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Origin of Surname
There are a number of separate theories as to the origin of this surname.
- 1) A toponym derived from a location in Renfrewshire at onetime known as "Hugh's Town".
- Source:Huston, 1912:11. The early history of the Huston family can be traced back to the thirteenth century and to probably a soldier of fortune whose arms had largely aided the then King of Scotland, and who was rewarded with what now constitutes the Houston estate, near Johnstone, Scotland. Crawford's history of Renfrewshire gives the following account of the origin and progress of the family. This donation is in the reign of Malcomb the IV, as also in the same reign the lands of Kilpeter in Strathgrief are given by Baldwin de Bigress to Hugh de Padvinaw from which Hugh these lands were called Hugh's town, of whom is linneally descended, Sir John Houston....
- Ancestry. Habitational name from a place near Glasgow, Scotland, named with the genitive case of the medieval personal name Hugh + Middle English tune, toun ‘settlement’, ‘village’ (Old English tun ‘enclosure’, ‘settlement’). The landlord in question is a certain Hugo de Paduinan, who held the place c.1160.
- Comment: This is probably the most commonly seen explanation of the surname. Some have stated that the ancestor of ALL person's bearing the Houston surname came from "Hugh's Town".
- 2) A corruption of "House-Son"
- Source:Houston, 1912:189. The family name was originally House-Son. The remotest member of the family, whose name has come down through the family register, was named Robert House-Son, was of Celtic origin, and was born in Dublin, Ireland, July 5, 1450, where he lived and died a merchant. John House-Son was born June 2, 1475, was a son of Robert. He was sent by his father to St. Andrew's College in Scotland....
- 3) From a Patronymic derived from a [once] common Gaelic Given name
- Ancestry. Anglicized form of Gaelic Mac Uisdein, Mac Uistein.
- Comment: ie, Son of Usdein/Ustein; the surname McQuiston may have evolved from this form].
Common Variants
There are a number of common variant spellings which seem to be used more or less interchangeably at an early date; some of the antique spellings are preserved in family surnames today, but most which have become standardized to variants such as "Houston", "Huston" and "McQuiston". A partial listing of antique forms includes
- Houston
- Huston
- Housson
- Housstown
- Houstone
- Housstoune
- McQuiston
- Quiston
Bibliography
- Source:Houston, 1912 Deals with Houston's of Cumberland County PA, but incorporates the family line of General Samuel Houston, whom the author considers a relative.
1790 Census
Source: The following was extracted from Ancestry.com for some of the more common surname variants. These data are organized by State, County, then Township if given
Given | Last | Township | County | State | White males <16 | White Males <16 | White Females | Slaves | Other | Total
| John | Houston | Voluntown | Windham | CN | 1 | 1 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 5
| Thomas | Huston | Williamstown | Berkshire | MA | 3 | 1 | 6 | | | 10
| Wm | Hewston | Plymouth | Plymouth | MA | 2 | 2 | 4 | | | 8
| James | Hewston | East Nottingham | Cecil | MD | 1 | 2 | 2 | | | 5
