Quires History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

• Origins Available:
• Ireland

Etymology of Quires

Many variations of the name Quires have evolved since the time of its initial creation. In Gaelic it appeared as Mag Uidhir, which is derived from the word "odhar," meaning "dun-colored;" in the genitive case, the word is "uidhir."

Early Origins of the Quires family

Early History of the Quires family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Quires research. Another 66 words (5 lines of text) covering the years 1683 and 1707 are included under the topic Early Quires History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Quires 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 Quires are preserved in these old documents. The various spellings of the name that were found include Maguire, MacGuire, Guire, Guirey, Guiry and others.

Early Notables of the Quires family

Another 41 words (3 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Quires Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Migration of the Quires family

During the 19th century thousands of impoverished Irish families made the long journey to British North America and the United States. These people were leaving a land that had become beset with poverty, lack of opportunity, and hunger. In North America, they hoped to find land, work, and political and religious freedoms. Although the majority of the immigrants that survived the long sea passage did make these discoveries, it was not without much perseverance and hard work: by the mid-19th century land suitable for agriculture was short supply, especially in British North America, in the east; the work available was generally low paying and physically taxing construction or factory work; and the English stereotypes concerning the Irish, although less frequent and vehement, were, nevertheless, present in the land of freedom, liberty, and equality for all men. The largest influx of Irish settlers occurred with Great Potato Famine during the late 1840s. Research into passenger and immigration lists has brought forth evidence of the early members of the Quires family in North America: Dennis McGuire, who settled in New England in 1772; Arthur, Bernard, Catherine, Daniel, Hugh, James, John, Michael, Patrick, Peter, Robert, Thomas, and William McGuire, all arrived in Philadelphia between 1840 and 1860.