Surname McQuarter - Meaning and Origin
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McQuarter: What does the surname McQuarter mean?
The surname McQuarter is of Scottish origin and is derived from the Gaelic elements "Mac" meaning "son" and "Cuartair" representing "quarter". This could possibly refer to a geographical area or a specific portion of land, suggesting that the name bearer or his ancestors were responsible for a quarter part of something, such as land or property. Like many surnames, especially those rooted in Gaelic, the spelling and phonetic pronunciation could have evolved or been anglicized over time, leading to variations such as MacQuarter or McQuarters. It's also common for families to drop 'Mac' and just use 'Quarter.' Remember, the exact meaning can be speculative as it can vary based on genealogical and family history. The first recorded spelling of the family name dates back to 17th Century in Scotland. It can also be found in Irish records given the shared Celtic roots and the migration and intermingling of Scottish and Irish clans.
Order DNA origin analysisMcQuarter: Where does the name McQuarter come from?
The surname McQuarter is of Scottish origin. The "Mc" prefix in Scottish surnames usually stands for "son of," suggesting that the original bearers of this surname were the sons of someone named Quarter. However, the literal interpretation is not always accurate as surnames have transformed over time due to various reasons like migration, occupation, and more.
As for where the surname is common today, it is relatively rare and spread thinly across the world, with the majority of McQuarters in the United States, Scotland, and other English-speaking countries. It's important to note that changes in spelling often occur with migration, so related names may appear with slight variations. The spelling variations can include MacQuarter, McQuater, MacQuater, and others.
However, McQuarter is not common in present-day Scotland but rather in countries where those of Scottish origin have migrated. With that being said, the rarity of the surname makes it difficult to pin down a specific "common" area. Use of the McQuarter surname has been primarily adopted by families in the United States, predominantly having settled in the southern region.
Variations of the surname McQuarter
The surname McQuarter likely has Scottish-Irish origins like other surnames starting with 'Mc' or 'Mac' meaning 'son of.' Some possible variants or similar surnames could include MacQuarter, McQuarrie, McQuarters, MacQuarrie, MacQuarters or McQuartor. It is also plausible that the root name 'Quarter' could exist by itself as a surname. However, it's worth noting that surnames' spelling and appearance can greatly vary over time due to misspellings, phonetic spelling, or changes to adapt to local languages and dialects. As such, it's possible alternative forms could include Quarter, Quartor, Quartar or Quartur.
The surname could further be related to other 'Mc' or 'Mac' names with a similar sounding suffix, which may include McQuarrier, MacQuartier, MacQuater, or even McQuarty, given how accents and pronunciations might have influenced the written form. Finally, it's worth noting that sometimes, 'Mc' and 'Mac' names might drop the prefix altogether, so versions like Quartier or Quarty might also have a connection to the root surname.
Famous people with the name McQuarter
- Carrie McQuarter: former professional volleyball player who competed in the 2004 Summer Olympics for Canada.
- Mary McQuarter: American Basketball Hall of Fame inductee and former 3-time National Champion for The University of Tennessee at Chattanooga.
- Sean McQuarter: former professional football player who had a short stint in the NFL.
- Brad McQuarter: former professional basketball player who played in the early 1990s for the La Crosse Catbirds in the CBA.
- John McQuarter: former National Hockey League player who lasted three seasons in the league.
- Nolan McQuarter: American film and television actor, who has appeared in such films as The Purge, Pitch Perfect, and Unfriended.
- Joseph McQuarter: Irish classical composer and musician whose works have been performed around the world.
- Ken McQuarter: Canadian philanthropist and entrepreneur whose company, VML, has achieved international recognition for its contributions to mobile apps and digital marketing.
- Tom McQuarter: Australian rugby league player who played for the Cronulla Sharks in the 1990s.
- Andy McQuarter: American independent filmmaker and cinematographer whose debut film, The Way, won the best short award at the Cinequest Film Festival.