Forwarded by permission of the original poster, Alex Hughes
<alex(a)hughes567.freeserve.co.uk>.
-------- Original Message --------
Subject: PML Search Result matching ("(calhoun or calhoon) andnot Co*")
or cahoon or colquhoun
Date: Mon, 27 Mar 2000 09:31:59 -0800
From: Alex Hughes <alex(a)hughes567.freeserve.co.uk>
.
Source: CoTyroneIreland-L(a)rootsweb.com
Subject: [CoTyroneIreland-L] What's In A Name?
A friend from Canada sent this to me, just forwading on.
tata
Alex
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Descendants of the Ulster Scots
The question, What does it mean to be of Ulster Scottish ancestry?
raises the question of who were the Ulster Scots. On the face of it,
they were persons of Scottish ancestry from Ulster, that old province in
the north of lreland, now consisting of the nine counties of Armagh,
Down, Antrim, Derry, Tyrone, Fermanagh, Donegal, Cavan and Monaghan.
However it is confused by the North American experience of commonly
calling these people Scotch- Irish.
The majority of these persons settled in Ulster from the lowlands of
Scotland during the so-called Plantation Period (see Celtic Heritage,
October/November 1997, p.22). They were settled by the English rulers of
Ireland on land previously held by rebellious native Irish. They
remained in the north of Ireland for at least 150 years (three to four
generations) before moving for economic, political and religious reasons
to Canada, the United States, or even Australia and elsewhere. During
their stay in Ireland, they were influenced by Irish customs and
culture.
The language of a good portion of the Scots who arrived in Ulster was
derived from the Central Scots language and called Lallans. However,
there was a significant group who spoke Gaelic and it seems that
Scottish Gaelic was intelligible to the Irish then. The first book to be
printed in Irish Gaelic for the Presbyterians in 1567 was a translation
of the Calvinist Book of Common Order, commonly called John Knox's
Liturgy.
In fact, Gaelic speaking Scots had been coming to Ulster for several
centuries before the arrival of the Plantation settlers. The distance
across the Irish sea to Scotland at the nearest point is only 13 miles.
As early as the 14th century, members of the MacDonald clan of the
Hebrides had established themselves in the Glens of Antrim where their
name was influenced by the slightly different Irish Gaelic and spelled
MacDonell. Other Scottish families, including the MacLeans,
MacAllisters, MacCabes and MacSweeneys also crossed to Ulster. They were
first brought to Ireland by Irish chiefs to serve as galloglasses, or
mercenaries, in battles with the Anglo-Normans and in time inter-married
with native Irish and settled among them.
Thus we return to the first answer suggested; that an Ulster Scot is
someone who traces their ancestry to the North of Ireland but whose
forebears previously lived in Scotland.
Scots Ulster Surnames
Armstrong: Among the 50 most common surnames in Ulster, it is found in
County Fermanagh where Elliot and Johnston, the two other major Scottish
riding clans from the borders are present in the 16th century. In the
decade following 1603, when King James Vl, newly king of England and
Scotland, began a ruthless campaign to pacify the borders, the
Armstrongs, along with other riding clans, were dispersed, with many
coming to Ulster.
Colhoun: This Scottish clan name has been most popular in Counties Derry
and Tyrone since the Plantation. Early in the 17th century, Sir John
Colquhoun of Luss bought some 1000 acres in the Newtowncunningham
district of County Donegal from Sir Walter Stewart of Minto in
Roxburghshire. He brought over several members of the Colquhoun clan and
these were the ancestors of most of the latter day Colhouns of Ulster.
Craig: Scottish name common in Counties Antrim, Tyrone and Derry. During
the 15th and 16th centuries, the name was common in Edinburgh and
throughout the Scottish lowlands. Sir James Craig of Edinburgh was one
of the 50 Scottish lords or undertakers of the Plantation, and in 1610
he was granted 1000 acres in County Armagh. He sold this and bought land
in County Cavan where he settled many of his kinsfolk.
Hamilton: Among the 15 most common names in Counties Tyrone and Down,
and among the 20 most common in County Antrim, it is mostly associated
with the Plantation period of settlement as six of the Scottish
undertakers and two of the nine chief undertakers were Hamiltons. They
received huge grants of land in Counties Cavan, Armagh, Tyrone and
Fermanagh.
Mackay: Chiefly found in Counties Antrim, Armagh and Down, the first
Mackays in Ulster were known as MacCoys, were believed to be associated
with Clan MacDonald, and were followers of the MacDonells. The name is
some- times spelled MacKee and daring the Plantation, Sir Patrick MacKee
of Largs, Ayrshire, was granted 1000 acres in the Donegal town area.
Montgomery: Most in Ulster are descended from the Scottish landlord
family of Sir Hugh Montgomerie, an advisor to James VI, King of Scotland
and England, who during the Plantation period brought a great number of
his kinsfolk to Ulster to settle in Counties Down, Donegal, Fermanagh
and Monaghan. One of the most famous Ulsterman was Field Marshall
Viscount Montgomery, Supreme Commander of Allied Forces during World War
II, who was from Donegal.