Show ContentsMcQuaig History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Early Origins of the McQuaig family

The surname McQuaig was first found in the Hebrides (Gaelic: Na h-Eileanan Siar), in the present day Council Area of Western Isles, a region controlled by the Norwegians prior to the Treaty of Perth in 1266, where they held a family seat in this wild and romantic highland territory. Their territories were first located in Islay and they became associated as a sept of the MacDonald Clan. Allegiances were important in this terrain. The Hebridean Islands were a refuge from Government intrusion. Later they were also found on the isle of Arran.

Early History of the McQuaig family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our McQuaig research. Another 72 words (5 lines of text) are included under the topic Early McQuaig History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

McQuaig Spelling Variations

Spelling variations of this family name include: MacQuaig, McQuaig, McQuag, MacQuag, MacCuaig, McCuaig, McCowag, MacCowag, McCrivag and many more.

Early Notables of the McQuaig family

More information is included under the topic Early McQuaig Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

McQuaig Ranking

In the United States, the name McQuaig is the 17,660th most popular surname with an estimated 2,487 people with that name. [1]


United States McQuaig migration to the United States +

Some of the first settlers of this family name were:

McQuaig Settlers in United States in the 19th Century
  • John McQuaig, who landed in Georgia in 1850 [2]
  • Elisabeth McQuaig, who settled in Maine in 1860
  • Alexander McQuaig, who settled in Maine in 1860

Canada McQuaig migration to Canada +

Some of the first settlers of this family name were:

McQuaig Settlers in Canada in the 19th Century
  • Donald McQuaig, who settled in Ontario in 1871

Contemporary Notables of the name McQuaig (post 1700) +

  • Scott McQuaig (b. 1959), American country music singer-songwriter
  • Gerald Joseph McQuaig (1912-2001), American Major League Baseball backup outfielder for the Philadelphia Athletics during the 1934 season
  • Duncan F McQuaig, Canadian politician, Mayor of Barrie, Ontario from 1928-1931
  • Linda McQuaig (b. 1951), Canadian journalist, columnist and author, awarded the National Newspaper Award in 1984


The McQuaig Motto +

The motto was originally a war cry or slogan. Mottoes first began to be shown with arms in the 14th and 15th centuries, but were not in general use until the 17th century. Thus the oldest coats of arms generally do not include a motto. Mottoes seldom form part of the grant of arms: Under most heraldic authorities, a motto is an optional component of the coat of arms, and can be added to or changed at will; many families have chosen not to display a motto.

Motto: Per mare per terras
Motto Translation: By sea and by land.


  1. "What are the 5,000 Most Common Last Names in the U.S.?". NameCensus.com, https://namecensus.com/last-names/
  2. Filby, P. William, Meyer, Mary K., Passenger and immigration lists index : a guide to published arrival records of about 500,000 passengers who came to the United States and Canada in the seventeenth, eighteenth, and nineteenth centuries. 1982-1985 Cumulated Supplements in Four Volumes Detroit, Mich. : Gale Research Co., 1985, Print (ISBN 0-8103-1795-8)


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