NameCensus.

UK surname

Mcquiston

A Scottish occupational surname referring to the son of a cook, kitchen worker, or custodian.

In the 1881 census there were 107 people recorded with the Mcquiston surname, ranking it #18,982 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 181, ranked #20,955, down from #18,982 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Borrowstounness and Carriden, Kippen and Glasgow. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Kensington and Chelsea, Carrick South and Dundonald, Loans and Symington.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Mcquiston is 212 in 1901. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 69.2%.

1881 census count

107

Ranked #18,982

Modern count

181

2016, ranked #20,955

Peak year

1901

212 bearers

Map years

6

1881 to 2016

Key insights

  • Mcquiston had 107 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #18,982 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 181 in 2016, ranked #20,955.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 212 in 1901.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Established but Challenged.

Mcquiston surname distribution map

The map shows where the Mcquiston surname is concentrated in each census or modern distribution year. Darker areas mean a stronger local concentration.

Distribution map

Mcquiston surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Mcquiston over time

The table below tracks recorded surname counts and rank from the 19th-century census years through the modern adult-register period.

Year Period Count Rank
1851 historical 57 #23,092
1861 historical 53 #27,253
1881 historical 107 #18,982
1891 historical 164 #17,205
1901 historical 212 #14,611
1911 historical 12 #32,302
1997 modern 162 #20,107
1998 modern 165 #20,423
1999 modern 164 #20,621
2000 modern 163 #20,657
2001 modern 165 #20,199
2002 modern 171 #20,177
2003 modern 170 #20,023
2004 modern 175 #19,805
2005 modern 179 #19,467
2006 modern 178 #19,666
2007 modern 178 #19,887
2008 modern 180 #19,946
2009 modern 173 #20,869
2010 modern 173 #21,327
2011 modern 167 #21,642
2012 modern 173 #21,135
2013 modern 173 #21,486
2014 modern 178 #21,259
2015 modern 180 #20,997
2016 modern 181 #20,955

Geography

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Where Mcquistons are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Borrowstounness and Carriden, Kippen, Glasgow, Kilmarnock and Kirkoswald. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Kensington and Chelsea, Carrick South, Dundonald, Loans and Symington, Tewkesbury and Annan East. Treat these as concentration signals, not proof that every family line began there.

Some modern areas include a three-digit suffix, such as Leeds 110. The suffix is a small-area code, so it stays in the table while the prose uses the plain place name.

Top historical parishes

Rank Parish Area
1 Borrowstounness and Carriden Linlithgow
2 Kippen Stirling
3 Glasgow Lanark
4 Kilmarnock Ayr
5 Kirkoswald Ayr

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Kensington and Chelsea 011 Kensington and Chelsea
2 Carrick South South Ayrshire
3 Dundonald, Loans and Symington South Ayrshire
4 Tewkesbury 007 Tewkesbury
5 Annan East Dumfries and Galloway

Forenames

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First names often paired with Mcquiston

These lists show first names that appear often with the Mcquiston surname in historical and recent records.

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Mcquiston

Modern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Mcquiston, this points to the kinds of places where the surname is most concentrated today.

These neighbourhood labels describe areas, not individual people. They are useful because surnames often cluster through family history, migration, housing patterns and local work. A surname can be strongest in one type of neighbourhood even when people with that name live across the country.

The UK classification gives the national picture. The London classification is more specific to the capital, where housing, age profile, tenure and population mix can look quite different from the rest of the UK.

UK neighbourhood type

UK Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Semi- and Un-Skilled Workforce

Group

Established but Challenged

Nationally, the Mcquiston surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Established but Challenged, within Semi- and Un-Skilled Workforce. This does not mean every Mcquiston household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

Many households in these neighbourhoods comprise separated or divorced single parents with dependent children. Residents are typically born in the UK, and these neighbourhoods have relatively few members of ethnic minorities. The prevalence of children, their parents and those at or above normal retirement age, suggests neighbourhood structures may be long-established. Levels of unpaid care are high, and long-term disability is more common than in the Supergroup as a whole. Use of the social rented sector is common, often in terraced houses. Levels of overcrowding are above the Supergroup average. Unemployment is high, while those in work are employed in elementary occupations such as caring, leisure and customer services. Many residents have low level qualifications. Neighbourhood concentrations of this Group are found in the South Wales Valleys, Belfast, Londonderry and the Central Lowlands of Scotland.