| William | Huston | South Susquehannah Hundred | Cecil | MD | | 1 | 4 | | | 5
| Hugh | Hughston | | Harford | MD | 2 | 1 | 6 | | | 9
| Wm | Huston | | Harford | MD | 1 | 1 | 1 | | | 3
| Mary | Huston | | Harford | MD | 1 | | 4 | | | 5
| James | Houston | | Kent | MD | 2 | 6 | 2 | 1 | 3 | 10
| Capt Isaac | Houston | | Worcester | MD | 2 | 3 | 8 | | | 13
| Capt James | Houston | | Worcester | MD | 1 | 2 | 4 | | | 7
| Jno | Houston | | Worcester | MD | | 1 | | | | 1
| Joseph | Houston | | Worcester | MD | 2 | | 4 | | 7 | 6
| Levi | Houston | | Worcester | MD | 3 | 1 | 2 | | | 6
| Ralph | Houston | | Worcester | MD | | 2 | 5 | | | 7
| Wm | Houston | | Worcester | MD | 2 | 1 | 2 | | | 5
| Simon | Huston | Gorham and Scarborough | Cumberland | ME | 2 | 3 | 4 | | | 9
| Robert | Houston | Belfast | Hancock | ME | 1 | 1 | 1 | | | 3
| Samuel Junior | Houston | Belfast | Hancock | ME | 1 | 1 | 4 | | | 6
| Samuel | Houston | Belfast | Hancock | ME | 1 | 3 | 2 | | | 6
| James | Huston | Waldoborough | Lincoln | ME | 1 | 5 | 5 | | | 11
| John | Huston | Waldoborough | Lincoln | ME | 2 | 2 | 5 | | | 9
| Robert | Huston | Waldoborough | Lincoln | ME | | 3 | 4 | | | 7
| Robert | Huston | Waldoborough | Lincoln | ME | 2 | 1 | 3 | | | 6
| Robert Junior | Huston | Waldoborough | Lincoln | ME | 2 | 3 | 5 | | | 10
| John | Huston | Sanford | York | ME | 1 | 2 | 3 | | | 6
| Edward | Houston | | Duplin | NC | 4 | 1 | 1 | | 6 | 6
| Edward | Houston | | Duplin | NC | 3 | 1 | 1 | | 6 | 5
| Henry | Houston | | Duplin | NC | 2 | 2 | 7 | | 5 | 11
| Samuel, Esq Esquire | Houston | | Duplin | NC | 1 | 2 | 4 | | 18 | 7
| William Ann | Houston | | Duplin | NC | | 1 | 3 | | | 4
| Hugh | Huston | | Hyde | NC | 1 | 1 | 2 | | 7 | 4
| James | Huston | | Iredell | NC | | 1 | 1 | | 1 | 2
| James | Huston | | Iredell | NC | | 2 | 2 | | | 4
| Joseph | Huston | | Iredell | NC | 1 | 2 | 4 | | 1 | 7
| Christopher | Huston | | Iredell | NC | 3 | 2 | 4 | | 6 | 9
| James | Huston | | Iredell | NC | 3 | 1 | 5 | | 2 | 9
| Samuel | Huston | | Iredell | NC | 3 | 1 | 5 | | | 9
| Francis | Houston | | Jones | NC | | 1 | 4 | | 4 | 5
| James | Houston | | Jones | NC | 1 | 1 | 1 | | | 3
| James | Houston | | Jones | NC | | 1 | | | | 1
| Capt William | Houston | | Mecklenburg | NC | 2 | 2 | 3 | | 4 | 7
| David | Houston | | Mecklenburg | NC | 1 | 1 | 2 | | | 4
| Henry | Houston | | Mecklenburg | NC | | 1 | 2 | | 1 | 3
| Hugh | Houston | | Mecklenburg | NC | | 3 | 1 | | 4 | 4
| James | Houston | | Mecklenburg | NC | 1 | 3 | 2 | | 5 | 6
| William | Houston | | Mecklenburg | NC | 2 | 2 | 2 | | | 6
| William Senior | Houston | | Mecklenburg | NC | | 1 | 3 | | 1 | 4
| William Junior | Houston | | Mecklenburg | NC | | 1 | 3 | | 1 | 4
| Daniel | Houston | | Robeson | NC | 5 | 1 | 1 | | 1 | 7
| James | Huston | | Rowan | NC | | 1 | 2 | | | 3
| Widow | Huston | | Rowan | NC | | 1 | 3 | | | 4
| Thomas | Huston | | Rowan | NC | 4 | 2 | 2 | | | 8
| James | Houston | | Sampson | NC | | 1 | | | | 1
| Peter | Houston | | Sampson | NC | | 2 | 6 | | | 8
| Christopher | Huston | Caswell | | NC | | | | | | 0
| George | Huston | Caswell | | NC | | | | | | 0
| James | Huston | Caswell | | NC | | | | | | 0
| William | Huston | Caswell | | NC | | | | | | 0
