Gaillour

[ali2511]

Hi

Quick question if anybody knows

I have an ancestor called Margaret Gaillour born in Kilconquhar, Fife in 1646 to Alexander Gaillour and Catherine Ritchie, does Gaillour sound like a French surname?

Many Thanks
Ali

[paddyscar]

Hi Ali:

It does sound as if it could be, however, entering it in the Ancestry.fr site does not produce an overwhelming number of results (146)

At Family Search https://familysearch.org/search/record/ ... 1640-1650~ there are a good number of entries that result from entering Margaret Gaillour. These include various spellings used in Scotland and Wales; along with origins including Switzerland, Prussia and Germany and more.

Frances

[ali2511]

Hi Frances

Thanks for replying, I'll check this out, it does seem an unusual name for Scotland, I'll see what else I can find

Ali

[AndrewP]

Hi Ali,

On the homepage of www.scotlandspeople.gov.uk there is a free surname checker. For Gaillour, there are only two entries all the way across their records: one in the OPR births and christenings and one in the OPR deaths and burials. So, none in any of the post-1855 births, marriages or deaths; censuses, valuation rolls et cetera.

All the best,

AndrewP

[Russell]

Hi Ali
I don't know much about the weaving tradition in the east of Scotland in the 1600's but my first thought was Flemish weavers being brought over to improve the quality of the local handloom quality. It happened in several areas usually after the local landowner/laird visited the low countries and saw the kind of work they produced. If the couple had only daughters the name would die out (or if they moved across to the continent again). My Oman family name has died out due to lack of male heirs !
I don't know how much is available on-line about early Fife weaving but it might be worth exploring for background info.
Good luck

Russell

[runmerry]

I wonder if it's a matter of hearing & spelling. I did the same as Andrew but I entered Gaylor & there are a lot of results.

Regards

Jen

[ali2511]

Thanks very much to everybody for your replies, the Flemish connection sounds very interesting!

[alex19canteen]

*no homo* http://www.surnamedb.com/Surname/gaylord

[ali2511]

That's not the best name is it!