The spelling of the surname "McQuiggan" is quite complex. It consists of two syllables: "Mc-" and "-Quiggan." The "Mc-" prefix is commonly found in Irish surnames and indicates "son of." The second syllable is pronounced as /kwɪgən/ in IPA phonetic transcription. It starts with a voiceless velar stop sound /k/, followed by a short "wi" sound /wɪ/ and ends with a voiced velar nasal sound /ŋ/. Overall, "McQuiggan" is a unique spelling that requires careful attention to its pronunciation.
The word "McQuiggan" is a Scottish surname of Irish origin.
The surname is derived from the Gaelic name Mac Uiginn, meaning "son of Uiginn". The Gaelic name Uiginn is a patronymic form of the personal name Odhráin, which means "pale" or "dun-colored".
Over time, the name Mac Uiginn evolved into various spellings such as MacGuggan, Guggan, and McQuiggan. These variations are common among surnames in Scotland and Ireland due to regional dialects and anglicization of Gaelic names.