| Richd | Huston | Guilford | | NC | 1 | 1 | 1 | | | 3
| Alexander | Houston | Acworth | Cheshire | NH | 1 | 3 | 6 | | | 10
| Caleb | Houston | Rindge | Cheshire | NH | 1 | 1 | 2 | | | 4
| Priscilla | Houston | Rindge | Cheshire | NH | | | 2 | | | 2
| William | Houston | Antrim | Hillsborough | NH | 1 | 1 | 4 | | | 6
| James | Houston | Bedford | Hillsborough | NH | | 1 | 3 | | | 4
| John | Houston | Bedford | Hillsborough | NH | 1 | 4 | 1 | | | 6
| Jos | Houston | Bedford | Hillsborough | NH | 3 | 1 | 6 | | | 10
| Samuel | Houston | Lyndeborough | Hillsborough | NH | 4 | 2 | 3 | | | 9
| Saml | Houston | Peterborough | Hillsborough | NH | 3 | 1 | 5 | | | 9
| Isaac | Houston | Concord | Rockingham | NH | | 3 | 3 | | | 6
| James | Huston | Balls Town | Albany | NY | | 1 | 2 | | | 3
| James | Huston | Saratoga | Albany | NY | 2 | 1 | 3 | | | 6
| William | Houston | Phillipstown | Dutchess | NY | | 2 | 3 | 2 | | 5
| David | Houston | New Utrick | Kings | NY | | 3 | 1 | | 1 | 4
| Caleb | Huston | Mohawk | Montgomery | NY | | 1 | 3 | | | 4
| James | Hughston | Montgomery | Ulster | NY | 1 | 3 | 3 | | 4 | 7
| Joseph | Hughston | Montgomery | Ulster | NY | 2 | 2 | 2 | | 4 | 6
| George | Hughston | Wallkill | Ulster | NY | 1 | 3 | | | | 4
| Zebulon | Hughston | Wallkill | Ulster | NY | 1 | 1 | 3 | 1 | | 5
| Alixander | Hughston | | Bedford | PA | | 1 | 1 | | | 2
| Andrew | Hughston | | Bedford | PA | 1 | 1 | 2 | | | 4
| Edward | Hughston | | Bedford | PA | 2 | 1 | 2 | | | 5
| Robert | Hughston | | Bedford | PA | 1 | 1 | 4 | | | 6
| William | Hughston | | Bedford | PA | 3 | 1 | 4 | | | 8
| Robt | Houston | East Nantmill | Chester | PA | 2 | 5 | 5 | | | 12
| John | Huston | New London | Chester | PA | 2 | 2 | 3 | | | 7
| Thomas | Huston | Pennsbury | Chester | PA | | 1 | 1 | | | 2
| Alexandre Gordan | Huston | Various* | Cumberland | PA | | 2 | 4 | | | 6
| Christopher | Huston | Various* | Cumberland | PA | 1 | 1 | 2 | | | 4
| James | Huston | Various* | Cumberland | PA | 3 | 2 | 4 | | | 9
| John | Huston | Various* | Cumberland | PA | 1 | 3 | 2 | | | 6
| John | Huston | Various* | Cumberland | PA | 3 | 1 | 5 | | | 9
| John | Huston | Various* | Cumberland | PA | 3 | 1 | 4 | | | 8
| Jonathan | Huston | Various* | Cumberland | PA | 2 | 1 | 3 | | | 6
| Phillip | Huston | Various* | Cumberland | PA | | 1 | 1 | | | 2
| Robert | Huston | Various* | Cumberland | PA | | 1 | | | | 1
| Robt | Huston | Various* | Cumberland | PA | | 1 | 3 | | | 4
| Thomas | Huston | Various* | Cumberland | PA | 3 | 2 | 1 | | | 6
| William | Huston | Various* | Cumberland | PA | 5 | 2 | 4 | | | 11
| Wm | Huston | Various* | Cumberland | PA | 3 | 1 | 5 | | | 9
| William | Huston | Upper Chichester | Delaware | PA | | 2 | 4 | | | 6
| Adam | Huston | German | Fayette | PA | | 1 | | | | 1
| Andrew | Huston | German | Fayette | PA | 5 | 1 | 4 | | | 10
| John | Huston | German | Fayette | PA | 2 | 1 | 1 | | | 4
| William | Huston | Tyrone | Fayette | PA | | 1 | 5 | | | 6
| Joseph | Huston | Union | Fayette | PA | | 1 | | | | 1
| David | Huston | Various** | Franklin | PA | 5 | 4 | 5 | | | 14
| James | Huston | Various** | Franklin | PA | 2 | 1 | 5 | 7 | | 8
| John | Huston | Various** | Franklin | PA | 2 | 1 | 4 | | | 7
| John | Hughston | | Franklin | PA | 2 | 1 | 2 | | | 5
