Show ContentsOquill History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

The surname Oquill comes from the Irish "Ó Cuill," meaning hazel. Because of the similarity between "cuill" and "coill" meaning wood, the surname was often translated into Woods. 1

Early Origins of the Oquill family

The surname Oquill was first found in Counties Cork and Kerry (Irish:Ciarraí) part of the former County Desmond (14th-17th centuries), located in Southwestern Ireland, in Munster province, where it belonged to a distinguished bardic family.

The Ó Cuill family of Kilnamagh had two members worthy of an obituary in the Annals: Cinnfaelidh Ó Cuill (d.1048), chief poet of Munster, and Cinnfealidh Ó Cuill or Kinealy O'Quill (d.1507), Chief of His Name.

Early History of the Oquill family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Oquill research. Another 35 words (2 lines of text) covering the year 1692 is included under the topic Early Oquill History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Oquill Spelling Variations

Spelling variations of this family name include: Quill, O'Quill, Woods and others.

Early Notables of the Oquill family

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

Migration of the Oquill family

Some of the first settlers of this family name or some of its variants were: John Quill, who settled in Boston in 1762; Thomas Quill, who was bound out as an apprentice in Philadelphia in 1771; Adam Woods, who immigrated to Philadelphia in 1811.



  1. MacLysaght, Edward, The Surnames of Ireland. Ireland: Irish Academic Press, sixth edition, 1985. Print. (ISBN 0-7165-2366-3)


Houseofnames.com on Facebook