McShane Family Crest, Coat of Arms & McShane Name Origin

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Origin of the Name McShane

The ancient history of the name McShane was found in the allfamilycrests.com archives. The name McShane in Ireland is the equivalent of Johnson, both names literally meaning 'son of John'. This name is often of Scottish descent spreading to Ireland, England and Wales in early times and is found in many mediaeval manuscripts throughout the above countries. Examples of such are an Alexander Johnson, of Aberdeen, Scotland, who received letters of denisation in England in the year 1480 and a Nicholas Johnson who was a Burgess of Ayr, Scotland, in the year 1503. In Ireland the name is popular in Ulster having been introduced there from Scotland Centuries ago. In Ulster and in County Louth the McShanes were a branch of the O'Neills. The County Westmeath family of McShane were a branch of the O'Farrells. In County Kerry McShane was assumed by some families of Fitzmaurice, but the name is rarely found there in modern times, being mostly found in Ulster and in County Dublin.