Researching Clan MacQuarrie Ancestry

Do you think you might be related to other members of the MacQuarrie? Here is a step-by-step guide you can use.

Step-by-Step Guide

Step 1: Check Your Surname

Determine if your surname is a variant of MacQuarrie. The clan has over 100 established spelling variants, including:

Common variants: MacQuarrie, MacQuarie, McQuarrie, McQuarie, Quarry, MacQuaire, MacWharrie, Wharrie

Less obvious variants: Corry, Gurr, Gorey, Crary, Query, Querry, MacGorrie, McGorry, MacGuire, Maguire

Historical spellings: M'Quarrie, M'Goyre, M'Gourie, Makquhurrie, and many others

Even if your surname doesn't obviously resemble MacQuarrie, check the complete list of variants, as some differ dramatically from the original Gaelic "Mac Guaire."

Step 2: Gather Family Information

Collect as much information as possible about your ancestors:

Essential details: - Full names (including maiden names) - Birth, marriage, and death dates - Locations where they lived - Occupations - Religious affiliations

Additional helpful information: - Family stories or legends passed down through generations - Any mentions of Scottish heritage - Immigration records (if ancestors left Scotland) - Old family documents, letters, or photographs

Important note: Start with your immediate family—parents, grandparents, and great-grandparents—and work backward systematically.

Step 3: Identify Geographic Connections

Research whether your ancestors came from areas associated with Clan MacQuarrie:

Primary MacQuarrie territories: - Isle of Ulva (ancestral seat) - Isle of Mull - Staffa and Gometra islands - Inner Hebrides region - Argyllshire

Key periods for migration: - 1790s: Sale of Ulva and initial dispersals - 1830s-1850s: Major emigration to Canada, Australia, New Zealand, and United States - Post-1746: After the Battle of Culloden and Highland Clearances

If your ancestors came from these regions or emigrated during these periods, this strengthens the connection.

Step 4: Conduct Traditional Genealogical Research

Use available records to trace your family tree:

Scottish resources: - Scotland's People (scotlandspeople.gov.uk): Official government genealogy website with over 100 million records - Birth, marriage, and death records from 1553 - Census records from 1841-1911 - Wills dating back to 1500 - Old parish records

National Records of Scotland: Family, business, and church records
Mitchell Library (Glasgow): Family histories, voter rolls, street directories, emigrant lists

International resources: - Ancestry.com: Largest database with 20+ million users - FamilySearch.org: Free records from around the world - MyHeritage: International genealogy platform - FindMyPast: UK and Irish records

Immigration records: - Ships' passenger lists - Naturalization records - Border crossing records

Step 5: Research Clan MacQuarrie History

Learn about the clan to identify potential connections:

Key historical facts: - First recorded chief: John Macquarrie of Ulva (died 1473) - Alliance with Clan MacLean from 1452 - Heavy losses at Battle of Inverkeithing (1651) - Supported Jacobite Rising of 1745 - Last chief: Lachlan MacQuarrie of Ulva (1716-1818) - Famous descendant: Major-General Lachlan Macquarrie, "Father of Australia" (Governor 1810-1821)

Historical records to search: - Gaelic Manuscript 1467 (National Library of Scotland) - Clan genealogies compiled by Lt. Colonel Charles MacQuarrie - Johnson and Boswell's 1773 tour accounts - Jacobite rolls and military records

Step 6: Consider DNA Testing

DNA testing can confirm or reveal MacQuarrie ancestry:

Types of DNA tests:

Y-DNA testing (males only): - Traces direct paternal line (father to father) - Most useful for surname research - Recommended: 37-marker test minimum (upgradeable to 67 or 111) - Can match you with other MacQuarrie descendants - Identifies your haplogroup

Mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA): - Traces direct maternal line (mother to mother) - Available for both males and females - Less useful for surname research since surnames follow paternal lines

Autosomal DNA: - Tests all ancestral lines - Covers approximately last 5-7 generations (150-200 years) - Best for finding living relatives - Provides ethnicity estimates - Most popular test type

Recommended testing companies: - Ancestry DNA: Largest database (20+ million), best for finding matches - FamilyTreeDNA: Best for Y-DNA testing, Scottish DNA Project available - 23andMe: Good ethnicity estimates and health information - MyHeritage: Strong international database - LivingDNA: Detailed British Isles regional breakdowns

Important advice: Test with multiple companies or upload results to other platforms to maximize matches. Transfer raw data where possible.

