This interesting surname is of Irish origin, and is an Anglicized form of the Gaelic "O'Seighin", composed of the elements "O", male descendant of, and "Seighin", a personal name, which is probably from the Old Irish "seigene", small hawk. Traditionally, Irish family names are taken from the heads of tribes, revered elders, or from some illustrious warrior, and are usually prefixed by "O", grandson, male descendant, or "M(a)c", denoting "son of". Shine is a Munster name, mainly located in Counties Cork and Kerry. Recordings of the surname from various Church Registers include: the christening of George, son of John Shine, on May 1st 1595, at St. Dunstan's, Stepney, London; the christening of William, son of William and Anne Shine, at Burnley, Lancashire, on December 16th 1608; and the christening of Thomas, son of Owen and Anne Shine, on August 6th 1729, at Macroom, County Cork, Ireland. Michael Shine, aged 22 yrs., and Thomas Shine, aged 24 yrs., famine immigrants, departed from the Port of Cork on May 21st 1846 aboard the "Liberty", bound for the Port of New York. In the 18th Century there are a number of wills recorded for people of the name in Counties Cork and Kerry, and also five Shines appear in the Kenmare estate manuscripts. The first recorded spelling of the family name is shown to be that of Symond Shyne, which was dated September 23rd 1582, marriage to Ellen Fynny, at St. Dunstan in the East, London, during the reign of Queen Elizabeth 1, known as "Good Queen Bess", 1558 - 1603. Surnames became necessary when governments introduced personal taxation. In England this was known as Poll Tax. Throughout the centuries, surnames in every country have continued to "develop" often leading to astonishing variants of the original spelling.

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