Show ContentsQuirk History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Quirk Family Crest Download (JPG) Heritage Series - 600 DPI

Family Crest Download (JPG) Heritage Series - 600 DPI

Etymology of Quirk

What does the name Quirk mean?

The name of the Quirk family is derived from the Old French personal names Odes, Otes, Odon, and Otton. These are all derived from the Old German names "Odo" and "Otto," which literally mean "riches." Occasionally, the name Quirk is a local surname derived from the settlement of Ott in Belgium.

Early Origins of the Quirk family

The surname Quirk was first found in Cornwall where they held a family seat from early times and their first records appeared on the census rolls taken by the ancient Kings of Britain to determine the rate of taxation of their subjects.

Early History of the Quirk family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Quirk research. Another 82 words (6 lines of text) covering the years 1649 and 1705 are included under the topic Early Quirk History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Quirk Spelling Variations

Spelling variations of this family name include: Oates, Oats, Otes, Otis, Oaten, Otten, Oadt, Otton, Oton and many more.

Early Notables of the Quirk family

Another 35 words (2 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Quirk Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Quirk Ranking

the United States, the name Quirk is the 6,203rd most popular surname with an estimated 4,974 people with that name. 1

Migration of the Quirk family to Ireland

Some of the Quirk family moved to Ireland, but this topic is not covered in this excerpt. More information about their life in Ireland is included in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Quirk migration to the United States +



Quirk Settlers in United States in the 18th Century
  • Dennis Quirk, who arrived in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania in 1746 2
  • David Quirk, who landed in Boston, Massachusetts in 1766 2
  • William Quirk, who arrived in Boston, Massachusetts in 1766 2
  • Richard Quirk, who arrived in Boston, Massachusetts in 1766 2
Quirk Settlers in United States in the 19th Century
  • Nicholas Quirk, who landed in New York, NY in 1817 2
  • James Quirk, aged 23, who landed in Baltimore, Maryland in 1834 2
  • Edward J Quirk, aged 26, who arrived in Missouri in 1839 2
  • Edmund Quirk, aged 35, who landed in Missouri in 1840 2
  • Thomas Quirk, who landed in New York in 1845 2
  • ... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Quirk migration to Canada +

Quirk Settlers in Canada in the 19th Century
  • Mathew Quirk, who arrived in Nova Scotia in 1833
  • Eliza Quirk, who landed in Nova Scotia in 1839
  • Hannah Quirk, who arrived in Nova Scotia in 1842
  • Patrick Quirk, who arrived in Halifax, Nova Scotia in 1843

Quirk migration to Australia +

Quirk Settlers in Australia in the 19th Century
  • Samuel Quirk, aged 24, a labourer, who arrived in South Australia in 1849 aboard the ship "Duke of Wellington" 3
  • Ellen Quirk, aged 20, a domestic servant, who arrived in South Australia in 1854 aboard the ship "David Malcolm" 4
  • Mathew Quirk, aged 22, a labourer, who arrived in South Australia in 1855 aboard the ship "Sea Park"
  • Andrew Quirk, aged 28, a labourer, who arrived in South Australia in 1857 aboard the ship "Royal Albert"
  • Patrick Quirk, aged 21, a labourer, who arrived in South Australia in 1857 aboard the ship "Royal Albert"
  • ... (More are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)

Quirk 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:

Quirk Settlers in New Zealand in the 19th Century
  • Sarah Quirk, aged 19, a servant, who arrived in Bluff, New Zealand aboard the ship "Adamant" in 1875 5
  • Eliza Quirk, aged 23, a servant, who arrived in Wellington, New Zealand aboard the ship "Wairoa" in 1877
  • Bartholomew Quirk, aged 24, a labourer, who arrived in Wellington, New Zealand aboard the ship "Wairoa" in 1877

Contemporary Notables of the name Quirk (post 1700) +

  • Lawrence J. Quirk (b. 1923), American Hollywood author, reporter, and film historian
  • Jamie Quirk (b. 1954), American Major League Baseball player
  • Michael J. Quirk, American fighter pilot and flying ace in the U.S. Army Air Forces, during World War II, credited with 12 aerial victories
  • Frank J. Quirk, American Democratic Party politician, Candidate in primary for Illinois State Senate 27th District, 1938 6
  • Frank Quirk, American politician, Candidate for New York State Assembly from Rensselaer County 1st District, 1932 7
  • Dorothy R. Quirk, American Democratic Party politician, Member of Connecticut Democratic State Central Committee, 1977 7
  • Deb Hardin Quirk, American Democratic Party politician, Delegate to Democratic National Convention from Nebraska, 1996 7
  • Daniel Trowbridge Quirk (1903-1969), American politician, Mayor of Ypsilanti, Michigan, 1947-53 7
  • Daniel Lace Quirk (1818-1910), American Democratic Party politician, Wayne County Auditor, 1852-54; Postmaster at Belleville, Michigan, 1853-54 7
  • ... (Another 12 notables are available in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.)
Halifax Explosion
  • Mr. George Andrew  Quirk (1875-1917), Canadian resident from Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada who died in the Halifax Explosion (1917) 7
  • William Thomas Quirk (d. 1945), British Stoker 1st Class aboard the HMS Dorsetshire when she was struck by air bombers and sunk; he died in the sinking 8
  • Mr. William Eduard Quirk, English Able-Bodied Seaman from Douglas, Isle of Man, England, who worked aboard the RMS Lusitania (1915) and died in the sinking and was recovered 9
  1. "What are the 5,000 Most Common Last Names in the U.S.?". NameCensus.com, https://namecensus.com/last-names/
  2. 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)
  3. State Records of South Australia. (Retrieved 2010, November 5) The DUKE OF WELLINGTON 1849. Retrieved from http://www.slsa.sa.gov.au/BSA/1849Duke%20of%20Wellington.htm
  4. South Australian Register Wednesday 5th January 1854. (Retrieved 2010, November 5) David Malcolm 1854. Retrieved http://www.theshipslist.com/ships/australia/davidmalcolm1854.shtml
  5. New Zealand Yesteryears Passenger Lists 1800 to 1900 (Retrieved 17th October 2018). Retrieved from http://www.yesteryears.co.nz/shipping/passlist.html
  6. The Political Graveyard: Alphabetical Name Index. (Retrieved 2015, October 8) . Retrieved from http://politicalgraveyard.com/alpha/index.html
  7. Halifax Explosion Book of Remembrance | Maritime Museum of the Atlantic. (Retrieved 2014, June 23) . Retrieved from https://maritimemuseum.novascotia.ca/what-see-do/halifax-explosion/halifax-explosion-book-remembrance
  8. Force Z Survivors HMS Dorsetshire Crew List, (Retrieved 2018, February 13th), https://www.forcez-survivors.org.uk/biographies/listdorsetshirecrew.html
  9. Lusitania Passenger List - The Lusitania Resource. (Retrieved 2014, March 7) . Retrieved from http://www.rmslusitania.info/lusitania-passenger-list/

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