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The Kirkyard at Colmonell-McWhirter Gravestone Inscriptions

Volume 1, Issue 2
(May 1997)

Hugh McWhorter
(cir1690-1750)
of New Castle co., DE

Volume 1, Issue 2
(May 1997)

David McWhorter
(1741-1789)
of Lancaster co., PA

Volume 1, Issue 3
(August 1997

Hugh McWhorter
(1757-1837)
of York co., SC

Volume 1, Issue 4
(November 1997

Moses McWhorter
(cir1700-cir1756)
of Lancaster co., PA

Volume 2, Issue 1
(February 1998)

Mathew McWhorter
(abt1725-1804)
of Washington co., NY

Volume 2, Issue 2
(May 1998)

125th
McWhorter Family Reunion
Woodville, GA

Volume 1, Issue4
(November 1997)

Volume 2, Issue 4
(November 1998)

Volume 3, Issue 1
(February 1999)

Volume 3, Issue 2
(May 1999)

Volume 3, Issue 3
(August 1999)

Volume 3, Issue 4
(November 1999)

Volume 4, Issue 1
(February 2000)

Volume 3, Issue 4
(November 1999)

Volume 4, Issue 1
(February 2000)

Volume 4, Issue 2
(May 2000)

Volume 4, Issue 3
(August 2000)

Volume 4, Issue 3
(August 2000)

Volume 6, Issue 3
(August 2002)

Volume 6, Issue 1
(February 2002)

Volume 6, Issue 2
(May 2002)

Volume 6, Issue 3
(August 2002)

Volume 6, Issue 4
(November 2002)

Volume 7, Issue 1
(February 2003)

Volume 7, Issue 2
(May 2003)

Volume 6, Issue 1
(February 2002)

Volume 6, Issue 4
(November 2002)

Volume 7, Issue 1
(February 2003)

Volume 7, Issue 2
(May 2003)

Volume 7, Issue 3
(August 2003)

Volume 7, Issue 4
(November 2003)

Volume 8, Issue 1
(February 2003)

All of us who were born a MCWH*RTER or have become a MCWH*RTER have learned to live with the frequent and persistent misspellings and mispronunciations of our surname (some of them most creative). Most of us would likely be surprised, however, by the number of variations that have come into accepted usage in North America.

While MCWHIRTER appears as the generally accepted spelling in Scotland and MCWHORTER and MCWHIRTER the accepted versions in Ireland, here in North America almost two dozen variations of the surname have been accepted into usage by various branches of the MCWH*RTER families. Many of these variations may have resulted from the fact that fewer people could write during the 18th and 19th centuries and even census recorders often couldn’t spell.

A complete survey of the United States census records would undoubtedly provide a complete picture of the extent to which the surname has changed and the frequency with which each variation of the surname now exists. Such a task, however, seems monumental at best.

Fortunately a fairly good approximation of what the census records might reveal is more easily within our grasp. Information from the SOCIAL SECURITY DEATH BENEFIT RECORDS 1937-1993 has been extracted and indexed and is available on CD-ROM (CD 110, Volumes 1&2 from Broderbund Software). With the assistance of GRS software it was possible to search quite readily this estimated 55 million name database.

Thirty-eight (38) different surnames were identified as likely variations of the MCWH*RTER surname. Sixteen (16) of these 38 variations were found only once or twice out of 55,000,000 names and probably represent a misspelling, typo, or someone's creative phonetic spelling of a more accepted version. These variations include McQuaters, MacQuatters, Mewharter, McQuartes, McQueter, MacQuaters, McWhorther, McWhoter, McWhirther, McWirter, Mewhiter, McQuirteis, McQuirtor, Mawhirther, Mawether, and McQuietter.

Twenty-two (22) of the spellings, however, were found 5 or more times and, therefore, probably represent an adopted spelling of the surname.

Of the estimated 55 million persons in the database only 3243 appear to carry the MCWH*RTER surname or some derivative thereof. This is roughly 1 out of every 17,000 persons or .00589% (six-thousanths of one percent) of all the persons contained in the records.

If the current US population is accepted as approximately 275 million, and those persons listed in the database are accepted as a rough cross-section of the US population at present, then about 16,000 persons in the United States currently bear the MCWH*RTER surname in one variety or another.

Only three spellings can be considered "common" even three hundred years after the surname's introduction to North America. MCWHORTER, MCWHIRTER and MCWHERTER account for 84% of the 3243 persons identified as MCWH*RTERS. MCWHORTER (found 1825 times) accounts for 56% of the total. MCWHIRTER (found 683 times) accounts for 21%. MCWHERTER (found 221 times) accounts for 7%. Aside from the three "common" spellings no other spelling from among the 22 noted variations accounts for as much as even 2% of the total.

Four names, possibly derivatives of MCWH*RTER, were not included in the study although listed in the Social Security Records. MCWHORTEN (found 3 times), MCWHORTON (1 time), MCWHERTO (1 time), and MCWHORTE (6 times) may be misspellings of other MCWH*RTER variations.

MCWHERTOR............5

In 1863 Dr. Robert Stark, the first superintendant of statistics in the office of the Registrar General for Scotland, prepared a table listing the 150 most common surnames found among the general index to the Scottish birth registers for that year.

He found that the five most common surnames at the time were SMITH, MCDONALD, BROWN, THOMPSON and ROBERTSON, and he determined that the most common 150 surnames accounted for 47% of the Scottish population at that time.

Dr. Stark also estimated that the number of surnames in use in Scotland in 1863 was about 6,800.

