Daniel Cullen / Scullion Mystery

[darylrodger]

Hi,

I'm hoping someone out there can maybe shed some light on an ancester I discovered the other day in Edinburgh.

His name is Daniel Cullen, b. 30th Mar 1866 in Anderston, Glasgow to Daniel Cullen & Sarah McDonald. By 1892 he had changed his name to Scullion, when he married Dorothy Noble in Kinning Park, Glasgow.

I've never come across a man changing his name before.

I've researched the Scullion line back 6 generations so far, does this name change mean I can't continue ?

Regards,

Daryl

[AndrewP]

Hi Daryl,

I think you have to seek his ancestry as Scullion or Cullen. His death certificate is indexed under both surnames, and the certificate names him as Daniel Scullion, formerly Cullen; with his parents' surnames as Cullen. In the 1881 census he is Cullen. I didn't see any obvious sign of him in the 1871 or 1891 censuses.

That leaves two questions unanswered - when and why.

Both of his parents have their deaths registered as Scullion, with no mention of Cullen.

All the best,

AndrewP

[nelmit]

Like Andrew I haven't found them in 1871 nor Daniel in 1891 but this looks like the other census records -

Daniel snr in 1861 at Greenock-
Alex Mckay 49
Agnes Mckay 48
Janet Mckay 10
Hugh Hardie 26
Daniel Cullan 23 Lodger, Boiler Maker, born Ireland


1881 -Blackburn St, Govan
Name Age
Daniel Cullen 42
Sarah M D Cullen 38
Martha Cullen 18
Rose Ann Cullen 16
Daniel Cullen 15
Sarah Cullen 7
Mary Cullen 4
Elizabeth Cullen 2
James Bishop 51

1891 15 W Scotland St, Govan
Name Age
Daniel Cullen 52
Sarah Cullen 49
Martha Cullen 27
Sarah Cullen 17
Elizabeth Cullen 12

Ages a bit out on this one but I feel it has to be them
?? 1901 12 Hamilton St, Govan
Sarah Scullion 59
Sarah Scullion 24
Lizzie Scullion 20

1901 142 Blackba(u?)rn St, Govan
Daniel Scullion 33
Dorrothy Scullion 28
Daniel Scullion 6

I don't know how this helps but thought I'd post it anyway.

[Montrose Budie]

Sounds to me like a case of faulty hearing on the part of the registrar, and the informant not checking or being unable to check what was written.

In other words, there was no change of surname.


That written, however, here, there was indeed a change of surname.

In the censuses, from 1871 to 1891, the spelling used for the family was CULLEN.

Only on Daniel's 1892 marriage does SCULLION first occur, followed by that new spelling on his father's late 1890s death records, his mother's 1901 census entry, and his mother's mid-1920s death record. The informants on those two death records are different people.

Just to add a bit of variety, the 1861 census shows his father as CULLAN.

So it looks like it wasn't just a decision on the part of Daniel b. 1866. It would be interesting to see what spelling was used by his siblings.

If the Irish origin of Daniel's father was Ulster, I can well imagine SCULLION such a broad accent being heard as CULLEN.

mb

[darylrodger]

Hi,

Thanks for all your thoughts regarding Daniel.

It's a mystery though as to why he would choose to change his family's surname, although I have been told by someone that many people who came from Ireland changed their surnames because of discrimination shown towards them.

I suppose we'll never really know why. . .

Thanks again,

Daryl

[Montrose Budie]

Hi Daryl

But was it Daniel Jnr. who decided on the spelling change ?

OK, it might juat been the result of increasing discrimination towards Irish immigrants, but, in general, such discrimination didn't become widespread until into the first decade of the 20th C and later.

mb

[Elwyn 1]

I had ancestors from Ireland whose surname there was Mulligan but on arrival in Dundee changed to Milligan which presumably they felt was more suitable in some way. (Many American immigrants especially from Europe also changed their names for a variety of reasons. Some were to do with assimilating into US society more easily, and some for administrative convenience, if you had a name that every official had difficulty spelling).


Elwyn

[Matt62]

Hi Daryl,

I hope you're still on the forum. I just registered because I found this thread on a google search.

My three times great-grandfather was Daniel Scullion, born 1846 in Ireland. He married Sarah McDonald in 1866 in the parish of St. Patricks in Anderston, Glasgow. That same year they, according to my records, had their daughter RoseAnn Scullion who was my great-great grandmother. It seems that we are distant cousins, since RoseAnn was the elder sister of your Daniel.

I have never heard the family name referred to as Cullen.

I have photographs of RoseAnn from the 1920s which I would be happy to share with you. She would be your great Aunt, I am guessing. She died in 1955. My grandfather has fond memories of her still.

I live in Glasgow but I go to university in Edinburgh, so travel there frequently.

[StewL]

Hello Matt62

If the original posters to this thread still have the same email address, they will receive notification of your post

[Matt62]

Hello Matt62

If the original posters to this thread still have the same email address, they will receive notification of your post

Hello Stew =D>

Thanks for the welcome! Hopefully I'll hear from Daryl soon. I'm currently in the process of tracing my ancestors, so this is a fascinating forum to join too, might I add.