Show ContentsMcWhorter History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

The McWhorter surname is an Anglicized form of the Gaelic "Mac Chruiteir," a patronymic created from the occupational byname "Cruiteir, " or "a player of the crwth."

Early Origins of the McWhorter family

The surname McWhorter was first found in Ayrshire (Gaelic: Siorrachd Inbhir Àir), formerly a county in the southwestern Strathclyde region of Scotland, that today makes up the Council Areas of South, East, and North Ayrshire where the name is a variant of Macghruiter. 1

This Gaelic name literally means 'brewer's son.' The original name was "found principally in the south of Perthshire, about Glenaitney, and was common in Dunblane and Doune in the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries. The Macgruers of the North as a sept are merged mostly in the Frasers and adjoining clans. The earliest recorded of the name is Gilawnane McCrouder, witness in a charter to John de Cumre, 1447, and Gillert McGrevar, tenant of Dowart, Stragartna, 1499." 1

Early History of the McWhorter family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our McWhorter research. Another 89 words (6 lines of text) covering the years 1526, 1684, 1734, 1749, 1807 and 1890 are included under the topic Early McWhorter History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

McWhorter Spelling Variations

Spelling variations of this family name include: MacWhirter, MacWhorter, MacQuirter, MacWherter, MacChruiter, MacWater, McWhirter, MacQuarter, MacChurter and many more.

Early Notables of the McWhorter family

Notable amongst the family at this time was

  • Alexander McWhorter (1734-1807), of Scottish parentage who took an active part in the American Revolution and was a trustee of the College of New Jersey, now Princeton University...
  • McWhorter Street in Newark, New Jersey, is named in his honor1...

McWhorter Ranking

In the United States, the name McWhorter is the 2,536th most popular surname with an estimated 12,435 people with that name. 2

Migration of the McWhorter family to Ireland

Some of the McWhorter family moved to Ireland, but this topic is not covered in this excerpt.
Another 72 words (5 lines of text) about their life in Ireland is included in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.


McWhorter migration to the United States +

Some of the first settlers of this family name were:

McWhorter Settlers in United States in the 18th Century
  • Alexander McWhorter, who settled in America in 1730
McWhorter Settlers in United States in the 19th Century
  • A McWhorter, aged 29, who arrived in South Carolina in 1812 3
  • John McWhorter, aged 24, who landed in South Carolina in 1812 3
  • Thomas McWhorter, aged 22, who landed in South Carolina in 1812 3
  • Robert McWhorter, who arrived in Mobile County, Ala in 1850 3
McWhorter Settlers in United States in the 20th Century
  • Mary F. McWhorter, aged 35, who immigrated to the United States from Limerick, in 1903
  • Mary F. McWhorter, aged 40, who landed in America, in 1909
  • Minnie McWhorter, aged 40, who settled in America, in 1910
  • Charles E. McWhorter, aged 9, who landed in America, in 1917
  • Elizabeth McWhorter, aged 3, who landed in America, in 1917
  • ... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Contemporary Notables of the name McWhorter (post 1700) +

  • Ralph Clayton McWhorter (1933-2016), American businessman and philanthropist, President and Chief Executive Officer of the Hospital Corporation of America from 1985 to 1987
  • Lucullus Virgil McWhorter (1860-1944), American archaeologist
  • Private First Class William A. McWhorter (1918-1944), American soldier awarded the Congressional Medal of Honor in 1944
  • John Hamilton McWhorter V (b. 1965), American linguist and political commentator
  • Rebecca Diane McWhorter, American journalist and commentator awarded the 2002 Pulitzer Prize for General Nonfiction
  • Hamilton McWhorter III, American fighter pilot and flying ace in the U.S. Navy, during World War II, credited with 11 aerial victories
  • Henry C. McWhorter (1836-1913), American Republican politician, Delegate to Republican National Convention from West Virginia, 1868; Postmaster at Charleston, West Virginia, 1891-93 4
  • George H. McWhorter, American politician, Village President of Oswego, New York, 1836, 1843 4
  • George G. McWhorter, American politician, Justice of Florida State Supreme Court, 1885-87 4
  • David McWhorter, American politician, Member of New York State Assembly from Chenango County, 1847 4
  • ... (Another 12 notables are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)


The McWhorter 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: Te Deum laudamus
Motto Translation: We praise thee, O God.


  1. 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)
  2. "What are the 5,000 Most Common Last Names in the U.S.?". NameCensus.com, https://namecensus.com/last-names/
  3. 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)
  4. The Political Graveyard: Alphabetical Name Index. (Retrieved 2016, January 14) . Retrieved from http://politicalgraveyard.com/alpha/index.html


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