Show ContentsMcQuiston History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

The story of the McQuiston family stretches back through time to the Viking settlers who populated the rugged shores of Scotland in the Medieval era. The name McQuiston was derived from Huchon, a diminutive form of Hugh. 1 Patronymic surnames arose out of the vernacular and religious given name traditions. This name is the equivalent of Hugh in the vernacular of Scotland. Today, the plural form of the name is more popular as in "Hutchins" or "Hutchens," but years ago the singular form was far more common.

Early Origins of the McQuiston family

The surname McQuiston was first found in Ross-shire (Gaelic: Siorrachd Rois), a former county now part of the Council Areas of Highland and Western Isles in Northern Scotland, which emerged from the Gaelic lordship of the Earl of Ross, where they held a family seat from very ancient times.

The variants Hutcheon and Hutchon were the most common spellings used in both forenames and surnames in Scotland, as we shall soon see.

"Huchon was used in the thirteenth century instead of Huon as the regular oblique case of Hue. In Scotland during the fourteenth, fifteenth, and sixteenth centuries Hutcheoun (ch sibilant) regularly appears as a Christian name, the equivalent of Hugh or Hew in the vernacular. Hucheon Fraser, Lord of the Lovet is mentioned in 1422 and in 1510 a succeeding Lord Lowat is named Heow. Huchon Ker appears in 1467, and Huchown the Ross, 1481." 2

Just over the border in Yorkshire, England the Yorkshire Poll Tax had two entries for the family: Isabella Huchon, doghter; and Willelmus Huchon. 3 In Somerset, John Huchoun was registered there 1 Edward III (during the first year of King Edward III's reign.) 4

Early History of the McQuiston family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our McQuiston research. Another 181 words (13 lines of text) covering the years 1400, 1471, 1481, 1494, 1497, 1525, 1547, 1548, 1558, 1565, 1576, 1577, 1581, 1590, 1596, 1598, 1602, 1612, 1628, 1629, 1639, 1641, 1642, 1693, 1698, 1705, 1734, 1773 and 1890 are included under the topic Early McQuiston History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

McQuiston Spelling Variations

Spelling variations are extremely common among Scottish names dating from this era because the arts of spelling and translation were not yet standardized. Spelling was done by sound, and translation from Gaelic to English was generally quite careless. In different records, McQuiston has been spelled Hutchins, Hutchings, Hutchin, Hutcheon, Huchens, Hutcheons, Hutchon, Houchin, Houchen, Houchens, MacCutcheon, MacQuestion and many more.

Early Notables of the McQuiston family

Notable amongst the Clan from early times was Edward Hutchins (1558?-1629), English divine, born about 1558 of poor parents, was, according to Wood, a native of Denbighshire. About 1576 he matriculated at Brasenose College, Oxford: he graduated B.A. 1577, and proceeded M.A. 1581 and B.D. 1590. 5Sir George Hutchins (d. 1705), king's...
Another 52 words (4 lines of text) are included under the topic Early McQuiston Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

McQuiston Ranking

In the United States, the name McQuiston is the 9,211st most popular surname with an estimated 2,487 people with that name. 6

Ireland Migration of the McQuiston family to Ireland

Some of the McQuiston family moved to Ireland, but this topic is not covered in this excerpt.
Another 71 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 McQuiston migration to the United States +

Those who made the voyage were greeted with ample opportunity to acquire land and a political climate far away from the oppressive monarchy of the old country. They settled along the east coast of what would become Canada and the United States. In the American War of Independence, those who remained loyal to England traveled north to Canada as United Empire Loyalists. In this century, many Scots living in North America have begun to recover their rich heritage through festivals, highland games, and Clan societies. An examination of passenger and immigration lists has shown early immigrants bearing the name McQuiston:

McQuiston Settlers in United States in the 18th Century
  • Jean McQuiston, aged 27, who arrived in North Carolina in 1775 7
  • John McQuiston, aged 46, who landed in New York, NY in 1775 7
McQuiston Settlers in United States in the 19th Century
  • John McQuiston, who landed in Allegany (Allegheny) County, Pennsylvania in 1857 7
  • Brice McQuiston, who landed in Allegany (Allegheny) County, Pennsylvania in 1857 7

Canada McQuiston migration to Canada +

Some of the first settlers of this family name were:

McQuiston Settlers in Canada in the 18th Century
  • Mr. William McQuiston U.E. who settled in Charlotte County, New Brunswick c. 1784 8

Contemporary Notables of the name McQuiston (post 1700) +

  • Casey McQuiston (b. 1991), American author of romance novels in the New adult fiction genre, best known for their New York Times best-selling debut novel Red, White & Royal Blue
  • Emma McQuiston (b. 1986), birth name of Emma Thynn, Viscountess Weymout, commonly known as Emma Weymouth, an English chef, model, and philanthropist
  • William "Billy" McQuiston (b. 1958), high-ranking member of the Ulster Defence Association
  • Taylor McQuiston Fry (b. 1981), American child actress, known for her roles in Die Hard, North, and A Little Princess
  • Arthur McQuiston Miller (1861-1929), American educator, zoologist, geologist, and first football coach at the University of Kentucky in 1892

North Sea Flood
  • Thomas B. McQuiston, British worker aboard the ferry "Princess Victoria" who survived the North Sea Flood, a major storm surge in 1953


  1. Arthur, William , An Etymological Dictionary of Family and Christian Names. London: 1857. Print
  2. 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)
  3. Bardsley, C.W, A Dictionary of English and Welsh Surnames: With Special American Instances. Wiltshire: Heraldry Today, 1901. Print. (ISBN 0-900455-44-6)
  4. Dickinson, F.H., Kirby's Quest for Somerset of 16th of Edward the 3rd London: Harrison and Sons, Printers in Ordinary to Her Majesty, St, Martin's Lane, 1889. Print.
  5. Smith, George (ed), Dictionary of National Biography. London: Smith, Elder & Co., 1885-1900. Print
  6. "What are the 5,000 Most Common Last Names in the U.S.?". NameCensus.com, https://namecensus.com/last-names/
  7. 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)
  8. Rubincam, Milton. The Old United Empire Loyalists List. Genealogical Publishing Co., Inc, 1976. (Originally published as; United Empire Loyalists. The Centennial of the Settlement of Upper Canada. Rose Publishing Company, 1885.) ISBN 0-8063-0331-X


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