While the origins of common surnames such as Smith, McDonald, Thompson and Robertson are easily ascertained, their common usage creates difficulties for present day researchers trying to follow back a family’s ancestral trail.

The surname MCWH*RTER, on the other hand, which is not to be found on Dr. Stark’s list of the 150 most common, presents problems quite the reverse. The ancestral trail is perhaps easier to follow as a result of the surname’s uncommon usage, but the origins of the surname are more obscure.

It is primarily through the research of George F. Black, Ph. D. that some light has been shed upon the dim origins of the McWh*rter surname. For forty years, while working for the New York Public Library, Dr. Black collected and analyzed information about the origins of Scottish surnames.

In 1946, with the assistance of the New York Public Library, he published THE SURNAMES OF SCOTLAND, Their Origin, Meaning, and History, an 838 page study of over 5,000 Scottish surnames.

In the introduction to his study Black wrote :

"The use of fixed surnames or descriptive names appears to have commenced in France about the year 1000, and such names were introduced into Scotland through the Normans a little over one hundred years later, though the custom of using them was by no means common for many years afterward".

Black found that the vast majority of Scottish surnames fell into three categories -

Patronymics - "A large number of Scottish surnames are patronymics, derived in many cases from affectionate or pet diminutives of proper names as Dickson, Robson, Thomson, Watson, Wilson, etc. This custom of naming appears to have commenced with the beginning of the fourteenth century when it became the practice for sons to take their surnames from the Christian names of their fathers".

Local and Territorial Names - "The first people in Scotland to acquire fixed surnames were the nobles and great landowners, who called themselves, or were called by others, after the lands they possessed".

Official and Trade Surnames - "A large number of Scottish surnames are derived from the trade or office of their first bearers".

It is into this latter category that the surname MCWH*RTER falls.

About "MACWHIRTER" Black wrote briefly:

"A form of MACCHRUITTER, q.v., current in Ayrshire, the original home of the name. Andrew M’Whirter in Kirkhobble in record in 1749 (Wigtown). Rev. Alexander McWhorter (1734-1807), of Scottish parentage, took an active part in the American Revolution and was a trustee of the College of New Jersey, now Princeton University. McWhorter Street in Newark, New Jersey, is named in his honor. The name has become Mewhirter in the North of Ireland. Macquarter 1684."

When it came to "MACCHRUITTER" Black wrote in more detail:

"From the occupation or profession of cruiteir or harper, often hereditary in the Highlands in past times. In 1346 King David II granted a charter of the land of Dalelachane in the earldom of Carrick to Patrick, son of the late Michael, harper of Carrick (‘Patricio filio quondam Michaelis Cithariste de Carryk’). In 1385 we find this same Patrick referred to by the Gaelic form of his name. In this year Duncan M’Churteer, son and heir of the late Patrick M’Churteer, alienated to Sir Thomas Kenedy, lord of Dalmortoun, the whole land of Dalelachane (Laing, 40, 69)."

"Gilbert Makrutur and Andro McRutur, followers of the earl of Cassilis, were respited for murder in 1526 (RSS., I, 3386). Donald Makcruteracht was a witness in the Stewartry of Kirkcudbright in 1531 (RMS., III, 1094), and Andrew Makrutour was juror on an assize in the bailliary of Carrick in the following year (ibid., 1196)."

"William McInchruter was servant to John Grant, fourth of Freuchie, 1568 (Grant, I, p. 140). John M’Chruytor in Auchaharse and Archibald M’Chrytor in Craillmorrull appear in 1672 (HP., II, p.209)."

"Archibald M’Chritter in Monjudnean, parish of Kilmichell, appears in 1676, and Malcolm M’Chruter in Auchindarroch, parish of Knapdale, 1686 (Argyll). Duncan M’Chruter was one of the buyers of the crop of the 20 shilling land of Mulindra in 1711 (Campbell, I, 102.)"

"The name appears in old records: McChruitar, 1686; McQuhartoune and McQuhirtoure, 1686; M’Quhirtour, MacQuhorter, and M’Quhriter, 1592; M’Quirtour, 1636; M’Hrurter, M’Hruter, M’Qherter, McWhrurter, McWhurter, M’Whyrter, and McWirter, 1684; M’Heurtter, M’Qharter, M’Quhirtir, 1685; McWhirtour, 1685."

"The modern form of the name is MACWHIRTER, q.v. One of the old towers of Blairquhan Castle (removed in 1824) bore the name of McQuirter’s Tower. The name was also once common in the upper part of the parishes of Buchanan and Callander, and in part of Argyllshire."

" The Gaelic origin of individuals of the name is disguised by its being frequently translated HARPER and HARPERSON, the former a not uncommon surname in Galloway. "

"The cruit (W. crwth) was an old Welsh stringed insrument, four of its six strings played with a bow, two twitched by the thumb."

"From the study of surnames we learn much about the people of the Middle Ages, that would otherwise remain shadowy and obscure. Through it the revealing light of history is turned, not on the whims of monarchs and intrigues of statesmen, but on the intimate and personal affairs of our forefathers in bye-gone centuries."

The Story of Surnames
by William Dodgson Bowman, 1931

Musical Instruments
An Illustrated History
by Alexander Buchner, 1973

The New GROVE Dictionary of
Musical Instruments
edited by Stanley Sadie, 1984

Musical Instruments
An Illustrated History
by Mary Remnant, 1989

Crwth (1742)
from Welsh Folk Museum, Cardiff

Drawing by
Barbara H. McWhirter