The surname MacQuilham is derived from the
personal name Hugelin, which is a diminutive of Hugh. The Gaelic form of the name is Mac Uighilin.
Early Origins of the MacQuilham family
The surname MacQuilham was first found in
County Antrim (Irish: Aontroim) located in the province of
Ulster in present day Northern
Ireland, where they were granted lands by
Strongbow after the Anglo/
Norman invasion of
Ireland in 1172.
Specifically, "The MacQuillans were lords of the territory of the Routes, in co. Antrim, holding their chief residence in the fine old sea-girt castle of Dunluce." MacLysaght agrees "The MacQillans are of Norman- Welsh descent: they settled soon after the invasion in the territory called the Route (co. Antrim.)" [1]CITATION[CLOSE]
MacLysaght, Edward, Irish Families Their Names, Arms and Origins 4th Edition. Dublin: Irish Academic, 1982. Print. (ISBN 0-7165-2364-7)
One of the first records of the family was Malcolm MacQuillan who died in 1307. Little is known of his heritage, but what we do know is that he was granted safe conduct by the English so he could assail Scottish forces, on Scotland's western seaboard, with his galley fleet. He was part of a fleet of eighteen galleys with 1,000 men who landed near Stranraer, now a town in southwest Scotland in Inch, Dumfries and Galloway. But, this force was quickly overwhelmed by local forces led by Dungal MacDouall. MacQuillan was captured and executed. His head and the heads from two Irish chiefs were sent back to King Edward I.
Early History of the MacQuilham family
This web page shows only a small excerpt of our MacQuilham research.
Another 437 words (31 lines of text) covering the years 1315, 1442, 1542, 1559, 1750, 1307, 1300 and 1485 are included under the topic Early MacQuilham History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.
MacQuilham Spelling Variations
Medieval scribes and church officials spelt names simply the way they sounded, which explains the various name
spelling variations of the name MacQuilham that were encountered when researching that surname. The many spelling variations included: McQuillan, McQuillen, McQuillian, McQuillin, McQuillon, McCailin, McAilin, MacQuillian, MacQuillon, MacCaillion, MacQuillin, MacQuillan, McKillan, McQuilland, McAiland, McAylin, McCaillion, McKillion, McKillin, McKillon, MacKillan, MacQuilland, MacAyland, MacAilan, Quillan and many more.
Early Notables of the MacQuilham family (pre 1700)
Notable amongst the family up to this time was Malcolm MacQuillan (died 1307) Irish nobleman who was granted safe conduct by the English so he could assail Scottish forces, on Scotland's western seaboard, with his galley fleet in July 1300. However, the invasion force was quickly overwhelmed by local forces. Malcolm...
Another 128 words (9 lines of text) are included under the topic Early MacQuilham Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.
Migration of the MacQuilham family to the New World and Oceana
A great number of
Irish families left their homeland in the late 18th century and throughout the 19th century, migrating to such far away lands as
Australia and North America. The early settlers left after much planning and deliberation. They were generally well off but they desired a tract of land that they could farm solely for themselves. The great mass of immigrants to arrive on North American shores in the 1840s differed greatly from their predecessors because many of them were utterly destitute, selling all they had to gain a passage on a ship or having their way paid by a philanthropic society. These Irish people were trying to escape the aftermath of the Great Potato Famine: poverty, starvation, disease, and, for many, ultimately death. Those that arrived on North American shores were not warmly welcomed by the established population, but they were vital to the rapid development of the industry, agriculture, and infrastructure of the infant nations of the United States and what would become Canada. Early passenger and immigration lists reveal many Irish settlers bearing the name MacQuilham: Andrew, Charles, James, John, Patrick, William McQuillan arrived in Philadelphia between 1840 and 1860; Edward, George, Patrick, Phillip, Roger and Thomas McQuillen all arrived in Philadelphia between 1840 and 1860.