Wider pattern

Living in terraced or semi-detached houses, residents of these neighbourhoods typically lack high levels of education and work in elementary or routine service occupations. Unemployment is above average. Residents are predominantly born in the UK, and residents are also predominantly from ethnic minorities. Social (but not private sector) rented sector housing is common. This Supergroup is found throughout the UK’s conurbations and industrial regions but is also an integral part of smaller towns.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Professional Employment and Family Lifecycles

Group

Established Homeowners with Children

Within London, Mcquiston is most associated with areas classed as Established Homeowners with Children, part of Professional Employment and Family Lifecycles. This gives the surname a London-specific profile rather than forcing the capital into the same pattern as the rest of the country.

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Group profile

These predominantly British-born residents are typically married/in civil partnerships and own the properties in which they are raising their children. Parents are typically over 45, and many other residents are beyond normal retirement age. Detached and semi-detached houses predominate and multiple car ownership is common.

Wider London pattern

These neighbourhoods house people of all ages, predominantly of White British or European extraction. Resident turnover is low. Religious affiliation is less common than average and tends to be Christian if expressed. Homeownership, typically of terraced houses, is common but use of the social rented sector is not. Employment is typically in professional, managerial and associate professional or technical occupations. There are few full-time students. Level 4 qualifications are common. More households lack dependent children than have them which, considered alongside low levels of crowding and over-all age structure, indicates that many households may be post child-rearing and in late middle age. Incidence of disability is low, as is residence in communal establishments.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Mcquiston is most concentrated in decile 2 for access to healthy assets and hazards. This places the surname towards the less healthy end of the index.

Lower deciles point towards weaker access to healthy assets or stronger exposure to local hazards. Higher deciles point towards stronger access and fewer hazards.

2
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Mcquiston falls in decile 5 for neighbourhood deprivation. This puts the surname near the middle of the scale.

Decile 1 represents the more deprived end of the scale. Decile 10 represents the less deprived end.

5
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Mcquiston is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of 30-40 mbit/s.

The scale below places that band in context, from slower local download bands through to faster ones.

6
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - British

This describes the area pattern most associated with Mcquiston, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.

Meaning and origin of Mcquiston

The surname McQuiston originated in the Scottish Highlands during the medieval period. It is a habitational name derived from the lands of Quarreltown, located near Johnstone in Renfrewshire. The name is a combination of the Gaelic words "cuarr" meaning "quarry" and "baile" meaning "town" or "settlement".

The earliest recorded spelling of the name appeared in the Ragman Rolls of 1296, which documented those who swore allegiance to King Edward I of England during his brief conquest of Scotland. The name was written as "Makewastoun" at that time.

In the 16th century, the McQuistons were a prominent family in Ayrshire and held lands in the parish of Kilwinning. John McQuiston, born around 1520, was a notable figure in the clan and played a role in the local disputes and feuds of the era.

During the Scottish Reformation in the 16th century, several McQuistons were listed as supporters of the Protestant cause. One such individual was William McQuiston, who signed the National Covenant in 1638, which was a Protestant declaration of opposition to the interference of the Stuart monarchs in the affairs of the Church of Scotland.

In the 18th century, the McQuistons were among the Scottish families who migrated to the American colonies. James McQuiston, born in 1725 in Ayrshire, was one of the early settlers in Pennsylvania, arriving in the 1760s.

Another notable figure was Robert McQuiston, born in 1790 in County Antrim, Ireland. He was a prominent merchant and landowner in Ohio, and his descendants played a significant role in the development of the Midwestern United States.

Other historical figures with the surname McQuiston include:

1. William McQuiston (1817-1901), a Scottish-born American businessman and politician who served as a member of the Oregon Territory's legislative assembly.

2. John McQuiston (1833-1909), an Irish-born American soldier who fought in the American Civil War and was awarded the Medal of Honor for his bravery.

3. Mary McQuiston (1849-1917), an American educator and pioneer in the field of kindergarten education, who founded one of the first kindergartens in California.

4. John Ross McQuiston (1867-1945), a Canadian author and journalist who wrote extensively about the history and culture of the Pacific Northwest.

5. Samuel McQuiston (1869-1942), an American lawyer and politician who served as a member of the Ohio House of Representatives and was involved in various legal and political organizations.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

FAQ

Mcquiston surname: questions and answers

How common was the Mcquiston surname in 1881?

In 1881, 107 people were recorded with the Mcquiston surname. That placed it at #18,982 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Mcquiston surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 181 in 2016. That gives Mcquiston a modern rank of #20,955.

What does the Mcquiston surname mean?

A Scottish occupational surname referring to the son of a cook, kitchen worker, or custodian.

What does the Mcquiston map show?

The map shows local surname concentration for the selected year. Darker areas have a stronger concentration of Mcquiston bearers relative to the surrounding population.

What records is this surname page based on?

The historical counts come from census surname records. The modern counts and neighbourhood summaries come from later surname distribution records. Counts are recorded bearers in those records, not a live estimate of everyone with the name today.