Tuesday, April 29, 2014

DNA Testing For Scots-Irish

The basics:  The Scots-Irish DNA project recommends the 111 marker Y chromosome DNA test.  If this is not within your budget, the 67 will do and the 37 is an acceptable start.  We use the Family Tree DNA lab in Houston, Texas.

Who are the 'Scots-Irish?'  Or Scotch-Irish?  Generally speaking the Scots-Irish are the descendants of settlers to Colonial and early Republic America from the nine counties of the province of Ulster, in Ireland.  As a group the Scots-Irish were majority Presbyterian, though not all were and most descended from Scots families that had migrated to Ireland.  Also of note, some 'Scots-Irish' migrated to the Colonies from other parts of Ireland outside of Ulster.

The main migration of Scots to Ireland came during the Ulster Plantation (circa 1609 to early 1700s).  These Scots came primarily from the Scottish Lowlands. There is also a substantial number of Highland Scots that became Scots-Irish.  Most of these Highland Scots descend from families from Argyll, Lennox, and the Hebrides, that migrated to Ulster in the 1500s. 

There are other components of the Scots-Irish which include French Huguenot, Manx, and Border English, who settled in Ulster and migrated to the New World in the Ulster Migration.  They married into and became part of the people and society we now call Scots-Irish.

There was also a large migration of Presbyterian Irish into Canada in the nineteenth century. They went mainly to New Brunswick and Ontario.  Many of these families were of 'Ulster Scots' ancestry from both Lowland Scottish and Highland Scottish ancestry.  In the past the term Scots-Irish has not been applied to this group, but increasingly the term has expanded to include the descendants of the Canadian migration. Nomenclature has been problematic in regards to the Scots-Irish for a long time.  The term today reflects a better awareness of the descendants of Ulster Scots in the Diaspora.

Most families 'know' or self-identify as Scots-Irish.  These are the families that are participating in the Scots-Irish DNA project.

Friday, April 25, 2014

The Laggan Army 1640s

James McKeane, above, believed to be the grandfather of James McKeen of the 1718 fleet fame

One valuable primary source for Scots-Irish family historians is the 1642/43 muster rolls for the Laggan Army. This muster roll includes the many Scottish families settled in east Donegal from Lifford, north into Inis Eogháin.  The list reflects the makeup of the Scottish settlement and there are surnames from the Scottish Highlands, primarily from mid Argyll and Lennox and from the Lowlands, primarily from Ayrshire, Lanarkshire, and Gallowaysrhire.

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Note: Y-DNA tests are available to male sample providers only


 





Friday, April 18, 2014

The Portlough Muster Roll 1630

One early primary source available for Scots-Irish research is the 1630 and 1642 muster rolls taken in those areas settled by Scots.  In the Laggan district in east Donegal the Scots' settlement was in the Portlough precinct.  It is interesting for several reasons, not only does it show Lowland Scottish settlement from Ayrshire, but also many Highland Scots from Argyll and Lennox.  In a muster such as this one the abled bodied men of every family in the district was expect to appear.  This makes the muster rolls function like a census.    If you have DNA tested and your match group includes links to the Laggan, your ancestor will very likely be on this muster roll.


Below is the entire Portlough 1630 muster roll.  The surnames have been left as they were written.