Step 7: Join DNA Projects and Societies

Connect with other researchers:

DNA Projects: - Scottish Y-DNA Project (FamilyTreeDNA): Largest Scottish genetic genealogy project - MacQuarrie Family Tree DNA Group: Specific to MacQuarrie surname variants - Analyze your results against known MacQuarrie genetic markers

Clan societies and organizations: - Clan MacQuarrie Society: International organization for descendants - Scottish Clan Association: Umbrella organization - Local Scottish heritage societies in your country

Benefits of joining: - Access to shared research and genealogies - Connection with distant relatives - Clan gatherings and events - Expert guidance on research - Preservation of clan history

Step 8: Verify Your Connection

Analyze all evidence to confirm your MacQuarrie ancestry:

Strong evidence includes: - Direct paper trail to MacQuarrie ancestors from Ulva or Mull - Y-DNA matches with documented MacQuarrie descendants - Surname variant found in historical MacQuarrie territories - Family stories mentioning Ulva, Mull, or MacQuarrie connections - Connection to known MacQuarrie families (e.g., Lachlan Macquarrie lineage)

Important considerations: - Not all people with MacQuarrie surnames are blood descendants—some were affiliated families who adopted the name - Surnames sometimes changed due to anglicization or clerical errors - Multiple unrelated families may have adopted similar surnames

Professional help: - Consider hiring a professional genealogist specializing in Scottish ancestry - Consult with genetic genealogy experts for complex DNA questions - Contact Scottish archives for assistance with difficult records

Step 9: Document Your Findings

Create a comprehensive record of your research:

Recommended documentation: - Family tree software (Ancestry, MyHeritage, Gramps, or Legacy) - Detailed source citations for all information - Digital copies of all records and documents - Written narrative of your family history - DNA test results and analysis

Share your research: - Upload trees to genealogy websites (helps others find connections) - Contribute to MacQuarrie genealogy projects - Submit findings to clan society - Consider publishing your family history

Step 10: Connect with Your Heritage

Once you've confirmed your MacQuarrie ancestry:

Cultural connections: - Learn about MacQuarrie history and culture - Study Scottish Gaelic (the clan's ancestral language) - Research the clan motto: "An t'Arm breac dearg" (The red tartaned army) - Explore MacQuarrie tartans and clan symbols

Visit ancestral lands: - Isle of Ulva (MacQuarrie ancestral seat) - Isle of Mull - Iona (where chiefs signed Statutes of Iona in 1609) - Culloden battlefield - Australian sites related to Lachlan Macquarrie

Participate in clan activities: - Attend clan gatherings and Highland Games - Join online MacQuarrie communities - Contribute to preservation of clan heritage - Connect with MacQuarrie descendants worldwide

Additional Resources

Online resources: - Scotland's People Centre: scotlandspeople.gov.uk - National Records of Scotland: nrscotland.gov.uk - Scottish Origenes: scottishorigenes.com - Electric Scotland: electricscotland.com - Clan MacQuarrie historical websites

Books and publications: - Celtic Scotland by William F. Skene - The Surnames of Scotland by George Fraser Black - Clan and family histories at National Library of Scotland

Expert consultation: - Scottish genealogists - Genetic genealogy specialists - University of Strathclyde genealogy programs

Conclusion

Remember: Genealogical research requires patience and persistence. Don't be discouraged by brick walls—they're common in Scottish research, especially for Highland clans. The combination of traditional records and modern DNA testing provides the best chance of confirming your Clan MacQuarrie heritage.

Common Misconceptions about Surname Spelling

Here are several common points of confusion that arise from the historical records concerning the MacQuarrie surname.

