Show ContentsMcGuckin History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Etymology of McGuckin

What does the name McGuckin mean?

The McGuckin surname appeared in Gaelic as Mag Uiginn, which is probably derived from a Norse forename. The name is usually pronounced as "McGwiggen" in it's homeland County Tyrone (especially around Omagh).

Early Origins of the McGuckin family

The surname McGuckin was first found in County Tyrone (Irish:Tír Eoghain), the ancient territory of the O'Neills, now in the Province of Ulster, central Northern Ireland, where they held a family seat from ancient times.

Early History of the McGuckin family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our McGuckin research. Another 71 words (5 lines of text) covering the years 1616, 1659 and 1800 are included under the topic Early McGuckin History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

McGuckin 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 McGuckin are preserved in these old documents. The various spellings of the name that were found include MacGuigan, MacGoogan, MacGougan,MacGookin, MacGuckin, MacGugan, MacQuiggan, MacWiggin, MacGucken, MacGuckian, MacGuiggan, MacGuighan and many more.

Early Notables of the McGuckin family

More information is included under the topic Early McGuckin Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.


McGuckin migration to the United States +

A massive amount of Ireland's native population left the island in the 19th century for North America and Australia in hopes of finding more opportunities and an escape from discrimination and oppression. A great portion of these migrants arrived on the eastern shores of the North American continent. Although they were generally poor and destitute, and, therefore, again discriminated against, these Irish people were heartily welcomed for the hard labor involved in the construction of railroads, canals, roadways, and buildings. Many others were put to work in the newly established factories or agricultural projects that were so essential to the development of what would become two of the wealthiest nations in the world. The Great Potato Famine during the late 1840s initiated the largest wave of Iris immigration. Early North American immigration and passenger lists have revealed a number of people bearing the name McGuckin or a variant listed above:

McGuckin Settlers in United States in the 19th Century
  • Patrick McGuckin, who arrived in Allegany (Allegheny) County, Pennsylvania in 1825 1
  • Michael McGuckin, who landed in Allegany (Allegheny) County, Pennsylvania in 1837 1
  • Arthur McGuckin, who arrived in Allegany (Allegheny) County, Pennsylvania in 1838 1
  • Henry McGuckin, who landed in New York in 1844 1
  • William McGuckin, who landed in Allegany (Allegheny) County, Pennsylvania in 1844 1
  • ... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)
McGuckin Settlers in United States in the 20th Century
  • Kate McGuckin, aged 30, who immigrated to America from Tyrone, Ireland, in 1907
  • Michael McGuckin, aged 21, who settled in America from Derry, Ireland, in 1908
  • John McGuckin, aged 30, who immigrated to the United States from Moneymore, Ireland, in 1910
  • Joseph McGuckin, aged 27, who immigrated to the United States from Moneymore, Ireland, in 1910
  • Joseph McGuckin, aged 28, who settled in America from Ballymoney, Ireland, in 1911
  • ... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

McGuckin 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:

McGuckin Settlers in New Zealand in the 19th Century
  • Hugh McGuckin, aged 24, a ploughman, who arrived in Otago aboard the ship "Dallam Tower" in 1875

Contemporary Notables of the name McGuckin (post 1700) +

  • John McGuckin, American Democratic Party politician, Alternate Delegate to Democratic National Convention from Pennsylvania, 1924 2
  • Aislin McGuckin (b. 1974), Northern-Irish actress
  • Kevin "Slith" McGuckin (b. 1981), Irish senior Gaelic footballer for Derry
  • Barton McGuckin (1852-1913), Irish tenor singer, best known for his work with the Carl Rosa Opera Company
  • Kieran McGuckin (b. 1967), Irish senior hurler for Cork
  • William McGuckin (1801-1878), Baron de Slane, Irish orientalist
  • Mr. Edward Mark McGuckin C.B.E., Irish Senior Officer for Public Legal Service Division, Northern Ireland Executive, was appointed Commander of the Order of the British Empire on 29th December 2018 for services to the Criminal Justice System in Northern Ireland by Her Majesty The Queen 3
  • Mark McGuckin, Canadian television presenter from British Columbia
  • Genevieve McGuckin, Australian musician and song-writer, founder of These Immortal Souls
  • John Anthony McGuckin (b. 1952), Orthodox Christian scholar, priest, and poet


The McGuckin Motto +

The motto was originally a war cry or slogan. Mottoes first began to be shown with arms in the 14th and 15th centuries, but were not in general use until the 17th century. Thus the oldest coats of arms generally do not include a motto. Mottoes seldom form part of the grant of arms: Under most heraldic authorities, a motto is an optional component of the coat of arms, and can be added to or changed at will; many families have chosen not to display a motto.

Motto: Semper patriae servire presto
Motto Translation: Always ready to serve my country


  1. 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)
  2. The Political Graveyard: Alphabetical Name Index. (Retrieved 2016, February 19) . Retrieved from http://politicalgraveyard.com/alpha/index.html
  3. "Birthday and New Year Honours Lists (1940 to 2019)." Issue 62507, 28 December 2018 | London Gazette, The Gazette, Dec. 2018, www.thegazette.co.uk/honours-lists


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