Shannon (surname)
 | This article needs additional citations for verification. (October 2012) |
| Language(s) | Scots |
|---|---|
| Origin | |
| Language(s) | Old Irish[1] |
| Word/name | senchaid[1] |
| Derivation | cognate |
| Meaning | skilled storyteller |
| Other names | |
| Variant form(s) | MacShannon, O'Shannon |
| Cognate(s) | senchaid |
Shannon, MacShannon, and O'Shannon are Anglicised Irish and Scottish surnames that derive from the Gaelic word seanachaidh, which means "skilled storyteller".[1] Seanachaidh is descended from the Old Irish word senchaid.
Other forms of the name are O'Shawnessey or O'Shannahan.
Several old Gaelic names of Scottish and Irish people alike were Anglicised as Shannon, despite being unrelated.[citation needed]
The 1990 United States Census found that Shannon was a very common surname (#679 out of 88,799) in the United States.[2]
People with the surname Shannon
Academics
- Richard Shannon (historian), British historian
Artists
- David Shannon (born 1960), American author
- Del Shannon (1934–1990), American rock and roll musician
- Frank Shannon, (1874–1959), Irish-American actor and writer
- James Jebusa Shannon (1862–1923), Anglo-American painter
- Joe Shannon (born 1933), Puerto Rican artist, art critic, curator, and art professor
- John Shannon (musician) (born 1980), American modern folk guitarist, vocalist, and composer
- Johnny Shannon (born 1932), English actor
- Julia Shannon, American daguerrotypist
- Mem Shannon (born 1959), American blues singer-guitarist
- Michael Shannon, American actor
- Molly Shannon (born 1964), American actor
- Richard Shannon (American writer) (born 1954), American writer
- Sharon Shannon (born 1968), Irish musician
- T. Sean Shannon (fl. 2000s), American performer and writer
- Terry Shannon (1952–2005), American engineer and writer
- Tommy Shannon (born 1946), American bassist
Journalists
- Bob Shannon (Radio) (born 1942), Canadian journalist
- Bob Shannon (WCBS-FM) (born 1948), American journalist
- Mark Shannon (born c. 1950), American journalist
- Paul Shannon (1909–1990), American journalist
- Scott Shannon (fl. c. late 20th century), American journalist
- William V. Shannon (1927–1988), American journalist
Military personnel
- Dave Shannon (1922–1993), Australian airman
- John W. Shannon (born 1933), United States Under Secretary of the Army
Politicians
- David Shannon (1822–1875), South Australian politician
- George Shannon (explorer) (1785–1836), also U.S. Senator
- Howard Huntley Shannon (1892–1976), Australian politician
- James Shannon, (1840–1891), South Australian politician
- James Michael Shannon (born 1952), American politician
- John Wallace Shannon (1862–1926), South Australian politician
- Peter Shannon (born 1949), Australian diplomat
- Richard C. Shannon (1839–1920), US Representative from New York
- Steve Shannon (born 1971), American politician
- Thomas A. Shannon, Jr. (born c. 1960), American diplomat
Scientists
- Claude Shannon (1916–2001), American mathematician and engineer
- Frederick A. Shannon (1921–1965), American biologist
- Raymond Corbett Shannon (1894–1945), American entomologist
Sportsmen
- Darrin Shannon (born 1969), Canadian hockey player
- Darryl Shannon (born 1968), Canadian hockey player
- Frank Shannon (baseball) (1873–1934), American baseball player
- Les Shannon (1926–2007), English football player and manager
- Mike Shannon (born 1939), American baseball player and journalist
- Rab Shannon (born 1966), Scottish football player
- Randy Shannon (born 1966), American football coach
See also
- Irish name
- Scottish surnames
- Shannon (given name)
- The Shannons
- Shannon family
- The Shannons of Broadway
References
- ^ a b c "Shannon". The American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language (Fourth ed.). Boston: Houghton Mifflin Company. 2009. ISBN 9780395825174. OCLC 43499541. Retrieved October 7, 2012.
- ^ Campbell, Mike. "Shannon". Behind the Name. Retrieved 7 October 2012.