History of your Surname
Get access to Quain family records.Start a free trial

Quain Family History

Quain Name Meaning

Irish (Cork Limerick Waterford): shortened Anglicized form of Gaelic Ó Cuáin ‘descendant of Cuán’ (see Coyne ). Manx: shortened Anglicized form of Gaelic Mac Dubháin ‘son of Dubhán’ a personal name formed from a diminutive of dubh ‘black’. Compare Duane .

Source: Dictionary of American Family Names 2nd edition, 2022


Similar surnames: Quan, Quaid, Quail, Quinn, Brain, Quin, Cain, Quade, Bain, Quann

Search for a relative to learn more about your family history.

Hint: Try searching for a relative alive in 1940.

Black & white image of a young woman scientist

Where is the Quain family from?

You can see how Quain families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Quain family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1840 and 1920. The most Quain families were found in USA in 1880. In 1840 there were 2 Quain families living in New York. This was about 50% of all the recorded Quain's in USA. New York had the highest population of Quain families in 1840.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Quain surname lived. Within census records, you can often find information like name of household members, ages, birthplaces, residences, and occupations.

What did your Quain ancestors do for a living?

In 1940, Farmer and Teacher were the top reported jobs for men and women in the USA named Quain. 25% of Quain men worked as a Farmer and 31% of Quain women worked as a Teacher. Some less common occupations for Americans named Quain were Truck Driver and Waitress. .

View Census Data for Quain | Data not to scale

*We display top occupations by gender to maintain their historical accuracy during times when men and women often performed different jobs.

Top Male Occupations In 1940

  • Farmer
    25%
  • Laborer
    25%
  • Machinist
    11%
  • Truck Driver
    11%

Top Female Occupations In 1940

  • Teacher
    31%
  • Bookkeeper
    24%
  • Saleslady
    16%
  • Waitress
    16%
Black & white image of two construction labourers

What Quain family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 6,000 census records available for the last name Quain. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Quain census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search US census records for Quain

Passenger Lists

There are 985 immigration records available for the last name Quain. Passenger lists are your ticket to knowing when your ancestors arrived in the USA, and how they made the journey - from the ship name to ports of arrival and departure.

View all Quain immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 693 military records available for the last name Quain. For the veterans among your Quain ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

View all Quain military records

You've only scratched the surface of Quain family history

Discover More

What is the average Quain lifespan?

Between 1963 and 2003, in the United States, Quain life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1977, and highest in 2001. The average life expectancy for Quain in 1963 was 67, and 66 in 2003.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Quain

Discover the unique achievements of ancestors in the Quain family tree

Explore Your Tree

Browse profiles of historical people with the Quain last name

Search for another surname
Enter last name/surname
Start a 14-Day Free Trial