McFalls of Rathlin Island

McFaul & McFall are interchangeable. (Often McPhail in Scotland where they probably originated. A branch of the Scottish clan Mackintosh, according to MacLysaght).

Assuming that the family was RC (as most of Rathlin was) there are no church records before 1856 for that parish. Makes finding births and marriages a bit challenging.

The 1901 census of Rathlin doesn’t contain any families named Loughery (or similar).  Brian S Turner’s book “Family names in the Glens of Antrim” does not list the surname.

Several McFaul/McFall families still in Rathlin in 1901 (Popln then 368):

http://www.census.nationalarchives.ie/pages/1901/Antrim/Rathlin/Kinramer/922054/

http://www.census.nationalarchives.ie/pages/1901/Antrim/Rathlin/Demesne/922033/

http://www.census.nationalarchives.ie/pages/1901/Antrim/Rathlin/Mullindress/922059/

http://www.census.nationalarchives.ie/pages/1901/Antrim/Rathlin/Knockans/922056/

http://www.census.nationalarchives.ie/pages/1901/Antrim/Rathlin/Mullindress/922060/

Neal McFaul in Kinramer was married to Mary Black in 1876. His father was Daniel McFaul.

Death registration only started in Ireland in 1864 so if Neal or Margaret died before that there probably isn’t any record unless they have a gravestone. (Which on Rathlin will be in the Church of Ireland graveyard). Can’t see a death post 1864 for any Neal but there is a Margaret McFall death on 24.4.1866 aged 67. Not free to view yet so you would need to pay to view it on the GRONI website. (Cost £2.50).

The tithes in 1834 list one Neal McFall on Rathlin who was farming in Knockans townland:

http://www.irishgenealogyhub.com/antrim/tithe-applotments/rathlin-parish.php

William & Sister Eliza there in 1901 might be descended from that Neal but Neal’s wife looks to have been Catherine, so perhaps not the family you are looking for:

https://civilrecords.irishgenealogy.ie/churchrecords/images/deaths_returns/deaths_1885/06272/4796666.pdf

Can’t see that Neal’s death in the statutory records though the Valuation revision records on the PRONI site suggest he died around 1883, when the property in Knockans passes to Catherine (and then to William in 1886).

Possibly DNA testing may be a way of matching with others who have additional information about where the family originate. Family Tree DNA reportedly has more people with Ulster roots than any other company. That obviously increases the chances of finding a match. You might want to try them or, if you have already tested, you can transfer your results to them for no fee.

The North of Ireland Family History Society is running an Ulster DNA project in conjunction with FTDNA and can offer testing kits at a reduced price.  http://www.nifhs.org (Go to DNA project on the website).

Thank you for all the valuable information.  My DNA testing is with Ancestry, but my son's is with FTDNA.  I haven't seen any matches with them so far.

The Lougherys were from Ballycastle and several of that family were in Philadelphia before 1850.

Again, thank you.  I'll do more research with FTDNA.

Ann