| Wm | Hughston | | Franklin | PA | | 2 | | | | 2
| William | Huston | | Huntingdon | PA | | | | | | 0
| Richard | Huston | | Huntingdon | PA | | 1 | 2 | | | 3
| Robert | Huston | | Huntingdon | PA | | 2 | 2 | | | 4
| William | Huston | | Huntingdon | PA | 1 | 1 | 2 | | | 4
| Mathew | Huston | | Huntingdon | PA | 1 | 2 | 2 | | | 5
| Alexander | Huston | | Huntingdon | PA | 6 | 2 | 3 | | | 11
| John | Huston | Caernarvon | Lancaster | PA | 2 | 1 | 4 | | | 7
| Thomas | Huston | Donegal | Lancaster | PA | 1 | 1 | 2 | | | 4
| Danl | Huston | Leacock | Lancaster | PA | 2 | 4 | 6 | | 1 | 12
| Saml | Huston | Salisbury | Lancaster | PA | | 2 | | | | 2
| William | Huston | | Mifflin | PA | 3 | 1 | 3 | | | 7
| James | Huston | | Mifflin | PA | 2 | 1 | 6 | | | 9
| John | Huston | | Mifflin | PA | 2 | 1 | 6 | | | 9
| Abigail | Huston | | Mifflin | PA | 5 | 1 | 4 | | | 10
| John | Huston | Hamilton | Northampton | PA | 3 | 1 | 4 | | | 8
| Robert | Huston | | Northumberland | PA | | 1 | | | | 1
| Paul | Huston | | Northumberland | PA | 1 | 2 | 2 | | | 5
| William | Huston | | Northumberland | PA | 3 | 1 | 3 | | | 7
| William | Huston | | Northumberland | PA | 2 | 1 | 4 | 1 | 1 | 7
| John | Hughston | Germantown | Philadelphia | PA | 4 | 1 | 4 | | | 9
| Mattw | Huston | Kingsessing Town | Philadelphia | PA | 1 | 2 | 3 | | | 6
| Henry | Huston | Northern Liberties | Philadelphia | PA | | 1 | 2 | | | 3
| James (Boardg House) | Huston | Water Street East Side | Philadelphia | PA | 1 | 3 | 5 | | | 9
| James (Grocer) | Huston | Water Street East Side | Philadelphia | PA | | 1 | 2 | | | 3
| Mary (Widow) | Huston | Water Street East Side | Philadelphia | PA | 2 | | 5 | | | 7
| James | Huston | Armstrong | Washington | PA | | | | 1 | | 0
| William | Huston | | Washington | PA | 4 | 1 | 6 | | 2 | 11
| Daniel | Huston | | Washington | PA | 1 | 1 | 2 | | | 4
| James | Huston | | Washington | PA | 1 | 1 | 2 | | | 4
| John | Huston | | Washington | PA | 1 | 1 | 2 | | | 4
| Jno | Huston | | Washington | PA | | 2 | 3 | | | 5
| Paul | Huston | | Washington | PA | 1 | 1 | 4 | | | 6
| William | Huston | | Washington | PA | 1 | 4 | 4 | | | 9
| Robert | Huston | South Huntington | Westmoreland | PA | 2 | 1 | 2 | | | 5
| Jno | Huston | Hellam | York | PA | 4 | 1 | 4 | 4 | | 9
| Cathrine | Houston | | Abbeville | SC | 1 | 3 | 5 | | 1 | 9
| James | Huston | | Abbeville | SC | | 1 | 2 | | | 3
| George | Huston | | Abbeville | SC | 1 | 1 | 2 | | | 4
| Hugh | Huston | | Abbeville | SC | | 1 | 3 | | | 4
| Saml | Huston | | Abbeville | SC | 1 | 3 | 8 | | 2 | 12
| Mary | Houston | | Beaufort | SC | | | 2 | | 6 | 2
| Carl | Huston | | Beaufort | SC | | | | | | 0
| Ben | Huston | | Edgefield | SC | 1 | 1 | 1 | | | 3
| John | Huston | | Fairfield | SC | 3 | 1 | 5 | | | 9
| James | Huston | | Newberry | SC | 1 | 1 | 3 | | | 5
| John | Huston | | Newberry | SC | 3 | 2 | 3 | | | 8
| Wm | Huston | Rupert | Bennington | VT | 1 | 1 | 2 | | | 4
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- Various = Hopewell, Newton, Tyborn, and Westpensboro, per Ancestry Extraction, but other townships may be included in this group as well.
- Various = Fannet, Hamilton, Letterkenney, Montgomery, and Peters
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