 
1.  The Lord Duke of Lynox, undertaker of 4000 acres, his men and armes
Swords Only
Robert Leackye
James Wood
Andrew Wood
Mathew Lyndsey
William Douglas
Robert Lyndsay
Robert Buchanan
John Galbreath
Alexander Buchanan
Alexander Lawder
James Denniston elder
Andrew Royare
William Laughlan
John Lowrye
John Ralston
William Cokeran
Hector Hinman
Robert Cocheran
John Buchanan
John mcConochy
Robert mcPeter
George Haldin
Robert Horner
Donell Galey
Robert mcKyndely
Robert Glass
Archbell Campbell
ffyndley mcKindley
Andrew mctyre
Alexander Galbreath
John mcKaire
John Thromble
John Smyth
Dunkan mcffarlen
Patrick mcNeron
Wm. McLentock
George Colmories
Robert mcffarlan
John mcffarlan
Patt  mcAndrew
Patt. mcArthur
Robert Denyston
Donnell mcBaxter
John Boyd
Humfrey Colquphone
William Gulilan
John Steward
John McIlman
John Scot
Robert Boyde
Thomas Lowrye
Swords and Snaphances
John Wood
John Martin
John mcLenochan
John Cambell elder
William Deneston
John Buchanan
John Cambell
John mcffarlan
Donnell mcffarlan
Robert Michell
Costyme Ranckein
John Allen
Gilbert mcLyntock
John Brice
James Allan
Dunkan Speney
Thomas Ramsey
John Cock
James Cock
Andrew Cock
William Scot
John mcCawly
John mcGourden
Andrew Lackye
James mcKennye
James Hustone
Robert Lackye
Snaphances Only
James Dromond
Archbald Gambell
 
Swords and Pikes
Morrice mcConnell
John Cocheran
John Snodgarse
John Cambell younger
Owen mcNair
David Lyndsay
Alexander mcLentock
Robert Aickeene
Robert Morison
James Kilsoe
Donnell mcNichol
Dunkan Cambell
Donnell mcBaxter elder
Robert Barlaine
James Richye
John Swayne
John Valentyne
Dunkan Graham
 
Pikes Only
Robert Calmeris
Andrew Calmeris
Sword and Halbert
Hugh Greire
Sword and Calleuer
John mcffarlan
 
No Arms
John Royer,
Morrice Peacock
Walter Lowrye
William mcNevin
Robert Campbell
John mcKyndley
David mcKan
John mcIldonagh
Dunkan mcffarlan
John Crawfford
John Sempell
James Symison
William mcarthur
Robert Reroch
Thomas Crafford
Camack mcCole
Henry Cruse
John Barlone
Thomas Swaine
Patrick Porlerm
Randall mcAlexander
John Douglas
James Logan
Alexander Hamond
Mathew Gillrew
William Hewes
Robert Leman
Donnell mcCahey
Adam Quahone
Neece mcGilrouse
John mcffarlan
Walter Deneston
Anthony Steward
William Noble
John Parmenter
Andrew Galbreath
Willliam Wood
John Wood
John Steward
James Deneston
James Muthey
John Pecock
Walter Roger
Robert Craufourd
John Brittein
Archbald Ballintyne
John Young
Thomas mcKeeg
Gawen mcConnell
John Logan
John Watson
Lamock mcColl
Walter Henry
John Buchanan
Robert Cambell
David Gibb
Dunkan Crafford
John Pearce
George Allyson
John mcGillione
 
2.  The Lady Conningham Widdow of Sir James Conningham, undertaker of 2,000 acres, her men and armes.
Swords and Pikes
William Conningham
James Calquahan
Andrew mcCorkill
John mcCorkill
Tobias Hood
James Davye
Peter Starret
John mcquchowne
James Knox
Adam Garvance
 
Swords and Snaphances
James mcAdowe
ffyndlay Ewing
Dunkan mcffarlan
Ninian ffoulton
James Scot
William Rankin
Daniell Ramsay
Martin Galbreath
Patrick Porter
 Swords and Calleuers
William mcIltherne
David Walker
John Barbor
Sword and Halbert
James Makee
 Swords Only
Andrew George
James mcIlman
Michaell Rot[h?]es
Patrick Miller
Robert Muntgomery
Alexander Conningham
Richard Leaky
Robert Staret
John mcIlhome
Sallomon Giffin
David Reed
Donnell mcDonnell
Alexander Carlell
William Gafeth
 
No Arms
Gilbert Highgate
Patrick Porter
Robert Hasta
William Gambell
John Hunter
John Crawfford
Robert Johnston
Henry Smyth
William Boyes
David Ramsay
William Steward
Robert Crafford
James Conningham
Andrew Conningham
John Crafford
John Hunter
John Wilson
James Bredyne
Mungo Davy
William Richey
John mcIlhome
Henry Hunter
John mcHutchon
James Rankin
William Killy
Robert Pots
William Gambell
John Lyone
James Knox
 
