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![Show Contents]() MacGueen History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms
In the mountains of Scotland's west coast and on the Hebrides islands, the ancestors of the MacGueen family were born. Their name comes from the Gaelic personal name Eógann, which comes from the Latin name, Eugenius, which means well born. MacGueen is a patronymic surname, which belongs to the category of hereditary surnames. Many patronyms were formed when a son used his father's personal name as a surname, while others came from the personal names of famous religious and secular figures. The MacGueen family was established in Scotland, well before the Norman Conquest of England, in 1066. Euing appears in the Domesday Book of 1086 and may have been derived from Eawa's son. A Eawa was brother of Penda, king of Mercia. 1 However, another source claims the name was a "descendant of Ewen (warrior)." 2 And yet another source claims the name "goes back to the Greek eugenes (wellborn.)" 3 Early Origins of the MacGueen familyThe surname MacGueen was first found in Argyllshire (Gaelic erra Ghaidheal), the region of western Scotland corresponding roughly with the ancient Kingdom of Dál Riata, in the Strathclyde region of Scotland, now part of the Council Area of Argyll and Bute, where they held a family seat from very ancient times, some say well before the Norman Conquest and the arrival of Duke William at Hastings in 1066 A.D. The earliest recorded bearer of the name was Dovenaldus Ewain, documented in 1164. Early History of the MacGueen familyThis web page shows only a small excerpt of our MacGueen research. Another 136 words (10 lines of text) covering the years 1164, 1178, 1546, 1555, 1598, 1611, 1621, 1633, 1636, 1664, 1678, 1681, 1687, 1717 and 1890 are included under the topic Early MacGueen History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible. MacGueen Spelling VariationsSpelling variations are a very common occurrence in records of early Scottish names. They result from the repeated and inaccurate translations that many names went through in the course of various English occupations of Scotland. MacGueen has been spelled Ewing, Ewin, Ewen, Ewans, Ewens, Eugene, Ewan and many more. Early Notables of the MacGueen familyAnother 40 words (3 lines of text) are included under the topic Early MacGueen Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.  Migration of the MacGueen family to Ireland
Some of the MacGueen family moved to Ireland, but this topic is not covered in this excerpt.
Another 60 words (4 lines of text) about their life in Ireland is included in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible. Migration of the MacGueen familyScottish settlers arrived in many of the communities that became the backbones of the United States and Canada. Many stayed, but some headed west for the endless open country of the prairies. In the American War of Independence, many Scots who remained loyal to England re-settled in Canada as United Empire Loyalists. Scots across North America were able to recover much of their lost heritage in the 20th century as Clan societies and highland games sprang up across North America. Early immigration and passenger lists have documented some of the first MacGueens to arrive on North American shores: Alexander, Henry, James, John, Mathew, Thomas, William Ewing all arrived in Philadelphia between 1840 and 1865; John, Robert, and Elizabeth Ewins settled in Virginia in 1623.
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: Audaciter
Motto Translation: Boldly
- Harrison, Henry, Surnames of the United Kingdom: A Concise Etymological Dictionary Baltimore: Geneological Publishing Company, 2013. Print
- Lower, Mark Anthony, Patronymica Britannica, A Dictionary of Family Names of the United Kingdom. London: John Russel Smith, 1860. Print.
- Reaney, P.H and R.M. Wilson, A Dictionary of English Surnames. London: Routledge, 1991. Print. (ISBN 0-415-05737-X)
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