MCQUEEN

McQueen is a surname that originates from the Gaelic name Mac Shuibhne, which translates literally as son of Suibhne. The personal name Suibhne is thought to derive from the Gaelic word suibh, meaning pleasant or well‑disposed, and as such the surname may be understood to denote descendant of the pleasant one.

Early documentary evidence places the name firmly in the western part of the Scottish Highlands. An entry from 1271 records Hector Mac Souhyn in an inquest held at Dumbarton, a period that overlaps the reign of King Alexander the First of Scotland. Subsequent records from the fifteenth and sixteenth centuries record individuals such as Luke McQuyn, a burgess of Aberdeen in 1403, Michael McQueen, a burgess of Edinburgh in 1510, and John Makquon, a charter witness in Kirkcudbrightshire in 1552. The name reappears in the late seventeenth century with records of Agnes McWhan in Kirkcudbright and of Andrew McWhan, executed for his adherence to the Covenant.

According to clan tradition, the MacQueen name is associated with the Highland clan that held a seat in the Western Isles, particularly on the Isle of Skye, Harris and later on the Isle of Mull at Garmony in the 17th century. In that period the family is recorded as holding a local seat and is frequently mentioned in contemporary legal documents.

The surname has been rendered in a wide array of spellings over the centuries, reflecting regional pronunciation, clerical adaptation, and the influence of Anglicisation. Principal forms include MacQueen and McQueen, while side forms such as MacWhan, MacWhin and McWhan have also been documented. Other variations that appear in Scottish and Northern Irish records are M'Quhyne, M'Quhan, M'Quhen, Maquhon, Mc Quhenne, Mauchquhen and M'Kquyne. In the Highlands the Gaelic forms MacSween, MacSwene and MacSweyne are also linked to the same lineage.

During the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries, considerable migration from Scotland, and from the Highlands in particular, spread the name across the Atlantic world. Presently the surname is common in the United Kingdom, the United States, Canada, Australia and New Zealand. A number of notable individuals have borne the name, including the celebrated fashion designer Alexander McQueen and the American actor and racing driver Steve McQueen, whose surname reflects the same Gaelic heritage.

In Gaelic naming convention the prefix Mac or Mc signifies son of; the corresponding prefix for a daughter is Nic. Consequently, female members of the same lineage may bear forms such as NicQueen or NicSween, although Anglicised variants that omit the prefix also exist.

Typical given names associated with the McQueen surname

Male

• Alan
• Andrew
• David
• James
• John
• Michael
• Robert
• Stephen
• Steven
• William

Female

• Amanda
• Anne
• Elizabeth
• Fiona
• Helen
• Karen
• Laura
• Margaret
• Mary
• Michelle
• Sarah
• Susan

Similar and related surnames

Related and similar names are generated algorithmically based on the spelling, and may not necessarily share an etymology.

How to communicate the surname McQueen in...

Braille

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Morse

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Semaphore

Surname type: From name of parent

Origin: Celtic

Region of origin: British Isles

Country of origin: Scotland

Religion of origin: Christian

Language of origin: Gaelic

Famous people named McQueen

• Alexander McQueen - Fashion designer and couturier (1969 to 2010)
• Steve McQueen - American actor (1930 to 1980)
• Steve McQueen - Artist and film director
• Steven R. McQueen - American actor
• Gordon McQueen - Scottish football player
• Hayley McQueen - Television presenter
• Sam McQueen - Football player
• Alexander McQueen - Football player
• Lauren McQueen - Actor
• Geoff McQueen - Writer (1947 to 1994)
• Natalie McQueen -
• Hugh McQueen - Scottish football player (1867 to 1944)
• Cilla McQueen - New Zealand poet
• Darren McQueen - Football player
• Tommy McQueen - Scottish football player
• Matt McQueen - Scottish football player and manager (1863 to 1944)
• Robert McQueen, Lord Braxfield - Scottish advocate and judge (1722 to 1799)
• Brian McQueen - Scottish professional football player
• Tom McQueen - Football player (1929 to 1)

Names and descriptions courtesy of Wikipedia, and may contain errors. This is not intended to be an exhaustive list of every famous person with this name.

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