This surname is an Anglicized form of the Old Scots Gaelic Mac Shuibhne, "Mac" and the shortened form "Mc" meaning son of, and "Shuibhne", an old Gaelic personal name which appears to mean easy-going or pleasant; hence "son of the pleasant one" the aspiration of the "s" causes the name when preceded by "Mac" to be pronounced like Mac Huin or Mac Wheen and so there are many forms of the surname recorded, for example M'Quhyn(e), M'Quhan, M'Quhen, Maquhon, Mc Quhenne, Mauchquhen and M'Kquyne. In the specific case of the Macqueens originating in the Isle of Skye off Scotland, the Norse Personal name Sveinn meaning servant or young man is believed to be the source of the surname. Early recordings of the surname include Luke Mac Quyn registered in Aberdeen, Scotland (1403). On October 28th 1683, Dugald Mc Queen married Elizabeth Menzies in New Machar, Aberdeen. The first recorded spelling of the family name is shown to be that of Hector Mac Souhyn, which was dated 1271, records of an inquest held at Dumbarton, during the reign of King alexander 111 of Scotland, 1249 - 1286. Surnames became necessary when governments introduced personal taxation. In England this was known as Poll Tax. Throughout the centuries, surnames in every country have continued to "develop" often leading to astonishing variants of the original spelling.

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