Common Misconceptions About the Anglicisation of the Surname MacQuarrie

1. Assumption of a Single "Correct" Spelling

One misconception is that there is one proper anglicised spelling of the name. The MacQuarrie surname is very ancient and of Scottish Gaelic origin, making a precisely accurate translation to the English language impossible. The name has developed into numerous legitimate variants over centuries of migration and anglicisation.

2. Belief That "MacQuarrie" is the Original Form

MacQuarrie is actually an anglicisation of the Gaelic Mac Guaire, which was a patronymic form meaning son of Guaire. The original Gaelic form predates all anglicised versions, and historical records show early spellings like M'Goyre and M'Gourie that bear little resemblance to modern forms.

3. Misunderstanding the Meaning

The personal name Guaire derives from the early Gaelic gaurio-s, which is related to the Greek gauros, both meaning noble or proud. Some might mistakenly connect the name to other English words based on phonetic similarity.

4. Oversimplification of Variant Development

Throughout the centuries, surnames in every country have continued to "develop" often leading to astonishing variants of the original spelling. Variants weren't simply misspellings but evolved through regional pronunciation differences, literacy levels of record-keepers, and deliberate adaptations by families in different locations.

5. Confusion About Completely Different-Looking Variants

In the Isle of Man the name has become Quarry, and in Ireland, Gorey. Many people don't realize that names like Quarry, Wharrie, Corry, and even Gurr are legitimate MacQuarrie variants, despite appearing completely unrelated to the original.

Among MacQuarrie families would be both lineal descendants of the clan and dependent families who affiliated with the clan and thus adopted the clan name. Not everyone with a MacQuarrie surname variant necessarily descends from the same bloodline.

Surname variations and spellings

According to Wikipedia, here are the surnames that have been often attributed to the Clan MacQuarrie:

Here is an alphabetical numbered list of surnames associated with Clan MacQuarrie in mkdocs-compatible markdown format:

Corry
Crary
Crarie
Gorey
Gurr
M'Coirry
M'Corry
M'Crary
M'Geir
M'Goury
M'Gourie
M'Gowry
M'Goyre
M'Guaire
M'Guire
M'Gwyer
M'Qewry
M'Quarrie
M'Quarie
M'Quarry
M'Quary
M'Query
M'Quharry
M'Quhurie
M'Quhirrich
M'Quhoire
M'Quhurrie
M'Quhury
M'Quhyrry
M'Quore
M'Quorie
M'Quorrie
M'Qwhyrrcht
M'Rore
M'Vorich
M'Warie
M'Worich
MacGeir
MacGorrie
MacGorry
MacGuaidhre
MacGuaire
MacGuarie
MacGuire
MacGurr
MacGurrie
MacGwier
MacGwyer
MacGyver
MacQewry
MacQuaire
MacQuairie
MacQuarie
MacQuarrie
MacQuarry
MacQuary
MacQuery
MacQuire
MacQuore
MacQuorie
MacQuorrie
MacQuhirr
MacQuhirrie
MacWharrey
MacWharrie
Maguire
Makcorry
Makcory
Makcurre
Makquharie
Makquhary
Makquharry
Makquhory
Makquhurrie
Makquoyrie
Makquyre
Makwidy
McCrary
McCreary
McCwerie
McGorre
McGorry
McGory
McGuaire
McGuire
McGwire
McGwyer
McQewry
McQuaire
McQuarie
McQuarrie
McQuarry
McQuary
McQueary
McQuery
McQuerry
McQuharrie
McQuhore
McQuhorre
McQuhurrie
McQuire
McQuore
McQuorie
McQuorrie
Quarry
Querry
Wharrey
Wharrie

Summary of Research Resources

Genealogical Records

Available records and where to find them
Parish records
Estate papers and land records
Emigration and passenger lists
Cemetery records

DNA and Genetic Genealogy

DNA testing for MacQuarrie descendants
Genetic studies of the clan
How to interpret results

Family Branches and Septs

Major family lines
Cadet branches
Associated septs

Research Resources

Archive locations (National Records of Scotland, etc.)
Online databases and digitized records
Genealogical societies
Professional researchers and services

Connect with Other Researchers

Message boards or forums
Research queries
Success stories