3.  William Steward Esqr.  Lard of Dunduff, undertaker of 1,000 acres, his men and armes.
Swords Only
Archbald Thomson
Andrew Thompson
Robert Alexander
John mcKey
David Kenedye
Patrick Baruzathyn
Anthony Steward
John Steward
Archbald Steward
John Browne
Andrew Browne
Edward Roger
John Moore,
John mcCullagh
John Moire
Patrick Conningham
John Allyson
John Smeally
 Swords and Pikes
John Davidson
Archbald mcEmmory
Roary mcCleane
Patrick Thomson
Donnell Or
Mungo David
John Cambell
John mcLynienie
Archbald Hourd
William Houston
James mcKee
Anthony Kenedy
George Steward
John mcClen
John Cambell
Hugh Gamill
 Swords and Muskets
Robert Thomson
John ffife
 Swords and Snaphances
James Squire
John Conningham
Steaphen Marshell
John Smyth
Michaell Smith
Michaell mcCleary
Donnell Cambell
Archbald Bredene
 
No Arms
John Kelly
Humphrey Cooke
William Wan
ffynley mcKirdly
Alexander mcClaney
John Conningham
John mcffay
Donnell mcNevin alias McNit
John mcKee younger
John mcWalker
James mcKergour
David Kenedy
Alexander mcWilliam
Patrick Steward
Donnell mcCarslaire
James Kenellye
John Campbell
 4.  Mr. Alexander Steward, undertaker of 1,000 acres, his men and armes.
Swords and Pikes
John mcIlwane
Callum mcMuyre
James Cambell
Robert mcKenily
William To[y]es
William Conningham
William Home
Neall mcCurid
Alexander Cambell
 
Swords and Snaphances
Alexander Cambell
John mcKenely
Robert Boyd
Robert Henedy
Storiment Carr
 
Sword and Musket
John Niweme younger
Sword and Target
Walter mcffarlen
Swords Only
John Kennan
Ninian Steward
 
No Arms
Andrew Cambell
Gilbert mcKenny
John Gillaspy
Robert Steward
John Steward
Archbald Steward
William Cambell
James ffyfe
Arch Alexander
John Roger
John Boyill
William Boyill
John Cambell
Gilbert mcCan
 5.  James conningham Esqr.  undertaker of 1,000 acres, his men and armes.
Swords Only
Andrew Crafford
John Gills
Hugh Lokehart
Arch ffynlagh
ffynlay mcCredy
John Browne
Swords and Pikes
John Alexander
George White
Snaphances Only
Andrew Arnott
John Alexander
Adnarle Hoomes
Robert Graham
 
Swords and Snaphances
John Smyth
William Gall
Andrew Smyth
James Gillmore
Robert Roger
Thomas Roger
Thomas Lars
John Adam
Robert Davison
Michaeli Beare
Swords and Halberts
Robert mcKeene
Mathew Giesse
 
No Arms
James ffulloone
George Steavenson
Joseph Browne
William Galbreath
Hugh Leag
Andrew Browne
John Harper
Thomas Stole
Patrick Robison
John Enery
Andrew Leag
John Hururence
John Hamilton
James ffulloone
Robert Patterson
John Cunningham
George Naught
Hugh Leag
James Browne
John mcEuan
George Speare
Mathew mcCadame
John Dyne
Andrew Dyne
Arch Boyle
John Calwell
Robert mcCamy
Robert mcCamy younger
Dunkan mcWrick
Thomas Richmoule
John mcJohn Keine
Mungo Willy
Andrew Cambell
Hugh Mure
Andrew Callhow
 
6.  Mr. John Steward, undertaker of 1,000 acres, his men and armes.
Swords Only
Arch Steward
Andrew Cambell
William Cambell
Illime mcKaine
James ffife
John Steward
 
Pike Only
John Barkly
 
Sword and Snaphance
William Conningham
Sword and Pike
John Bullesine
Pike Only
Robert Steward
John Boyle
John Roger
Arch Alexander
 
No Arms
William Conningham