Surname McQuairie - Meaning and Origin

McQuairie: What does the surname McQuairie mean?

The last name McQuairie is derived from the Gaelic surname Mac Ruairi, meaning 'son of Ruary'. Ruary is a shortened form of the Gaelic name 'Ruadhri', meaning 'famous ruler'. The family likely descended from a powerful ruler in the area of Dalriada in Ireland, where the name gained popularity.

The clan was mainly located in Ayrshire, Scotland, during the 13th century, and the family name spelled in the various forms of Macquire, Mac Quarrie, and McQuairie. The name was widely spread through its many branches. As with many other families of that era, the McQuairies had their own tartan which is registered with the Scottish Tartans Society, and it is available to learn about and purchase for those with McQuairie heritage.

McQuairies have achieved a lot of success in various realms of life, with some outstanding members of the clan, such as Sir William McQuairie, an inventor of the screw propeller. There are also famous athletes from this surname, such as the Scottish rugby captains, Malcom and David McQuairie.

In conclusion, McQuairie is a powerful name that has been passed down from talented and successful individuals. The name McQuairie is still remembered in its origin areas, with the tartan still in production.

McQuairie: Where does the name McQuairie come from?

The last name McQuairie is most common in North America, particularly in Canada, the United States, and in Mexico. It is particularly prevalent in locations along the southern Atlantic coast of the United States, including North Carolina, South Carolina, Virginia, Maryland, Georgia, and Florida.

In the United States as a whole, McQuairie is ranked #117,234 in popularity according to the 2020 United States Census. It is most commonly seen in the northeastern and midwestern portions of the United States, including in New York, Pennsylvania, Ohio, and Michigan.

In Canada, McQuairie is most common in the Maritime provinces of Newfoundland and Labrador, Prince Edward Island, Nova Scotia, and New Brunswick. It is also seen in southern Ontario and in western Canada, although not as frequently. According to Statistics Canada, the last name McQuairie is ranked #568,328 in terms of population.

Outside of North America, the last name McQuairie is sometimes seen in the United Kingdom and Ireland, especially in Northern Ireland. It is also seen in some parts of Europe, including in Scotland, France, Germany, and Sweden.

Variations of the surname McQuairie

The surname McQuairie is derived from a Gaelic surname, and has many variants and spellings that differ from country to country. In Scotland, the popular variant though is MacQuaire, while in Ireland the preferred variant is MacGuaire and MacGuarrie. Other spellings of the surname McQuairie have also been noted, such as McQuayrie, McQuare, McQuairre, and MacQuarrie.

In Scotland, the McQuarrie version of the surname originated in Perthshire where the first record of the name dates back to 1375. The MacGuarie and MacQuaire variants stem from the Irish clan of Fermanagh. This is the area around Lough Erne, county Fermanagh, from which the original family came.

In the British records, the given name of MacGuarrie was first recorded in 1622, and MacGuarrie was found in 1736 in Inverness.

In Ireland, the MacGuaire and MacQuaire variants are from the MacGuaire clan who was descended from Maharath MacGuaire, a chieftain who ruled a large area of Fermanagh.

In the US some alternate spellings of the surname include McQuarry, McWhirry, McCurrie, and McCurry.

In Canada, variants of the surname McQuairie or McQuarrie include McQuarries, MacQuaries, MacQuarries, MacQuarris, and MacQuirres.

The common spelling around the world however, tends to be McQuarrie.

Famous people with the name McQuairie

• DC McQuairie: Canadian football player and coach.
• Eric McQuairie: soccer player and former assistant coach of Canadian National Youth Soccer Team.
• Carrie McQuairie: Canadian Olympic freestyle skier.
• Gordon McQuairie: civil engineer who worked in Ottawa, Canada.
• Johnny McQuairie: Canadian racecar driver.
• David McQuairie: award-winning Canadian director.
• Mackenzie McQuairie: Canadian actress.
• Jean McQuairie: Canadian disc jockey and radio personality.
• Ryan McQuairie: Canadian film producer.
• Thomas McQuairie– Canadian film and television actor.

Other surnames

McQuaire