Surname Ó Quin - Meaning and Origin

Ó Quin: What does the surname Ó Quin mean?

The last name Ó Quin is a Gaelic surname, originating in Ireland. It is an Anglicization of the Irish and Scottish Gaelic Ó Cuinn meaning “descendant of Conn”. Conn is an Old Irish name which means “chief”, “hero”, or “king”. In Gaelic usage, the prefix “O” or “Ó” attached to the front of the name denotes male descent from an ancestor bearing the name while “Ní” or “Nic” denotes female descent. As an Irish surname, Ó Quin is related to a number of other surnames, including McKinnon, Kinney, Connors, and Conley, but each of these surnames has a slightly different meaning when translated into English.

The Ó Quin surname has several variants including O’Quin, Quin, and Quinn. There are also a few anglicized versions of this name, which have been derived through histories of emigration to other countries. Some of these versions can include Quinlan, Quinnell, and Quinnan.

Although the O’Quin surname originated in Ireland, it is found throughout the world today. In the United States and Canada, most of the bearers of this name are of Irish ancestry. It is also found in various parts of England, Scotland, Wales, and more recently, Australia.

The Ó Quin name is an Irish heritage to be proud of and a part of a rich history stretching back hundreds of years. Those who bear the name can trace their heritage to a proud and powerful ancient people, and have the good fortune to continue to carry that history with them wherever they may go.

Ó Quin: Where does the name Ó Quin come from?

The last name Ó Quin is a form of Irish surname derived from the O'Cuinn clan, which originated on the island of Ireland. Today, individuals with the surname Ó Quin can be found around the world, as the O'Cuinns dispersed and immigrated to different countries and locations.

In the United States, individuals with the surname Ó Quin can be found in many parts of the country. The state with the largest population is New York, where O'Cuinn descendants are concentrated in the cities of New York City and Syracuse. In Massachusetts, the surname is associated with the town of Quincy, which is named after an O'Cuinn ancestor. Smaller populations of O'Cuinns can also be found in Virginia and North Carolina.

In Canada, the surname has seen its most significant growth in the province of Ontario. Many O'Cuinn immigrants settled and built communities in Toronto, Hamilton, and the surrounding cities and towns. There is also a large population of Ó Quins on the island of Montreal, where the family initially emigrated from Ireland.

In Ireland, the surname is most associated with the O'Cuinn territory of Connacht in the western and northwestern provinces. This territory is where many of the earliest known O'Cuinns lived and is still densely populated with individuals that bear the surname.

In other parts of the world, individuals that bear the surname can be found in Australia, Mexico, and the United Kingdom.

Variations of the surname Ó Quin

The surname Ó Quin (also commonly spelled O'Quin) is derived from the Irish Gaelic surname Ó Coinn, which is a patronymic name originating with the Gaelic word "cinn" (head, chief). The variant Mac Cionn was also taken up by many. Common English variants of the surname include O'Quinn, Quinn, Quine, Quin, Kinne, Kinney, Kinneys, Conn, Conne, Connys, Connors, Coner, Cowin, Cowins, Couin, Kewin, Colhoun, Coen, and Mac Coon.

The surname has a long history in Ireland, dating back to the 10th century. It has been found in both Northern and Southern Ireland, with branches in both counties Connacht and Ulster, as well as in Antrim, Down, Donegal, Mayo, and Sligo. It can also be found in Scotland, especially in the areas where many Scots-Irish emigrated to in the 17th and 18th centuries, such as Appalachia and Canada.

Historically, many spellings of the same name could be found scattered throughout Ireland. As Irish surnames began to be standardized in the 1800s, however, spellings "O'Quin" and "Quinn" became more popular. Nevertheless, the variant spellings of the surname can still be found in both Ireland and the diaspora today.

Famous people with the name Ó Quin

• Jessie Ó Quin: Irish soccer player and current head coach of the Premier League 2 side.
• Shaun Ó Quin: Irish comedian and actor, best known for his role as Father Dougal McGuire in the much-beloved sitcom Father Ted.
• Kevin Ó Quin: Irish fiddle player and composer, who plays with the Limerick-based traditional Irish music band Rí Rá.
• Conor Ó Quin: Irish novelist whose debut novel The Knife of the Outlaw won the European Crime Fiction Award in 2008.
• Colm Ó Quin: Irish politician who was a former Member of the European Parliament for the United Kingdom's Northern Ireland region from 1999 to 2004.
• Diarmaid Ó Quin: Irish-American writer and playwright who is best known for his play Famine in 2005 and his novel The Last Hostage in 2017.
• Tuathal Ó Quin: Gaelic footballer and former manager of county side Meath, where he has achieved a number of All-Ireland titles.
• Sinéad Ó Quin: Irish transgender activist and community leader, and the winner of the 2016 Alternative Miss Ireland crown.
• Dion Ó Quin: Irish Gaelic football coach, former player and current selector of the Kerry senior team.
• Éanna Ó Quin: Irish writer, playwright, and poet known for his controversial works on the Troubles in Northern Ireland.

Other surnames

Ó Quinn