Are you looking for a comprehensive list of last names beginning with “Q”?
We’ve used the 2000 and 2010 U.S. Census to compile 64 surnames that start with the letter Q and have at least one thousand bearers of the name.
In the table below, you’ll see the total number of bearers for the name in each census.
Can’t Find A Surname That You Know?
If you don’t find a name that you’re interested in, then use our surname ranking tool which doesn’t have the 1,000 threshold that we’ve imposed on this list.
It will show you where your last name ranks in the U.S. census.
You can learn more in our tutorial on how to check how popular or uncommon your last name is.
Meanings Of Popular Last Names Starting With Q
Here are the top ten most common last names beginning with N in the 2010 U.S. census.
They are in descending order of how common they are.
| Surname | Bearers | Origins | Meaning |
| Quinn | 76,986 | Irish | Descendants of Conn |
| Quintero | 41,158 | Hispanic | Tenant farmer (possibly) |
| Quintana | 37,657 | Hispanic | Same as above |
| Quinones | 34,468 | Hispanic | From a place in Spain of that name |
| Quiroz | 27,452 | Hispanic | From a place in Spain of that name |
| Quezada | 25,752 | Hispanic | From the town of Quesada |
| Quick | 25,091 | English | Nimble, fleet-footed |
| Quintanilla | 22,581 | Hispanic | Country house |
| Queen | 18,557 | English, Scottish | Several discussed in this article |
| Quigley | 17,121 | Irish | Descendants of Coigealach |
The meanings given above are short summaries. Some names have several meanings depending on the region. We give more details later in this article.
Famous People With Q Surnames?
Usually, I try to list ten famous people with a family name starting with the letter. I go for a mix of historical figures, great writers, and modern actors or singers.
But I really struggled to find anyone with a surname of Q for this section. The great Suzi Quatro is about all I’ve got.
If you’ve got more, drop a name into the comments. Remember, it has to be the last name.
Last Names Starting With Q
Let’s start with the names from Qi to Quandt.
Qualls is the most numerous surname in this section with nearly twelve thousand bearers in the 2010 U.S. census.
The name is a variant of Quarles which originates in a town of that name in England. The meaning comes from the Old English word for “circles”.
Quackenbush is an interesting name of Dutch origins. The meaning comes from the Dutch words for a heron (kwak) and woodland (bosch).
Early bearers likely lived in an area of woodland and rivers.
| Last Name | 2000 Census | 2010 Census |
| Qi | 1,066 | 2,354 |
| Qian | 1,626 | 3,173 |
| Qin | 1,212 | 2,664 |
| Qiu | 1,934 | 4,424 |
| Qu | 1,271 | 2,593 |
| Quach | 7,624 | 9,894 |
| Quackenbush | 4,163 | 4,164 |
| Quade | 3,314 | 3,426 |
| Quail | 1,188 | 1,218 |
| Quaintance | 1,024 | 1,041 |
| Qualls | 11,222 | 11,958 |
| Quam | 2,431 | 2,568 |
| Quan | 5,478 | 6,451 |
| Quandt | 2,022 | 2,113 |
Names from Quaranta to Quezada
Quezada is the most common name in this section with over twenty-five thousand bearers in the 2010 census.
This is of Hispanic origins and comes from the rural town of Quesada in the Alicante Province in Spain. The early bearers likely came from this place.
Queen is also a common name here with different origins depending on the region.
The Scottish version is a variant of McQueen. This has nothing to do with the English word “Queen”. Instead, the name means the son of Suibhne – and Suibhne means pleasant.
The origin of the English version is likely what you think. The Old English word “cwen” means a queen.
The early bearers may have been servants or had some role in the affairs of the royal household. Or they could simply have played the part of the queen in plays and pantomimes.
| Last Name | 2000 Census | 2010 Census |
| Quaranta | 1,028 | 1,019 |
| Quarles | 9,264 | 9,780 |
| Quarterman | 1,631 | 1,642 |
| Quast | 2,154 | 2,306 |
| Quattlebaum | 2,656 | 2,801 |
| Quay | 1,236 | 1,120 |
| Quayle | 1,466 | 1,539 |
| Queen | 17,881 | 18,557 |
| Querry | 1,055 | 1,071 |
| Query | 1,177 | 1,038 |
| Quesada | 6,603 | 7,870 |
| Quesenberry | 3,689 | 3,630 |
| Quevedo | 5,607 | 8,064 |
| Quezada | 18,107 | 25,752 |
From Quick to Quinonez
Quinn is the most common name in this section with nearly seventy-seven thousand bearers in the 2010 census.
The variant of Quin (with one n) is far less common.
This name is of Irish origins and literally means “the descendant of Conn”. It is currently one of the most common names in Ireland.
| Last Name | 2000 Census | 2010 Census |
| Quick | 24,095 | 25,091 |
| Quigg | 1,361 | 1,388 |
| Quigley | 16,810 | 17,121 |
| Quijada | 3,365 | 4,908 |
| Quijano | 3,689 | 5,110 |
| Quiles | 5,654 | 6,858 |
| Quill | 1,404 | 1,511 |
| Quillen | 5,627 | 5,989 |
| Quillin | 1,842 | 1,596 |
| Quimby | 4,671 | 4,628 |
| Quin | 1,375 | 1,462 |
| Quinlan | 9,945 | 10,302 |
| Quinn | 74,531 | 76,986 |
| Quinney | 1,238 | 1,460 |
| Quinones | 27,290 | 34,468 |
| Quinonez | 8,426 | 11,576 |
From Quint to Qureshi
Quintero is the most common name in this section with over forty thousand bearers in 2010. There are other variants in this list.
There isn’t full agreement as to the origins of this Hispanic name. It may refer to a tenant farmer.
| Last Name | 2000 Census | 2010 Census |
| Quint | 2,625 | 2,639 |
| Quintal | 1,444 | 1,679 |
| Quintana | 29,755 | 37,657 |
| Quintanar | 1,517 | 2,205 |
| Quintanilla | 15,849 | 22,581 |
| Quintero | 29,952 | 41,158 |
| Quinteros | 2,286 | 3,885 |
| Quinto | 2,212 | 2,746 |
| Quinton | 3,205 | 3,452 |
| Quirarte | 1,032 | 1,385 |
| Quiring | 1,092 | 1,056 |
| Quirk | 5,905 | 6,392 |
| Quiroga | 4,602 | 5,937 |
| Quiros | 2,430 | 3,059 |
| Quiroz | 19,507 | 27,452 |
| Quisenberry | 1,948 | 1,916 |
| Quispe | 1,063 | 1,953 |
| Quist | 3,230 | 3,433 |
| Quon | 1,330 | 1,282 |
| Qureshi | 4,473 | 6,966 |
