Quaid History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms
The original Gaelic form of Quaid was Mac Uaid, which means son of Wat.
Early Origins of the Quaid family
The surname Quaid was first found in County Monaghan (Irish: Muineachán) located in the Northern part of the Republic of Ireland in the province of Ulster.
Early History of the Quaid family
This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Quaid research. Another 65 words (5 lines of text) covering the year 1750 is included under the topic Early Quaid History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.
Quaid Spelling Variations
During the Middle Ages, a standardized literary language known by the general population of Ireland was a thing of fiction. When a person's name was recorded by one of the few literate scribes, it was up that particular scribe to decide how to spell an individual's name. So a person could have several spelling variations of his name recorded during a single lifetime. Research into the name Quaid revealed many variations, including McQuaid, McQuade, McWade, McQuid, McQuoid, McQuaide and many more.
Early Notables of the Quaid family
Notable amongst the family name at this time was
- Bernard John McQuaid, First Bishop of Rochester, U.S.A
- Rev. John Charles McQuaid, present Archbishop of Dublin
Quaid migration to the United States +
The 18th century saw the slow yet steady emigration of Irish families to British North America and the United States. Those early Irish settlers that left their homeland were typically moderately well off: they were enticed by the promise of a sizable plot of land. However, by the 1840s, this pattern of immigration was gone: immigrants to North America were seeking refuge from the starvation and disease that the Great Potato Famine of that decade brought. The great numbers of Irish that arrived to the United States and the soon to be Canada were instrumental in their quick development as powerful industrial nations. An examination of early immigration and passenger lists uncovered many early immigrants bearing the name Quaid:
Quaid Settlers in United States in the 18th Century
- Morris Quaid, aged 18, who landed in New Jersey in 1776 1
Quaid Settlers in United States in the 19th Century
- Edward Quaid, who landed in New York, NY in 1811 1
- Michael R. Quaid, aged 31, who landed in America, in 1895
Quaid Settlers in United States in the 20th Century
- William Quaid, who settled in America, in 1906
- Patrick Quaid, aged 34, who immigrated to the United States from Liverpool, England, in 1907
- Charles Quaid, aged 41, who landed in America from Ireland, in 1907
- Daniel Quaid, aged 24, who immigrated to the United States from Rathkeale, Ireland, in 1907
- Edward G Quaid, aged 25, who settled in America from Ireland, in 1908
- ... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)
Quaid migration to New Zealand +
Emigration to New Zealand followed in the footsteps of the European explorers, such as Captain Cook (1769-70): first came sealers, whalers, missionaries, and traders. By 1838, the British New Zealand Company had begun buying land from the Maori tribes, and selling it to settlers, and, after the Treaty of Waitangi in 1840, many British families set out on the arduous six month journey from Britain to Aotearoa to start a new life. Early immigrants include:
Quaid Settlers in New Zealand in the 19th Century
- Charles Quaid, aged 26, a labourer, who arrived in Auckland, New Zealand aboard the ship "Maori" in 1864
- Mary Quaid, aged 26, who arrived in Auckland, New Zealand aboard the ship "Maori" in 1864
- Edward Quaid, aged 1, who arrived in Auckland, New Zealand aboard the ship "Maori" in 1864
- Miss Mary Quaid, (b. 1840), aged 24, British farm servant travelling aboard the ship "Amoor" arriving in Lyttleton, South Island, New Zealand on 1st July 1864 2
- Mr. Kyran Quaid, (b. 1849), aged 15, British labourer travelling aboard the ship "Amoor" arriving in Lyttleton, South Island, New Zealand on 1st July 1864 2
- ... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)
Contemporary Notables of the name Quaid (post 1700) +
- Jack Henry Quaid (b. 1992), American actor, the son of the actors Meg Ryan and Dennis Quaid
- Dennis William Quaid (b. 1954), award-winning American actor, brother of Randy
- Randall Rudy "Randy" Quaid (b. 1950), award-winning American actor, brother of Dennis
- Michael Hunter Quaid (b. 1954), American Republican politician, Delegate to Republican National Convention from Vermont, 2004 3
- John E. Quaid, American Democratic Party politician, Delegate to Democratic National Convention from Texas, 1944 3
- John "Jack" Quaid (1932-2021), Irish hurler who played at club level with Feohanagh-Castlemahon
- Nicky Quaid (b. 1989), Irish sportsperson
- Joe Quaid (b. 1972), retired Irish sportsperson
- Tommy Quaid (1957-1998), Irish sportsperson
Citations +
- 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)
- New Zealand Yesteryears Passenger Lists 1800 to 1900 (Retrieved 17th October 2018). Retrieved from http://www.yesteryears.co.nz/shipping/passlist.html
- The Political Graveyard: Alphabetical Name Index. (Retrieved 2015, November 13) . Retrieved from http://politicalgraveyard.com/alpha/index.html