Hunter

Harry,

The problem with researching someone born in Ireland in the mid 1700s is that hardly any churches in the county have any records for that period, and there are few other records to fall back on. Hunter and Simpson are both very common names in the county. In the 1901 census there were 575 Hunter & 451 Simpson. The vast majority were Presbyterian or Church of Ireland which together with the general location ie Co. Down, points at Scottish origins for both. Well over half the population of the county can also claim that background so the opinion of the Irishman who thought your ancestors might be Ulster-Scots is probably completely correct. So the family almost certainly arrived in the county in the 1600s from somewhere in lowland Scotland.

I am a bit cautious about the forename Poland. It’s unknown as a forename in Scotland and Ireland. There are none in the county in the 1911 census for example. It might be right but if so it’s probably the only person of that name in Ireland, ever.

I think you will struggle to find any record of this family in Ireland given how long ago he left and the lack of records at that time.

Here’s a link explaining why so many Ulster Scots left Ireland in the 1700s for north America.

https://www.ancestryireland.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/08/The_1718_Mig…

Thank you so much! reading a prior post on Edward Hunter who did in fact emigrat from Renfrewshire, Scotland by way of County Down. He had a son named Edward, born in Scotland c. 1731. One of Edward's siblings was William, b. 10 May 1734. Grandparents surnames are commonly used for offspring, and William was a child of Poland and his son was William I am trying to make that connection. The post went on to say William was a famous historian in PENNSYLVANIA! William Hunter had stated that "the Hunter family came from County Down before they arrived in Delaware by the year 1755". William the son of Edward Hunter and Elizabeth Ker may have been the connection. The Poland surname came from Ancestry.com The post I am quoting came from a google search for Hunter Family from Scotland to County Down. Then I realized it was from Ireland Reaching out. Elwyn you have been a great help. I will continue and try to find the other post and reach out. Thank you!

Harry

Dear Harry:

Thank you for your further post and the clarification about the Hunter family.  Here is the link to the post that you referred to which was posted back in 2012!

https://irelandxo.com/ireland/down/down/message-board/hunter-family-scotland-county-down

Elwyn:  will you take a look at this older post (link above) and see if you can add anything further to it?  

I have written to the Downpatrick Library for you to let them know that you may visit them for some local historical information.  There is a lady there named Briege who is very helpful for research.  

The link to that library is here:  https://www.librariesni.org.uk/Libraries/Pages/Downpatrick-Library.aspx

Please let me know if you need any further assistance.  

Kind regards,

Jane

Harry,

Forgive me but your post is a bit confusing. You say that Edward Hunter of Renfrewshire had 2 sons: Edward born 1731 and William 1734. And then you say that William was the son of Poland Hunter. So who is William’s father - Edward or Poland?

Also in your first post you said that Poland was born c 1751. So how he can be the father of William born 1734? I don’t quite understand the history here. Perhaps you can clarify?

I can confirm there is a record on the Scotlandspeople site for an Edward Hunter baptised in Inverkip, Renfrewshire on 17.10.1731 to parents Edward Hunter and Elizabeth Ker, but I am still not clear how he links to Poland or where William fits in.