O'Quin History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
Ireland

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

Early Origins of the O'Quin family

The surname O'Quin 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 O'Quin family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our O'Quin 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 O'Quin History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

O'Quin Spelling Variations

Pronunciation, rather than spelling, guided scribes and church officials when recording names during the Middle Ages. This practice often resulted in one person's name being recorded under several different spellings. Numerous spelling variations of the surname O'Quin are preserved in these old documents. The various spellings of the name that were found include O'Quinn, Quin, Quinn, Quine, MacQuin, MacQuinn, McQuin, McQuinn, MacCuin, Cuinn, Cuin and many more.

Early Notables of the O'Quin 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...

O'Quin migration to the United States +

The 19th century saw a great wave of Irish families leaving Ireland for the distant shores of North America and Australia. These families often left their homeland hungry, penniless, and destitute due to the policies of England. Those Irish immigrants that survived the long sea passage initially settled on the eastern seaboard of the continent. Some, however, moved north to a then infant Canada as United Empire Loyalists after ironically serving with the English in the American War of Independence. Others that remained in America later joined the westward migration in search of land. The greatest influx of Irish immigrants, though, came to North America during the Great Potato Famine of the late 1840s. Thousands left Ireland at this time for North America, and those who arrived were immediately put to work building railroads, coal mines, bridges, and canals. In fact, the foundations of today's powerful nations of the United States and Canada were to a larger degree built by the Irish. Archival documents indicate that members of the O'Quin family relocated to North American shores quite early:

O'Quin Settlers in United States in the 17th Century

Ack Oquin, who arrived in Virginia in 1678

O'Quin Settlers in United States in the 18th Century

Knogher O'Quin, who settled in America in 1737

Contemporary Notables of the name O'Quin (post 1700) +

Gene O'Quin (1932-1978), American country and western and honky tonk singer