Surname Mac Quin - Meaning and Origin
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Mac Quin: What does the surname Mac Quin mean?
The last name Mac Quin is thought to be of Scottish and Irish origin. It appears to be a variant of the Gaelic surname Mac Cuin, which translates to mean "son of Coen", "Co" being a short form of the Gaelic name Conchobar.
The traditional meaning of Conchobar is "lover of wolves", although some suggest it has a more spiritual origin and could mean "wise one", "seer", or "prophet". It takes the form Consuibhnenn in the original Gaelic, deriving from the root "cuinne" which translates to "wisdom". Conchobar was believed by the ancient Celts to be the god of knowledge, thought, and wisdom.
The surname Mac Quin may then be viewed as honoring an ancestor believed to embody and possess great knowledge and wisdom, and be suggestive of an ancestral lineage of wise individuals. This is further supported by records of many early Mac Quin clans being found around the coast and inland river valleys of the Scottish Highlands and Irish provinces, suggesting an origin among seafaring, trading, or knowledge-seeking peoples.
Given its association with knowledge and wisdom, the Mac Quin name implies an ancestral respect for learning, intelligence, and wisdom. It reflects the importance of wisdom and knowledge to traditional Celtic culture, as well as the long history of the Mac Quin family.
Order DNA origin analysisMac Quin: Where does the name Mac Quin come from?
The surname Mac Quin is most commonly found today in Ireland, where it emerged with the advent of surnames in the 12th century. The name is believed to be derived from the Gaelic Mac Conn, which translates to ‘son of Conn’. In ancient Irish mythology Conn was the God of Youth, and an ancestor of the Mac Quin clan.
The surname is still relatively sparsely distributed across Ireland, with most records of the name concentrated in Co. Donegal. It is also known to occur in North America, with a single family traceable to a John Mac Quin, who arrived on these shores in 1837. As an emigrant from his native Ireland, this original progenitor of the Mac Quin name settled in Rochester, New York and established a residential legacy in the town.
The Mac Quin name has since spread throughout the USA, with numerous instances of the name being recorded in New Jersey, Ohio and Michigan. Mac Quin descendants have also been found in Australia, presumably traceable to the same Irish ancestors that gave rise to the name presence in North America.
Overall, the Mac Quin surname is still considered a relatively low-density surname. This is likely because, as with many Celtic surnames of the period, it has been subject to a significant degree of spelling variation. Nonetheless, the Mac Quin name is still widely found throughout Ireland, North America and Australia, thereby ensuring the Mac Quin legacy is still alive and well today.
Variations of the surname Mac Quin
The surname Mac Quin has variants, spellings and surnames of the same origin. The most common and widely used variant of Mac Quin is MacQuin, which is also the more modern spelling. This spelling appears in British documents from the late 18th century and in United States records from the late 19th century.
Other variations of the Mac Quin surname include Mac Quinn, MacQuinn, MacQuinne, MacQuinney, MacQuain, MacCqueen, MacQueene, McKwaine, McKwain, MacCuinn, MacCuin, MacQuinn and Mackwain. In some cases, the ‘Mac’ or ‘Mc’ prefix may be omitted.
The surnames McKane, McCane and McCayne are all variants of Mac Quin, that are likely derived from the Gaelic Mac Cathain, meaning ‘son of Cathain’. Similarly, the surname McKean is derived from Mac Aodhain or Mac Ean, meaning ‘son of John’. The surname McWeeney has its own distinct Irish origin, but is often mistakenly associated with Mac Quin due to its similar spelling and phonetic pronunciation.
Finally, the surname MacCuin is another variant of Mac Quin that is most commonly found in Scotland. In Scotland ‘Cuin’ was occasionally used as a variation of 'Quin'. Therefore, the surname MacCquin is derived from the Gaelic Mac Choinn, meaning ‘son of Conn’.
Famous people with the name Mac Quin
- Mairéad MacQuin: professional freerunner, gymnast, parkour athlete, and stuntwoman
- Jeff MacQuin: Canadian retired professional ice hockey player
- Ruth MacQuin: Cook Islander politician
- Lilibeth Macquín: Mexican professional volleyball player
- Jim MacQuin: past president of the Canadian Association of Police Chiefs
- Regan MacQuin: recurring character in the Canadian TV show, Heartland
- Duncan MacQuin: Actor known for his portrayal of Moog on the Canadian children’s TV series Fireman Sam
- Wren MacQuin: Explanitarian and script writer for popular American shows such as Adventure Time and Carmen Sandiego
- Adela MacQuin: Grand Prix cyclist and 2017 winner of Ladies Peak
- Ian MacQuin: English Premier League footballer and former captain of the Ross County Football Club