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Archiver > GENIRE > 1999-08 > 0933890217


From: "P A MagLOCHLAINN" <>
Subject: Re: IRISH OR SCOT?
Date: Thu, 5 Aug 1999 22:56:57 +0100


Dear Carolanne,
Thank you for your query about your McLaughlin ancestor in Maine. You are
quite correct in stating that McLaughlins can originate in either Ireland or
Scotland, and that some McLaughlin families seem to have spent half their
time in each country!
There are certain clues, however.
For example, given names can often help. Had your ancestor been Duncan or
Colin rather than Charles, that would have suggested a Scottish origin.
Look again at the earliest given names in your McLaughlin family, and see
which are not associated with families which intermarried.
Secondly, Irish tended to marry Irish and Scots married Scots, especially if
there was a religious difference. The surnames Nelligan and Geoghegan are
both usually Irish in origin - Gilman and Bailey not obviously so (but not
noticeably Scottish either). So your McLaughlins presumably intermarried
with people who at first glance (and that's a VERY rough guide, I hasten to
warn you) would appear to have been at least 50% Irish in origin and 0%
Scots.
By the way, have you visited the excellent Clan McLaughlin web site (to be
found at http://members.aol.com/Lochlan/clanmac.html) yet?
Feed us a few more details of your early McLaughlins, Carolanne, and you
never know, someone may be able to spot something significant.
Meanwhile, happy hunting!
Yours cordially,
P A MagLochlainn ()
Belfast, Northern Ireland
===========
wrote in message
<>...
or both???
my dilemma seems to be tracing my
gggrandfather Charles McLaughlin back from the late 1700's in China
Maine to his homeland..
Would it be Ireland,Scotland or a combination
of both!!
Any ideas?
My surnames are
NELLIGAN,GEOGHEGAN,GILMAN,BAILEY,MCLAUGHLIN
and my blue bloods are"
http://members.tripod.com/~baglady_2/Gramps.html
and I am Carolanne
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