Surname Shiell - Meaning and Origin
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Shiell: What does the surname Shiell mean?
The surname Shiell is derived from an Old English personal name, Scigel. It's also thought to have connections to the Old Norse name, Skjǫldr, which means "protection" or "shield". So, in essence, the name symbolizes protection or a shield bearer. Shiell is common among Scottish and Northern English families, though it has spread to other parts of the world over centuries. It's important to note that the spelling of surnames was not standardized until recent times, hence variations of the same name are common, such as Sheild, Shiel, Shiels, Sheld, and Shill.
Order DNA origin analysisShiell: Where does the name Shiell come from?
The last name Shiell is most commonly found throughout England, Canada and Scotland. It is also sometimes recorded in countries that were colonized by England, such as Ireland, Australia and the United States.
In England, the last name Shiell appears to be concentrated mostly in the northeast and northwest of the country, with a particularly large number of people who have it in Scotland. The same concentration applies to immigrants and their descendants in Canada, especially those in Ontario, British Columbia and Nova Scotia.
In the United States, the last name Shiell is more widespread, but it does not appear to be concentrated in any particular region. Instead, people with this name can be found all over the country. This is likely due to the fact that many immigrants have chosen the United States as a place where they could begin anew, and much of the population can trace their roots back to England, Scotland and Canada.
In terms of global population, it is estimated that there are currently between 5,000 and 10,000 individuals with the last name Shiell. The vast majority of them can be found in either England, Scotland or Canada, but there are also some people who have this name and live elsewhere, due to migration or relocation.
Variations of the surname Shiell
The surname Shiell is of Irish origin and is derived from the Gaelic 'O Sciathlaoich' meaning 'descendant of a shield.' Variants, spellings and surnames of the same origin include Sheel, O'Shiell, Sheeley, Shiels, Shiels, O'Sciathlaoich, O'Sheils, Sheela, O'Shealey, O'Scheila, O'Sheele and MacShiell.
The spelling ‘Sheel’ is derived from ‘sheeley’ which is a variation of the name ‘Shiels’ or ‘Shiells’. It is the Anglicised form of the Irish Gaelic ‘O Sciathlaoich’, which is found mainly in the Ulster counties of Cavan, Monaghan and Fermanagh. Variants of this spelling are also found throughout Canada and the United States.
The spelling of ‘Shiels’ or ‘Shiells’ is heavily centred around Northern Ireland with concentrations in some parts of Donegal. Other concentrations are found through Tyrone and Fermanagh. Variants are found in Scotland, New Zealand, Australia, Canada and the United States.
The surname ‘O’Sheils’ is derived from the prefix ‘O’ and the root name ‘Sheils’. It is mainly concentrated in the Ulster counties of Fermanagh and Cork. Variants of this spelling are found in Great Britain, Canada, the United States and Australia.
Finally, the surname ‘MacShiell’ is found mainly in Scotland with concentrations being found in Ayrshire and Lanarkshire. Variants of the surname are found throughout South Africa, Canada and the United States.
Famous people with the name Shiell
- Jason Shiell: former Major League Baseball pitcher.
- Joanne Shiell: Canadian politician from Manitoba.
- Tim Shiell: retired Canadian ice hockey player.
- Cameron Shiell: Canadian historical novelist and academic.
- Stuart Shiell: founding member and lead singer of the Macgregors, a Canadian folk music duo.
- Danielle Shiell: Forgotten Realms ghostwriter.
- Robert Shiell: former British admiral and politician.
- Paul Shiell: National League umpire.
- Brittney Shiell: U.S. Paralympic snowboarder.
- Ian Shiell: Canadian curator and hobbyist specializing in board games.