Quigg

Quigg is an Irish surname derived from the Gaelic Ó Cuaig, meaning "descendant of Cuaig". The personal name Cuaig is of uncertain etymology, though it likely pre-dates the Norman invasion of Ireland. Phonetic anglicization of Gaelic names during the 16th–18th centuries caused 'Ó Cuaig' to regularly become 'Quigg' in English records.

Notable Bearers

The surname appears internationally today. H. D. "Doc" Quigg (1911–1998) was a Pulitzer Prize–winning American journalist. A stronger concentration is in Ireland, including Eoghan Quigg (born 1992), a pop singer from County Meath, and Robert Quigg (1885–1955), a farmer and World War I hero awarded the Victoria Cross for rescue actions at the Battle of the Somme. In boxing, Scott Quigg (born 1988) held world titles in two weight classes. In the United States, the carrier was elevated politically: Lemuel Quigg (1863–1919) served in the House of Representatives; H. Leslie Quigg (1887–1980) became Miami's chief of police but received notoriety as a Klansman indicted for murder. On a scientific front, Chris Quigg (born 1944) is an eminent theoretical physicist at Fermilab.

Distribution

Today the name is most populous in Northern Ireland (Ulster) and Ireland as a whole, with a second concentration in the United States in parts linked to 19th-century Irish harvesters. Sporadic families occur in Australia, Canada, and England.

• Meaning: "descendant of Cuaig" (unknown originally)
• Origin: Irish Gaelic, from Ó Cuaig
• Type: surname arising from a patronymic clan-name
• Main Usage Region: Ulster & counties of historic North Connacht overseasoned in North America