first use is unclear. It's also important to note that surname meanings can vary based on geographical origins and historical uses.
Order DNA origin analysisMcShields: Where does the name McShields come from?
The McShields surname is most commonly found in English-speaking countries today, primarily throughout the United Kingdom, Canada, Ireland, and the United States. It is a Scottish surname derived from the Gaelic Mac Sheils, formed from the personal name Sheils - derived from the Latin personal name Sésel, meaning 'God is my aide'.
In Scotland, the McShields name can be traced back to the 12th century. The first records of the McShields family were found in the border-region of Roxburghshire, where they were part of the Clan Scott and held a position of respect. Today, McShields is still a very popular surname throughout Scotland.
In England, the surname gained popularity during the 19th century due to increased immigration from Scotland into the industrial areas of northern England.
In Ireland, McShields is a fairly common surname, typically found in parts of County Laoise, as well as counties in Ulster.
The McShields surname is also widespread in Canada, especially in the provinces of Ontario and Quebec. The first records of the name in Canada can be traced back to the 1700s when the first known McShields family arrived in Canada from County Donegal in Northern Ireland.
The surname is also common in the United States, having been introduced by early Irish, British, and Scottish settlers, with the McShields surname showing up in records dating back to the early 18th century.
Today, the McShields surname is found in almost all English-speaking countries, as well as in other countries around the world.
Variations of the surname McShields
The variants, spellings, and surnames of the same origin for the surname McShields include:
McShelle, MacShelle, MacSheil, MacShile, MacShill, MacShyle, MacShyld, MacShield, MacShields, MacShylde, Makshield, MakShields, McKshield, McKShields, McSheild, Mcshell, McShile, McShille, McShill, McShil, McShyle, McShyld, McShylde, McShielde, Sheild, Sheilds, Sheildt, Sheilet, Sheilett, Sheill, Shell, Shelley, Shelt, Sheltz, Sheyl, Shiel, Shiele, Shieles, Shielet, Shielett, Shile, Shill, Shilett, Shil, Shilt, Shilte, Shiltz, Shiltze, Shyl, Shyle, Shyld, Shylde, Shylt, Shyltz, Shaneld, Shawnild, Shoeld and Shoild.
The surnames McShields and MacShields are derived from the Old Gaelic name Mac Giolla Shealltaigh, which roughly translates to "son of the devotee of the fox". The family with this surname originated from Scotland, where the original bearers of the name served as Clan Ealasaid warriors andsymbolized strength and courage. Other variants of the surname can be found in the forms MacShile, McSheild, and McShelle, amongst others. These spellings come about due to various dialect and spelling differences throughout Scotland. Due to centuries of immigration, civilizations have spread the McShields surname in the forms McShields, Shield, Sheild, Shiel, Shill, etc throughout the world, including the United States, Canada, Ireland, Scotland, Australia, and other English-speaking countries.
Famous people with the name McShields
- Con McSheilds: Professional boxer
- Rochelle McSheilds: Actress and model
- Shawn McSheilds: Music producer and record label CEO
- Jenna McSheilds: Professional golfer
- Rich McSheilds: Professional football player
- Denton McSheilds: Ice hockey player
- Chad McSheilds: Professional snowboarder
- Denzel McSheilds: Actor
- Marques McSheilds: Professional skateboarder
- Kehren McSheilds: Professional surfer
- Tyra McSheilds: Professional International rugby player
- Michaela McSheilds: Professional diver
- Maxine McSheilds: Former NBA player
- EJ McSheilds: Professional lacrosse player
- Kim McSheilds: Singer
- Tricia McSheilds: Professional wrestler
- Rickel McSheilds: Professional fight promoter
- Dasha McSheilds: Actress
- Brandon McSheilds: Professional musician
- Diane McSheilds: Reality TV star