MacQuisten History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
Scotland
Ireland
England

Viking settlers in ancient Scotland were the ancestors of the first people to use the name MacQuisten. It comes 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 MacQuisten family

The surname MacQuisten 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 MacQuisten family

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

MacQuisten Spelling Variations

Translation and spelling were non-standardized practices in the Middle Ages, so scribes had only their ears to rely on. This was a practice of extremely limited efficiency, and spelling variations in names, even within a single document, were the result. Over the years, MacQuisten has appeared Hutchins, Hutchings, Hutchin, Hutcheon, Huchens, Hutcheons, Hutchon, Houchin, Houchen, Houchens, MacCutcheon, MacQuestion and many more.

Early Notables of the MacQuisten family (pre 1700)

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. [5] Sir George Hutchins (d. 1705), king's...
Another 52 words (4 lines of text) are included under the topic Early MacQuisten Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Migration of the MacQuisten family to Ireland

Some of the MacQuisten 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.

Migration of the MacQuisten family

The fertile east coast of what would become US and Canada was soon dotted with the farms of Scottish settlers. Some of them remained faithful to the crown and called themselves United Empire Loyalists, while others had the chance to pay back their old oppressors in the American War of Independence. That brave spirit lives on today in the highland games that dot North America in the summer. Passenger and immigration lists indicate that members of the MacQuisten family came to North America quite early: Jeremiah Houchin, who sailed to New England in 1630; Tobias Hutchins settled in St. John's, Newfoundland in 1682; George Hutchings was given an estate in St. John's Newfoundland in 1762.

Citations +

Arthur, William , An Etymological Dictionary of Family and Christian Names. London: 1857. Print
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)
Bardsley, C.W, A Dictionary of English and Welsh Surnames: With Special American Instances. Wiltshire: Heraldry Today, 1901. Print. (ISBN 0-900455-44-6)
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.
Smith, George (ed), Dictionary of National Biography. London: Smith, Elder & Co., 1885-1900. Print