This is a Manx form of the Olde Scots Gaelic name Mac Uilleim. The Gaelic prefix 'mac' means 'son of', plus Uilleim, a Gaelic form of William, itself coming from the German Wilhelm, composed of the elements 'wil' meaning 'will' or 'desire', plus 'helm', a 'helmet' or protection. The name was first recorded as Willelmi in the Domesday Book of 1086 with the English patronymics Willames and Williamssone recorded in 1307 and 1360 respectively Duncan Williamson appears on record in Scotland in 1497 and a Gillecrist Makwilliam in the Black Isle, 1500. Anglicized forms of the original Mac Uilleim appears as Guilliam (London, 1589); Quillam (see below); Qwilliam (Santon, The Isle of Man, 1793) and Quilliam (1835). On February 2nd of that year Margaret Quilliam married William Henry Laughton in St. John the Evangelist, Lambeth, Surrey. The first recorded spelling of the family name is shown to be that of Henry Quillam married Joney Brew, which was dated December 1st 1685 in Jurby, The Isle of Man, during the reign of King Charles II, The Merry Monarch, 1660 - 1685. 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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