Why the addition of "Mc" to a name?

[ZED]

Hi All ~

My McQuinns were originally Quinns. They emigrated from Ireland (presumably North, as they were Protestant) and settled in S.W Scotland around 1816.

Family folklore suggests that they added the "Mc" to disguise their "Irishness". Was there a prejudice against the Irish at that time? (ie: Was the influx of Irish immigrants around 1816 significant enough to have caused resentment amongst the Scots?).

On the other hand, if it wasn't to disguise their Irish origins what other reason could there have been?

[Bertieone]

Hi Zed,

The link may help,

http://www.irishroots.com/id4608.htm

[dickiesam]

Hi All ~

My McQuinns were originally Quinns. They emigrated from Ireland (presumably North, as they were Protestant) and settled in S.W Scotland around 1816.

Family folklore suggests that they added the "Mc" to disguise their "Irishness". Was there a prejudice against the Irish at that time? (ie: Was the influx of Irish immigrants around 1816 significant enough to have caused resentment amongst the Scots?).

On the other hand, if it wasn't to disguise their Irish origins what other reason could there have been?

Hi Zed,
The ancestors of many Protestants in the North of Ireland were originally from Scotland. They had been offered land, often 'confiscated' from the incumbent RC family, in the North by the English crown of the time to bolster the Protestant and non-RC population who had felt threatened by the Irish Nationalist Roman Catholics. There is a strong possibility that your Quinns were originally McQuinn. There was a history of an annual seasonal migration 'across the water' to Scotland for the potato harvest. It could be they decided to stay.

[Blue70]

They would have been migrants people didn't emigrate from Ireland to Britain it was like going from Wales to England. Sometimes the Mc prefix was added in Scotland, Ireland or Isle of Man where it wasn't appropriate it was probably due to there being so many Mcs there and the often dropping of the Mc. With the dropping of the Mc it was more difficult to identify which names were originally Mcs so sometimes the Mc was added wrongly.

Along with the plantations of the north of Ireland there were other regular migrations of Scots to Ireland. Most of the Scots were Protestants but some were actually Catholics which is usually forgotten. Both Catholics and Protestants in the north have Mc surnames so the use of the Mc probably wouldn't have been an issue for people going from Ireland to Scotland. The Quinns were probably thought to be McQuinns as there are similar sounding Mc surnames ie McQueen, McEwan etc.


Blue

[ZED]

That's very interesting ... thanks folks!

Just to complicate matters further ...
This branch of the family, as far back as I've managed to get them:
Andrew Quinn b.1789 Ireland ~ m ~ Sarah Williams b.1785 Ireland.
Williams is a Welsh name, isn't it?!

[dickiesam]

That's very interesting ... thanks folks!

Just to complicate matters further ...
This branch of the family, as far back as I've managed to get them:
Andrew Quinn b.1789 Ireland ~ m ~ Sarah Williams b.1785 Ireland.
Williams is a Welsh name, isn't it?!

Mainly Welsh but Williams can be Scots as well I believe. And don't forget that when the Normans arrived on the eastern coast of Ireland they had Welsh mercenaries under the leadership of Strongbow. An army had been assembled that included Welsh archers. In quick succession it took the Viking established towns of Wexford, Waterford and Dublin in 1169-1170.

From Wiki: Williams is a patronymic form of the name William that originated in medieval England and later came to be extremely popular in Wales. The meaning is derived from son or descendant of Williame, the Northern French form that also gave the English name William.

[Blue70]

Could be Welsh, Scottish or Irish.

McWilliams appears in Ireland:-

http://www.rootschat.com/forum/index.php?topic=485661.0

http://www.ancestry.com/name-origin?surname=mcwilliams


Blue

[ZED]

Many thanks ... this is fascinating stuff.
I really need to equip myself with a good (novice-level) book on Irish history ... any suggestions?

[Blue70]

The history of the migrations between Scotland and the north of Ireland is complex my McCaughan ancestors went back and forth between Antrim & Down and Scotland:-

http://members.tripod.com/~McCoin_Geneo ... ex-28.html


Blue