MCQUADE Family History
Recorded in several forms including MacQuade, MacQuaid, and MacQuode, as well as the short forms commencing Mc, and sometimes without any prefix at all, as Quade and Quaid, this is a Gaelic surname of some complexity. It was probably of Scottish origins, although even then the ultimate origin is probably pre 10th century French or German. The modern spellings are developed forms of the Gaelic MacUaid, said to have been recorded in Ireland in the 14th century, although we have no definate proof. In Scotland it is recorded as MacWatt or MacQuatt, and however spelt, all names are believed to originate from the personal name Wat, itself a medieval short form of the French-German "Walter".