Name Changes.....

[Wee Ina]

Im Back again - i know im a pest but i have been doing a bit of reading about Surname Changes in the Isle of Bute around the mid 1700's for example MacCans, McKans became McKay and then i was left with dreaded Questions.

Did such surname changes take place all over Scotland.
Who decided such surname changes should be made.
When looking ancestors should i be looking for the older name when i reach the mid 1700's.
Would it be just the newborns or would the whole family have changed there surname.

Im wondering because my tree is getting quite big now i started off with about 20 names i knew and now have over 700 but every time i get to about the year 1780 ish i seem to hit a brick wall and this is with every branch of the family ~ would this be because of such surname changes.

The thoughts of someone with more knowledge than myself would be appreciated.

Many thanks

Wee Ina

[sheilajim]

Hi Wee Ina

I don't have any more information on the subject than you have, but have the same problem.
I think that the reason for the changes in names, is that the farther back you go, the more illiteracy you will find.

In my case it seems to be a generational thing. One example that I have is the name Dunn. 20th Century and most of 19th is is spelt Dunn, early 19th and late 18th Dun, changing about 1760 to Din. I also have problems with Kay , sometimes spelt Key.

I think that you have to work backwards with the spelling that you have, take note of any changes, and hope for the best.

Regards

Sheila

Researching: McDonald-McLaren-Boyd-Kennedy in Scotland and Ulster.
McDonald. Morin/Morn/Moran- Langan-Key/Kay-McNab-Dunn/Dun/Din in Stirling. Also McKinnon

[DavidWW]

......snipped..............
Did such surname changes take place all over Scotland.
1. Who decided such surname changes should be made.
2. When looking ancestors should i be looking for the older name when i reach the mid 1700's.
3. Would it be just the newborns or would the whole family have changed there surname. ....snipped............Ina

Yes!

1. The person of that name if they wanted to, but more likely to be the recorder.

2. Don't just look for one variant, - look for them all and any others you can imagine,

3. It all depends on the record involved.

In this case I have a sneaking suspicion that someone unfamiliar with local accents has "heard" McKans as McKay.

David

[Wee Ina]

Thanks Sheila and David.

These are a few of the name changes on Bute in the mid 1700's if anyone is interested or is like me hitting brick walls in that area

MacConachy, MacKonechy, McConechy Assumed the name Duncan
MacCans, McKans - do - MacKay
MacLoy - do - Fulerton
MacCanich - do - Buchanan
MacVurich - do - Currie
MacGilchattan - do - McIntosh
MacKechnie, MacHamish - do - Jamieson
MacIlheran - do - Sharp
MacIntyre - do - Wright
MacWilliams - do - Wilson
Garlie - do - Douglas
Gellie, Gerly - do - Gillies

[Wee Ina]

well i dont know what happened there but that last post submitted all by its self - anyway i will see if i can get more information in the suject of these name changes.

Thanks again for your help

Wee Ina

[CatrionaL]

Hi wini

This doesn't concern Bute but rather the island of Lismore.

The family MacOnlea/MacLeay/MacClay began to use the lowland surname Livingston(e) in the second half of the 17th century. It's not entirely clear why.

However it has been noted that the name Livingston began to be used widely by members of the clan after the Battle of Culloden in 1745. From that date on, nearly all church and government records used the "new" name. Could that have been a reason for some of the name changes in Bute?


Best wishes
Catriona

[AnneM]

Hi

My Argyll McGresichs transmited into Buchanans at about the same time. They often seemed to use both surnames at the same time.

Anne

[sheilajim]

Hi Wee Ina

Those are huge changes! What was going on in Bute I am amazed that you are able to find out that the names were changed.

You would think that somebody, somewhere, at the time they were changed, would have noticed, and reported the reasons for such changes.

If you do find out, please keep us posted. I would like to see this mystery solved.

I would use the oldest name when searching farther back.

Regards

Sheila

[Wee Ina]

Hi Sheila

I cannot recall where i got this information - i went on a reading binge as nutters do but i thought it worth noting and copied it to WP the additional information with it is "Blain Pages; 31 : 32 -Rothesay Public Library-
He lists changes to patronomical names to those of more modern use. He gives no date, but most occurred in the mid 1700's. A few additional names were supplied by Argyll and Bute Archivist, Murdo MacDonald"

I do wish Rothesay was just up the road from plymouth, i would never be out of the library.

I shall keep looking there must be more information somewhere on all name changes.

Wee Ina

[Russell]

Hi Wee Ina

Spelling was one of the reasons names changed. The same Registrar - or whoever made out a marriage entry managed to spell McGilvray in 4 different ways on the one entry but thats only part of the story. In the 1700's many people in the highlands & Islands were not bi-lingual as they are today. and all birth and marriage entries were to be made in English. Translating from Gaelic into English is not easy and the use of descriptive and affiliation names must have led to many errors creeping in. Where people were able to spell the Gaelic spelling and the actual pronounciation sometimes appear to be wildly different. Mhairi is - or should be- pronounced Varry as a simple example.

I feel sorry for the poor recorders/registrars

Another reason for name change was the constantly changing interfamily feuding when people had to change their affiliations just to survive
Smout's 'A History of Scotland' is a hard reading but makes a lot of things clear that never were in any of the history books I had to read.

Don't despair and if you want to spend the week-end at least in Dunoon my old mother would find a bed for you Unfortunately the library would probably be closed!

Russell