Sharps in Ayrshire

[Jonny1977]

Hi Guys!

I'm a new member, and my main brick wall is my father line, Sharp. I'm back to the line of James Sharp and Isabella McMillan in Old Cumnock, Ayrshire, around the 1770's-80's. I traced them back one more generation to William and Janet Sharp in New Cumnock, who had their children 1742-1762. Before this point, they disappear. There are two Sharp women in New Cumnock in the 1720's and a couple of Sharp families in West Kilbride in the 1720's, but they seem to be a separate line, possibly from Bute.

So I'm trying to find where they might have come from! My grandfather lived until his mid 90's, and told me a story that his father had mentioned the Sharps had come down to Ayrshire from Coupar Angus - but this was the very first any of us had heard that, and I've not been able to find any evidence of it so far. However, the surname Sharp is most common up in Perthshire, and I've also recently found out that many families migrated into Ayrshire and the lowlands from further north in the 18th century due to agricultural improvements. I've made contact with at least one other family who have traced this connection in their lines.

So basically I'm grateful for any further or additional information anyone may have on this Sharp line! I've been stuck on this for decades now!

All the very best,

Jon Sharp