Show ContentsMacQuinn History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

The Irish name MacQuinn was originally written in a Gaelic form as Ó Cuinn, which means descendant of Conn.

Early Origins of the MacQuinn family

The surname MacQuinn was first found in county Longford (Irish: An Longfort) traditionally known as Annaly or Teffia, and situated in the Irish Midlands, in Northwest Leinster where they were Lords of Muintir Gillagain. The O'Quinns and MacQuinns (and all of the spelling variables derived from these) were descended from Conn, who in turn was descended from the Princes of Annaly.

Early History of the MacQuinn family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our MacQuinn research. Another 144 words (10 lines of text) covering the years 1014, 1252, 1279, 1281, 1522, 1551, 1575, 1595, 1634, 1645, 1676, 1693, 1726 and 1766 are included under the topic Early MacQuinn History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

MacQuinn Spelling Variations

Irish names were rarely spelled consistently in the Middle Ages. Spelling variations of the name MacQuinn dating from that time include O'Quinn, Quin, Quinn, Quine, MacQuin, MacQuinn, McQuin, McQuinn, MacCuin, Cuinn, Cuin and many more.

Early Notables of the MacQuinn family

Notable amongst the family name at this time was Thomas O'Quinn, Bishop of Clonmacnois (1252-1279), as well as John Quinn, Bishop of Limerick (1522-1551), as well as Thady Quin (1645-1726) of Adare of the Thomond O'Quins, who was the grandfather of the first Earl of Dunraven. Walter Quin (c. 1575-1634), was an Irish poet and preceptor of Charles I. Born in Dublin, he travelled abroad and became a cultivated writer in English, French, Italian, and...
Another 74 words (5 lines of text) are included under the topic Early MacQuinn Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.


United States MacQuinn migration to the United States +

Thousands of Irish families left for North American shores in the 19th century. These people were searching for a life unencumbered with poverty, hunger, and racial discrimination. Many arrived to eventually find such conditions, but many others simply did not arrive: victims of the diseased, overcrowded ships in which they traveled to the New World. Those who lived to see North American shores were instrumental in the development of the growing nations of Canada and the United States. A thorough examination of passenger and immigration lists has disclosed evidence of many early immigrants of the name MacQuinn:

MacQuinn Settlers in United States in the 19th Century
  • Patrick MacQuinn, who landed in New York, NY in 1816 1


  1. 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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