Lauchlan McMillan, b. circa 1815 Co. Antrim

[winslowsmom]

Hello All
Well, I know pre 1847 Irish records are difficult, lost or non existant, but felt I would be remiss if I didn't ask.
I am hoping to find the birth for a Lauchlan (any spelling) McMillan in County Antrim around 1815 (as reported in
several census). Big problem is I don't have a clue what parish. Once in Scotland they married and baptized
Church of Scotland, so I don't think they were Catholic.
His parents should be Lauchlan and Helen.
Don't know this for sure, but Lauchlan, his bros, and
children all followed strict naming conventions in later years, especially with regard to the oldest.
By the time Lauchlan went to Scotland and married in Paisley in 1836, he was a weaver. I imaging this could make
his father likely a weaver, as there were oodles of Scots Weavers in this part of Ireland in the early 1800s, and
before.
I am thinking with a name like Lauchlan McMillan he has to be Scot whose family went to Northern Ireland during some stage
of the clearances?
Happy for any input.
Cathy Hatfield

[LesleyB]

Hi Cathy
As you are pretty sure he is not RC, it seems a possibility that his family may have been from Scotland but had arrrived in Ireland during the Plantation.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Plantation_of_Ulster
If he was not RC, there is a greater chance that there may be some church records in Ireland.

However, there was also a fair bit of coming and going between the North or Ireland and the West coast of Scotland over the centuries. Not sure how reliable this article is, but it does suggest early McMillan connections to Ulster:

The church origins of the MacMillans are reflected in the connection of some of the earliest “children of Maolan” to two religiously based clan confederations: the Clann GhilleFhaolain (“Devotees of St. Fillan”) in Perthshire and Galloway; and the Clann GhilleChattain (“Devotees of St. Catan”) in Ulster, the Hebrides, and particularly Badenoch and Lochaber.
http://www.clanmacmillan.org/History.htm

There are 49 McMillans listed in the Griffiths Valuation for Antrim in 1862, so not an uncommon ssurname in that county.
http://www.askaboutireland.ie/griffith- ... /index.xml

Any chance he might have applied for poor relief? Poor relief applications can sometimes give a more detailed place of birth or other useful information.

Best wishes
Lesley

[Andy]

Wouldn't be the first McMullen to become McMillen in Scotland. The Primary Valuation has:

MCMULLEN LAUGHLIN ANTRIM BALLYRASHANE

MCMULLEN LOUGHLIN ANTRIM DUNAGHY

Next port of call would be the Tithe Applotment Records and, after that the 1803 Agricultural Census

[winslowsmom]

Thank you very much Leslie and Andy.
I'll investigate those two parishes for the fellows you found Andy, and I found one I liked on the Ag Census in 1803.
I think I'll need to become an expert on the geography and place names around Antrim. I'll also check poor relief,
its been a big help on other branches.
It may take a while, but I'll let you know what I find.
Good night
Cathy H