Surname McQuillian - Meaning and Origin
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McQuillian: What does the surname McQuillian mean?
The surname McQuillian is of Irish origin. It is derived from the Gaelic "Mac Uighilin", meaning "son of Hugeulin". Hugeulin itself is a personal name, meaning "heart's pride", which implies that the person is honorable or noble-hearted. The McQuillian family held a family seat in county Antrim in Ireland, where they were a distinguished family. As a common practice among ancient cultures to attribute a distinct surname to an individual, the Gaelic form of patronymic surname was adopted in Ireland. They often used the prefix 'mac', meaning 'son of', along with the father's name, or in this case, a personal name of 'Hugeulin', to form the name Mac Uighilin, anglicized to McQuillan. Note, however, that name meanings can often be subjective and may have developed interpretively over many generations.
Order DNA origin analysisMcQuillian: Where does the name McQuillian come from?
The last name McQuillian is of Irish origin. It is derived from the Gaelic "Mac Uighilin", which means "son of Hugelin". This name originates from the Clan MacDonald of Dunnyveg, Scotland, when they branched into the Antrim region of Ireland in the 14th century. The leader of the branch, Hugelin (Hugh) was son of John Mor MacDonald, and the clan became known as the MacQuillans.
In its Anglicized form, the name has many variations including McQuillan, McQuillin, McQuillon, and others. Throughout history, the name has been particularly associated with the County Antrim in Northern Ireland, especially around the Dunluce Castle, once the seat of the chieftains of the Clan McQuillan.
Today, the name continues to be most common in Ireland, particularly in the Northern region. However, as a result of Irish diaspora, it also can be found in many parts of the English-speaking world such as the United Kingdom, the United States, Canada, and Australia.
Variations of the surname McQuillian
The surname McQuillian has roots in Ireland. McQuillian is an Anglicized form of Gaelic Mac Uighilín meaning 'son of Hugelin', a personal name derived from a diminutive of Hugh. The name Hugelin came to Ireland with the Anglo-Norman invasion in the late 12th century. This surname is mostly associated with County Antrim in Northern Ireland.
Different variations and spellings of the name arose over time, and many may have been developed based on phonetic spellings, regional accents, and translations. McQuillan, McQuillin, MacQuillan, and MacQuillin are the most common spellings but McQuillen, McQuillian, and MacQuillen may also be seen.
In the Gaelic form, it may be spelled Mac Uighilín or MacDhòmhnaill.
There are also variations of the name without the Mac or Mc prefix, such as Quillan, Quillin, or Quillian. Other surnames such as McCuill, McQuilkin, and McQuilkan may also be of the same root.
On occasion, the name could also be linked with other similar sounding surnames like McQuilkin, McQuirk, McQuoid, and McQuaker but these may not necessarily share the same origins or meaning.
Famous people with the name McQuillian
- While the surname McQuillian is not uncommon, it doesn't appear to have been carried by many globally-recognized famous people. There are, however, a few individuals sporting this surname who have achieved certain levels of fame in their respective fields:
- Adam McQuillian: He is a significant personality in the Australian film industry, known as a cinematographer and producer for films like the drama "Fortress" and the Australian horror film "Body Melt."
- John McQuillian: An English football referee from the mid-20th century, who officiated important matches including the 1973 European Cup Winners Cup final. There could very well be more well-known, but not necessarily internationally famous, individuals named McQuillian who are recognized within their local communities or professional fields.