Find out how popular the last name McQuain is in the United States and learn more about the meaning, history, and race and ethnic origin of people in America who are named McQuain.

McQuain, like all of the last names we have data for, is identified by the U.S. Census Bureau as a surname which has more than 100 occurrences in the United States in the Decennial Census survey. The most recent statistics we have for the McQuain surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of McQuain in America

McQuain is the 31360th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The McQuain surname appeared 739 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 0 people would have the surname McQuain.

We can also compare 2010 data for McQuain to data from the previous census in 2000. The table below contains all of the statistics for both years in a side-by-side comparison.

The history of the last name McQuain

The surname McQuain is of Scottish origin, with roots dating back to the 12th century. It is derived from the Gaelic name "MacShuibhne," which means "son of Sweyn" or "son of the well-built man." The name is closely related to the Scottish clan MacQueen.

McQuain is a variant spelling of the name MacQueen, which is found in medieval records from the late 13th century. One of the earliest recorded instances of the name appears in the Ragman Rolls of 1296, a collection of homage pledges given to King Edward I of England by Scottish nobles and landowners.

The name is associated with the Hebrides Islands off the west coast of Scotland, particularly the Isle of Islay. The MacQueens were a prominent clan in the Hebrides, and their ancestral lands were centered around the area of Lochaber and the Isle of Mull.

In the 16th century, a prominent figure with the surname McQuain was Donald McQuain, a Scottish warrior and poet who lived on the Isle of Islay. He is known for his poetic works, which provide insight into the culture and traditions of the Scottish Hebrides during that time.

Another notable individual with the surname was John McQuain, born in 1745, who was a Scottish soldier and military officer during the American Revolutionary War. He served in the British Army and fought against the American colonists in several battles, including the Battle of Monmouth in 1778.

In the 19th century, James McQuain, born in 1832, was a Scottish-American entrepreneur and industrialist. He founded the McQuain Machinery Company, which manufactured mining equipment and machinery, and played a significant role in the industrialization of the American West.

Elizabeth McQuain, born in 1860, was a Scottish writer and journalist known for her novels and short stories that depicted the lives and struggles of working-class people in Scotland. Her works provided a unique perspective on the social and cultural issues of her time.

Thomas McQuain, born in 1892, was a Scottish-American soldier who fought in World War I. He received the Distinguished Service Cross, one of the highest military honors awarded by the United States Army, for his bravery and valor on the battlefield.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name McQuain

We also have some data on the ancestry of people with the surname McQuain.

The below race categories are the modified race categories used in the Census Bureau's population estimates program. All people were categorized into six mutually exclusive racial and Hispanic origin groups:

1. White only
2. Black only
3. American Indian and Alaskan Native only
4. Asian and Pacific Islander only
5. Hispanic
6. Two or More Races

For the most recent 2010 census data, the race/ethnic origin breakdown for McQuain was:

Note: Any fields showing (S) means the data was suppressed for privacy so that the data does not in any way identify any specific individuals.

Since we have data from the previous census in 2000, we can also compare the values to see how the popularity of McQuain has changed in the 10 years between the two census surveys.

Data source

The last name data and ethnic breakdown of last names is sourced directly from the Decennial Census survey, conducted every 10 years by the United States Census Bureau.

The history and meaning of the name McQuain was researched and written by our team of onomatology and genealogy experts.

If you have a correction or suggestion to improve the history of McQuain, please contact us.

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