Probably a long shot, but...

Looking for Scottish Ancestors

Moderator: Global Moderators

WilmaM
Posts: 1920
Joined: Fri Dec 17, 2004 10:46 am
Location: Falkirk area

Post by WilmaM » Thu May 28, 2009 5:32 pm

There's a virtual clan gathering of McKays:
http://www.scotclans.com/bletherskite/?p=409

might be interesting
Wilma

JustJean
Posts: 2520
Joined: Sun Dec 12, 2004 12:52 am
Location: Maine USA

Post by JustJean » Thu May 28, 2009 6:44 pm

Hi Grace in Perth

Well....the odds are that two weeks might be too short of a notice to find them but not impossible. I do wish you some success!!

The IGI gives this list of extracted births for John and Isabella:

1. JOHN MAC KAY - International Genealogical Index
Gender: Male Birth: 22 DEC 1861 Watten, Caithness, Scotland

2. CHRISTINA MACKAY - International Genealogical Index
Gender: Female Birth: 13 MAY 1860 Thurso, Caithness, Scotland

3. HELEN SUTHERLAND MACKAY - International Genealogical Index
Gender: Female Birth: 22 APR 1864 Edinburgh Parish, Edinburgh, Midlothian, Scotland

4. DAVID MACKAY - International Genealogical Index
Gender: Male Birth: 21 MAR 1870 Edinburgh, Midlothian, Scotland

5. WILLIAM MACKAY - International Genealogical Index
Gender: Male Birth: 08 JUL 1866 Edinburgh Parish, Edinburgh, Midlothian, Scotland

6. DONALD MACKAY - International Genealogical Index
Gender: Male Birth: 04 DEC 1867 Edinburgh Parish, Edinburgh, Midlothian, Scotland

7. SARAH MACKAY - International Genealogical Index
Gender: Female Birth: 12 JUN 1872 Edinburgh, Midlothian, Scotland

And if you view the MC of William and Mary SIME you'll see that a Donald MacKay was an informant to the marriage in 1898 so I"m betting that was William's brother Donald who was just a bit younger than him. Since you can only access census records through 1901 there isn't an easy way to try and track down the siblings other than simply searching on www.scotlandspeople.gov.uk for marriages and deaths for them. Because you can't view the modern records but only can view indexes of them...and then only births and deaths but no marriages....you'll need to actually purchase some extracts and/or probably pay for some research to try and find an informant that might be still alive. This method would definitely take more than two weeks!! Of course since you'll be in Edinburgh yourself lyou might want to try your hand at your own research at the new centre there and perhaps track down your rellies yourself! http://www.scotlandspeoplehub.gov.uk/ It's certainly do-able but it does take some perserverance!! If nothing more you might learn some addresses where folks lived so you could check out the neighborhood while you are in the city!!

Hope you have a wonderful trip!

Best wishes
Jean

JustJean
Posts: 2520
Joined: Sun Dec 12, 2004 12:52 am
Location: Maine USA

Post by JustJean » Thu May 28, 2009 6:56 pm

Just a quick question...are you certain that William James MacKAY went out to Australia in 1901? It looks like he was a witness at his sister's wedding in 1906 in Edinburgh...or at least some William James MacKAY was!!! That same married sister...Isabella....was the informant for their mum's death in 1922 in Edinburgh. That might be a good family to try and track down.

Best wishes
Jean