Show ContentsMcQuiggin History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

The McQuiggin surname appeared in Gaelic as Mag Uiginn, which is probably derived from a Norse forename. The name is usually pronounced as "McGwiggen" in it's homeland County Tyrone (especially around Omagh).

Early Origins of the McQuiggin family

The surname McQuiggin was first found in County Tyrone (Irish:Tír Eoghain), the ancient territory of the O'Neills, now in the Province of Ulster, central Northern Ireland, where they held a family seat from ancient times.

Early History of the McQuiggin family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our McQuiggin research. Another 71 words (5 lines of text) covering the years 1616, 1659 and 1800 are included under the topic Early McQuiggin History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

McQuiggin Spelling Variations

Names from the Middle Ages demonstrate many spelling variations. This is because the recording scribe or church official often decided as to how a person's name was spelt and in what language. Research into the name McQuiggin revealed many variations, including MacGuigan, MacGoogan, MacGougan,MacGookin, MacGuckin, MacGugan, MacQuiggan, MacWiggin, MacGucken, MacGuckian, MacGuiggan, MacGuighan and many more.

Early Notables of the McQuiggin family

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

Migration of the McQuiggin family

To escape the religious and political discrimination they experienced primarily at the hands of the English, thousands of Irish left their homeland in the 19th century. These migrants typically settled in communities throughout the East Coast of North America, but also joined the wagon trains moving out to the Midwest. Ironically, when the American War of Independence began, many Irish settlers took the side of England, and at the war's conclusion moved north to Canada. These United Empire Loyalists, were granted land along the St. Lawrence River and the Niagara Peninsula. Other Irish immigrants settled in Newfoundland, the Ottawa Valley, New Brunswick and Nova Scotia. The greatest influx of Irish immigrants, however, came to North America during the Great Potato Famine of the late 1840s. Thousands left Ireland at this time for North America and Australia. Many of those numbers, however, did not live through the long sea passage. These Irish settlers to North America were immediately put to work building railroads, coal mines, bridges, and canals. Irish settlers made an inestimable contribution to the building of the New World. Early North American immigration records have revealed a number of people bearing the Irish name McQuiggin or a variant listed above, including: Andrew, Charles, Francis, Patrick, MacGucken, who all settled in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania between 1840 and 1870; Henry MacGuckian settled in Philadelphia in 1843.


Contemporary Notables of the name McQuiggin (post 1700) +

  • Kelly McQuiggin (b. 1988), American actress, known for Friends (1998) and American Harvest (1987)


The McQuiggin 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: Semper patriae servire presto
Motto Translation: Always ready to serve my country


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