Macquilly History, Family Crest & Coats of Arms

Origins Available:
Ireland

Etymology of Macquilly

What does the name Macquilly mean?

In Ireland, the name Macquilly is generally derived from the Gaelic "Mac an Choiligh," which means "son of the cock or rooster;" the name was often Anglicized as Cox.

Early Origins of the Macquilly family

The surname Macquilly was first found in County Roscommon (Irish: Ros Comáin) located in central Ireland in the province of Connacht, where they held a family seat from ancient times.

Early History of the Macquilly family

This web page shows only a small excerpt of our Macquilly research. Another 87 words (6 lines of text) covering the years 1558, 1650, 1675, 1733, 1770 and 1837 are included under the topic Early Macquilly History in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Macquilly Spelling Variations

In the Middle Ages many people were recorded under different spellings each time their name was written down. Research on the Macquilly family name revealed numerous spelling variations, including MacQuilly, McQuilly, MacQuilley, McQuilly, MacQuillie, McQuillie, Quilley, Quilly, Quillie, Cox, Coxe and many more.

Early Notables of the Macquilly family

Another 38 words (3 lines of text) are included under the topic Early Macquilly Notables in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible.

Migration of the Macquilly family

The 18th century saw the slow yet steady emigration of Irish families to British North America and the United States. Those early Irish settlers that left their homeland were typically moderately well off: they were enticed by the promise of a sizable plot of land. However, by the 1840s, this pattern of immigration was gone: immigrants to North America were seeking refuge from the starvation and disease that the Great Potato Famine of that decade brought. The great numbers of Irish that arrived to the United States and the soon to be Canada were instrumental in their quick development as powerful industrial nations. An examination of early immigration and passenger lists uncovered many early immigrants bearing the name Macquilly: William McQuillie who landed in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania in 1804; Thomas Cox, who arrived in New York, NY in 1805; Andrew Cox, who arrived in Quebec in 1850.

The Macquilly Motto +

The motto was originally a war cry or slogan. Mottoes first began to be shown with arms in the 14th and 15th centuries, but were not in general use until the 17th century. Thus the oldest coats of arms generally do not include a motto. Mottoes seldom form part of the grant of arms: Under most heraldic authorities, a motto is an optional component of the coat of arms, and can be added to or changed at will; many families have chosen not to display a motto.

Motto: Fide et fortitudine
Motto Translation: By fidelity and fortitude.