Show ContentsMcWhirt History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

The McWhirt surname is an Anglicized form of the Gaelic "Mac Chruiteir," a patronymic created from the occupational byname "Cruiteir, " or "a player of the crwth."

Early Origins of the McWhirt family

The surname McWhirt was first found in Ayrshire (Gaelic: Siorrachd Inbhir Àir), formerly a county in the southwestern Strathclyde region of Scotland, that today makes up the Council Areas of South, East, and North Ayrshire where the name is a variant of Macghruiter. [1]

This Gaelic name literally means 'brewer's son.' The original name was "found principally in the south of Perthshire, about Glenaitney, and was common in Dunblane and Doune in the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries. The Macgruers of the North as a sept are merged mostly in the Frasers and adjoining clans. The earliest recorded of the name is Gilawnane McCrouder, witness in a charter to John de Cumre, 1447, and Gillert McGrevar, tenant of Dowart, Stragartna, 1499." [1]

Early History of the McWhirt family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our McWhirt research. Another 89 words (6 lines of text) covering the years 1526, 1684, 1734, 1749, 1807 and 1890 are included under the topic Early McWhirt History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

McWhirt Spelling Variations

Spelling variations of this family name include: MacWhirter, MacWhorter, MacQuirter, MacWherter, MacChruiter, MacWater, McWhirter, McWhirter, MacQuarter, MacChurter and many more.

Early Notables of the McWhirt family

Another 48 words (3 lines of text) are included under the topic Early McWhirt Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Ireland Migration of the McWhirt family to Ireland

Some of the McWhirt family moved to Ireland, but this topic is not covered in this excerpt.
Another 72 words (5 lines of text) about their life in Ireland is included in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.


United States McWhirt migration to the United States +

Some of the first settlers of this family name were:

McWhirt Settlers in United States in the 19th Century
  • Thomas McWhirt, who arrived in Allegany (Allegheny) County, Pennsylvania in 1830 [2]
McWhirt Settlers in United States in the 20th Century
  • Charles W McWhirt, who immigrated to America, in 1907

Contemporary Notables of the name McWhirt (post 1700) +

  • J. T. McWhirt, American jurist, President Judge of Jefferson County, in 1859


The McWhirt 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: Te Deum laudamus
Motto Translation: We praise thee, O God.


  1. Black, George F., The Surnames of Scotland Their Origin, Meaning and History. New York: New York Public Library, 1946. Print. (ISBN 0-87104-172-3)
  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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