MacQueen

Background:  The name Macqueen or Macsweyns is said to originate from several sources; from the Gaelic Suibhne meaning "going well", or MacCuinn, "son of Conn", or from the Norse, Sweyn. The Macqueens were of Hebridean and West Highland origin, and appear to have been originally associated with Clan Donald. During the 15th century when Malcolm Beg Mackintosh, 10th chief of Mackintosh married Mora MacDonald of Moidart, the bride was accompanied by several Macqueen clansmen who settled in Argyll f orming a sept of Clan Chattan. Among these was Revan Macqueen who fought under Mackintosh at the Battle of Harlaw in 1411, he was ancestor to the Macqueens of Corrybrough who settled in Strathdearn. They were known as "Clan Revan". These lands appear to have been lost at the end of the 18th century when the chief John Fraser died in 1881. The title passed to his brother who's son emigrated to New Zealand and was the last known chief of the clan. In the Hebrides the Macqueens held the lands of Garafad i n Skye for many generations. However it was from the islands that there was a massive exodus of Macqueens across the Atlantic. Robert Macqueen, Lord Braxfield was a notable judge of the late 18th century who was renowned for his savagery and sentences and was given the appropriate title of "the hanging judge", although in fact to be fair he was from neither Clan Revan nor from the Hebridean clan but of Lanarkshire descent.

This Celtic name is also given as ‘Macsween’, or ‘son of Sweyn’. They are accordingly of the same descent as the great Clan Donald, claiming kinship with the Irish High Kings. The Macqueens are said to have provided a guard for a daughter of the house of Clan Ranald who married a Mackintosh chief, and they elected to settle around Findhorn and became part of that confederation of clans known as the Clans of the Cat, or Clan Chattan. They were known as Clan Revan, after the leader of the original escort. The principal family became the Lairds of Corriborough and they remained highly regarded among the supporters of the Macdonalds. In 1778 Lord Macdonald of Sleat wrote, ‘it does me great honour to have the sons of Chieftains in the Regiment and as the MacQueens have been invariably attached to our family, to whom we believe we owe our existence, I am proud of the nomination’. The Macqueens or Macsweens were numerous throughout the islands. The Reverend Donald Macqueen, minister of Snizort, was a man of such intellect that he even impressed the great Dr Samuel Johnson, who met him on his visit to the Hebrides. The fortunes of the family failed, and the chiefs are believed to have emigrated to New Zealand and the family scattered throughout Scotland and the English-speaking world. The name was not always highly regarded, however: Robert Macqueen, a famous eighteenth-century Scottish judge, was elevated to the Bench with the title, ‘Lord Braxfield’. He was feared for his savage sentences and his predeliction for the death penalty. One famous incident is related where he found an old friend, and constant adversary in the game of chess, before him on a capital charge. He is said to have delivered the death sentence and then looked his old friend in the eye and declared, ‘and that’s checkmate to me’. Professor John Macqueen is a distinguished twentieth-century academic and for many years held the chair of Scottish Studies at the University of Edinburgh.

Name Variations:  MacCuidhean, MacCuinn, MacCuithean, MacCuithein, MacCune, MacCunn, MacCuthan, MacCwne, MacGuin, MacHquan, MacHquhan, MacHuin, MacKqueane, MacKquyne, MacQuain, MacQuan, MacQuaynes, MacQuean, MacQueane, MacQueen, MacQueeney, MacQueenie, MacQuein, MacQueine, MacQuen, MacQuene, MacQueyn, MacQueyne, MacQuhan, MacQuheen, MacQuhen, MacQuhenn, MacQuhenne, MacQuheyne, MacQuhyn, MacQuhyne, MacQuien, MacQuin, MacQuine, MacQuinne, MacSayde, MacSeveney, MacShuibhne, MacSuain, MacSuin, MacSwain, MacSwaine, MacSwan, MacSwane, MacSween, MacSwen, MacSweyne, MacSwyde, MacSwyne, MacUne, MacWhan, MacWhanne, MacWhin, MacWhinn, Makquean, Makquene, Makquhan, Makquhane, Makquhen, Makquhon, Maquhon, Quin, Quinn, Revan, Revans, Suain, Svan, Sveinn, Swain, Swan, Swane, Swann, Swayne, Sween, Swein, Sweing, Swen, Sweyn, Sweyne, Swyde, Swyn, Swyne, MacCunn, MacSwan, MacSwen, MacSween, MacSwyde, MacWhan, Revans, Swan .

References:
One or more of the following publications has been referenced for this article.
The General Armory; Sir Bernard Burke - 1842.
A Handbook of Mottoes; C.N. Elvin - 1860.
Scottish Clans and Tartans; Neil Grant - 2000.
Scottish Clan and Family Encyclopedia; George Way of Plean and Romilly Squire - 1994.
Scottish Clans and Tartans; Ian Grimble - 1973.
World Tartans; Iain Zaczek - 2001.
Clans and Families of Scotland; Alexander Fulton - 1991.

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