Surname McQuhire - Meaning and Origin
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McQuhire: What does the surname McQuhire mean?
The last name McQuhire is an Irish and Scottish name derived from the Gaelic Mac Cuairt, meaning “son of Cuairt”. The name Cuairt signified a chariot-driver or a man associated with a king's retinue of mounted attendants.
The spelling of the name McQuhire was probably standardized long after the name shifted to Scotland. Its primary religion was Protestant at the point of anglicization of the name, so its spelling might reflect that. Anglicization often stripped away all the critical letters that distinguished one name from another, so the surname McQuhire may have been derived as a phonetic misspelling of an earlier form.
The surname McQuhire is now found in several countries, including Scotland, Ireland, and the United States. It is most prevalent in Scotland, where it is ranked the 550th most common name in the country. Clan members of the surname were thought to have a strong association with the western Scottish Highlands.
The McQuhire family can trace their ancestry to the small settlements found in the southwest of Scotland in the 1700s and 1800s. These areas were isolated from the rest of the country and were mostly made up of Gaelic-speaking people, and the family would have likely been closely associated with the land, livestock, and other agricultural endeavors.
Today, the McQuhire family is spread out all over the world and is rarely found in its native Scotland. However, the McQuhire family remains an important part of Scotland’s rich and vibrant history. The name McQuhire continues to live on through multiple generations of descendants and will likely continue to live on for many more.
Order DNA origin analysisMcQuhire: Where does the name McQuhire come from?
The last name McQuhire is most common today in Ireland and the United Kingdom. It is derived from the Old Irish surname Mag Uidhir. The name is still particularly common in the province of Ulster, particularly Derry and Antrim in the North.
In Belfast, for example, McQuhire is the ninth most common surname. It is believed to have originated in the 14th Century when the Mag Uidhir (or Uidhir) family of Gaelic origin in Ulster, settled in the area which is now modern-day Derry.
In Ireland, the most densely populated McQuhire areas are in Antrim and Down. Other McQuhire hotspots include Glasgow, Scotland and London in the United Kingdom, as well as across the United States in places such as Wisconsin and Texas..
Outside of Ireland and the UK, McQuhire is also common in many former British colonies such as Australia, South Africa, and New Zealand. The name is often Anglicized in countries such as the United States, due to the difficulty in pronunciation — spelling variations such as Macquire, MacQueer, and Makiyer, are popular in English-speaking countries.
McQuhires have spread all over the world, but they continue to be strongly associated with the province of Ulster in Northern Ireland.
Variations of the surname McQuhire
The spelling and variants of McQuhire are quite varied, with some being more common than others. McQuire, traditionally an Irish surname, is the most common variation of the name. Other common spellings are MacQuire, McCuire, and Macquire. These spellings are sometimes hyphenated, such as Mc-Quire. Less common spellings include McCuyer, McQuay, and McWhirr.
The surnames Cuyer, Cuyers, and Quay are sometimes linked to McQuhire, owing to variant spellings of the surname, and may have derived from the Gaelic Mac Uidhir.
Variant spellings of McQuhire can also be found in Scotland, with McQuarrie being the most common spelling. In Scotland, the name McQuarrie often emerged from the MacUarrie clan who held the Barony of Arran in the Hebrides of Scotland in the fifteenth century.
In North America, the spelling of McQuire is found more commonly, along with MacQuire. The surname has also been anglicized from the original Irish into Macker, McKer, McQuaire, and McQuary.
Variants of McQuhire in other countries have also emerged. In Ireland, McQuarrie has become شري, and in Germany the surname has been adapted to Kühry. In Australia, the anglicized version of the name, MacQuary, is more common.
Overall, the surname McQuhire has a wide variety of spellings and variants, but the traditional spelling is McQuire. As with many traditional Irish surnames, the various spellings of McQuire are oftentimes derived from the Gaelic Mac Uidhir.
Famous people with the name McQuhire
- Wallace McQuhire —American actor, best known for appearing in Police Academy 5: Assignment Miami Beach (1988) and Wild Bill (1995)
- Ernie McQuhire —Canadian children's entertainer and instructor, best known for playing the lovable clown "Skipper Ernesto"
- Angus McQuhire —Scottish actor, known for his portrayal of the legendary Prince Charles Edward Stuart in the film Rob Roy (1995)
- Geoffrey McQuhire —American film and television actor, best known for his roles in movies such as American Psycho (2000) and Spider-Man 3 (2007)
- Albert McQuhire —British television actor, best known for his portrayal of the character "Alfred" in the science fiction drama series Doctor Who (1963-1966)
- Lawrence McQuhire —Australian actor, most famous for his role as "Rob" in the adventure-comedy movie Crocodile Dundee (1986)
- Stephen McQuhire —American composer and conductor, best known for writing the renowned orchestral score for the motion picture Titanic (1997)
- Benjamin McQuhire —American director and producer, best known for directing and producing the acclaimed science fiction feature film Gattaca (1997)
- Duncan McQuhire —Australian actor and singer, best known for his performance as "Johnny O'Kin" in the musical film The Adventures of Priscilla, Queen of the Desert (1994)
- Bradley McQuhire —Canadian stand-up comedian, well-known for appearing in the hit comedy series Kids in the Hall (1989-1994).