looking for my great great grandfather Patrick Mcguigan who went to UK in 1840s

I think I've seen the name in some of the parish registers for St. Patrick's, I'll let you know if there is any new info for you.  My 4g grandmother was probably Rose McGuigan who presumably married William McGlone.  I've been making note of other McGlones, McGuigans and Finlays at St. Patrick's when I come across them.

I also have McKeown (close to McGeown) ancestors from Armagh (last found in Ballintemple, Balmyre, Armagh).

Both of my Armagh ancestor lines moved to Philadelphia, PA, USA in the 1840s and 1850s.

Dear TMcKeon,

thank you for this information it's the first I've had with family names and in Armagh. Please do send anything that looks relevant. I'm not surprised to hear about a Philadelphia connection. All the files of ships passengers have lots of Irish names, but unfortunately I've not found any absolutely certain siblings names for either Patrick who emigrated to England or Patrick the blacksmith who presumably stayed in Ireland, except a possible sister Mary.

My DNA results show several 'matches' from Ireland at 3rd or 4th degree, but none with a surname I've come across. I shall look up the names of your relatives on the Irish registers to look for connections before the 1840's and 50's.

May I ask where St Patrick's records can be found?

Thanks again for your information, look forward to talking with you in the future.

Hannah

Hello Hannah, 

I've found records for my ancestors in the following Ancestry databases:

Ireland, Select Catholic Birth and Baptism Registers, 1763-1917

Ireland, Catholic Parish Registers, 1655-1915

So far in addition to Rose McGuigan (hard to read but pretty sure the name is right, the transcribers have written Quiggen and Duggin) I have written down a Terence McGuigan born to William McGuigan and Mary Kelly.  Baptism was on 24-SEP-1798.  If I see other I'll be sure to let you know.  The records are in groups by year.  One group are 1796-1810, then it picks up again in 1835.  Fortunately for me my gg grandmother was born in 1837 and her father in 1799 so they were there and the index was good enough to find them though it sometimes takes scanning the records to find them.  One of the registers lists the townlands though not all are readable.  I'll be sure to let you know when I come across more McGuigan records.

I was also lucky with the McGlone family because of DNA matches in both Ireland and in Philadelphia.  It seems like Philadelphia was a common destination for people from Armagh in the mid to late 1800s.  I've been less lucky with the other names from Armagh (McGuigan, McKeon and Finlay).

Tim

Thanks Tim, really helpful. I will get on to look at those right away. Yes trawling through the scans is very puzzling work, given the myriad of spelling used.

I'l look for any of your names on other sites I use too. I'm more familiar with Scottish and English records which have been more straight forward. Possibly because I have family records of places they came from. Unfortunately the Irish connections I have 'imigrating' to UK when Ireland was still administered from London. 'Ireland' is the only birthplace registered.

As they were catholic even before that they were definitely 'beyond the Pale" also on official protestant records. Only towards the second half of the 19th century do they appear on the lists of leases or dwellers on other peoples' land. Emigre ancestors to the states certainly seem to generate more certain proofs. I wonder whether your people had siblings who perhaps came over here rather than the states.

I'm getting quite a few DNA matches, but none so far with any names I'm searching for. And I'm afraid some don't go far enough back or forward to give a great deal of hope. Also I've found instances that are patently wrong. I suppose it's hope for some searchers taking precedence over 'proof'. We can all be susceptible to that.

Right, William, Mary and Terence, here I come.

Look forward to talking to you again,

Hannah