Welcome, Guest. Please login or register for free.
Did you miss your activation email?
Wednesday 25 November 09 12:49 UTC (UK)
Welcome Home Help Surnames Library Shop Search Login Register

+  RootsChat.Com
|-+  Ireland (Historical Counties)
| |-+  Ireland - General
| | |-+  Laois (Queens) (Moderator: RootsChat)
| | | |-+  Help with a surname , please
« previous next »
Pages: [1] Print
Author Topic: Help with a surname , please  (Read 735 times)
mkftandc
RootsChat Senior
****
Posts: 454


James P. Flanigan 1905-1983 Craigneuk,Scotland


Help with a surname , please
« on: Thursday 19 March 09 07:51 UTC (UK) »

Hi,

 I am trying to understand how and why my gg great grandfather would have changed his last name in Ireland.

Martin McGrath/Creagh b. in Co. Laois ,died in 1882 in Ballyraggett.

Martin married Anna Fry in Rathdowney, Co. Laois ( haven't found their marriage yet ) don't know if it would be under McGrath or Creagh.

Children of Martin and Anna -

John McGrath - b. Jan ,1856 in Co. Laois d. 10 Feb 1935 in Ballyragget ( I don't know if John's birth was registered under McGrath or Creagh but John stayed in Ireland and took over the family bakery on High St, Ballyragget when his father Martin died .)

James McGrath - no dates for him , married a Mary Bergin in Co. Laois and died in Co. Laois .  ( also don't know if his birth is registered as McGrath or Creagh )

[b]Elizabeth Craugh/Creagh OKeefe - b. Jun 1863 in Rathdowney, Co. Laois                                                        d. 3 Sep 1930 in Penn Yan, NY USA[/b]
(Elizabeth married a Patrick OKeefe from Rathdowney and immigrated to US)

[b]Richard J Craugh/Creagh - b. 13 Sep 1865 in Rathdowney, Co. Laois
                                                      d. 9 Jun 1941 in Penn Yan, NY USA[/b] (don't know how his birth was registered , but immigration and naturalization papers state last name as Craugh )

Michael P Creagh/Craugh - b. 18 Feb 1866 in Rathdowney,Co. Laois
                                            d. Circa 1900-05 in Iowa
( Michael's birth is listed on IGI as Creagh , Immigration papers lists his name a Craugh )

Bridget Creagh - b. 1865 - found this one on IGI, she must have died soon after birth .

Martin Creagh/Craugh - b. 4 Jul 1868 on Bridge St, Mountmellick, Co. Laois
                                      d. 8 May 1935 in Penn Yan, NY USA

( Martin is listed on IGI as Creagh, birth cert. also says Creagh, ship manifest and immigration papers say Craugh. ) Martin married Anna OKeeffe in Co. Laois ?, they immigrated with their 1 year old child.

Kathleen McGrath/Craugh - b. 5 Dec 1872 in Rathdowney or Ballyragget
                                            d.  21 Oct 1933 in NYC ,NY USA

(Kathleen birth cert. say McGrath on it, she immigrated to US with her mother Anna Frye McGrath after Martin died. Immigration ship records lists them as McGrath's. But in Penn Yan where the rest of the family was living they changed name to Craugh.

Mary McGrath Creagh- b. Oct 1873 in Rathdowney or Ballyragget
                                    d. 13 Mar 1951 in Penn Yan, NY USA

( I am assuming since Kathleen's birth was registered under McGrath that Mary's must also be labeled under McGrath, although i couldn't find it in the IGI )

Can some please explain to me why the name change in Ireland. Would it have been for religious reasons ? They were all raised Catholics, but I am thinking that their mother , Anna Fry/e might not have been.

Anna Fry/e's parents were - Samuel Fry/e and Mary Prior of Rathdowney.

Sorry so long of a post , I just wanted to add everything I knew about them so someone could help me figure out the name changing.

Thank you,
Megan
Logged

SCOTLAND-
Flanigan,McGrory,ONeill,Farrell
Craigneuk,Motherwell and Glasgow

ENGLAND-
Flanigan,Corrigan - Bedfordshire

IRELAND-
Flanigan,McAdams,Donnelly,Daley -Co. Monaghan
Flanigan,Doherty,McGrory,Collins,McQuelin-Co. Armagh
Farrell,McPoland,Devlin,Cull,McMahon-Co. Down
ONeill,Feeney-Co. Offaly
McGrath,Creagh,Craugh,OKeeffe,Brouthers,Frye-Co. Laois and Co. Kilkenny
Kelly,McInnerney,Marrinan,Falsey,Blackhall-Co. Clare

Mystery**
Johnston - immigrated to Michigan,USA from ?
seanmac
RootsChat Senior
****
Posts: 469



WWW
Re: Help with a surname , please
« Reply #1 on: Thursday 19 March 09 11:56 UTC (UK) »

I don't know why the change of surname but the people in Rathdowney cemetery all have the spelling  CREAGH and there's about 15 of them buried there.
Logged
mkftandc
RootsChat Senior
****
Posts: 454


James P. Flanigan 1905-1983 Craigneuk,Scotland


Re: Help with a surname , please
« Reply #2 on: Thursday 19 March 09 12:37 UTC (UK) »

Seanmac,
Thank you for replying to this thread .
Is the cemetery called " Rathdowney Cemetery " or is there another name for it ? Can I find these details on a website ?

Would you happen to know who I can contact to get MI's on this cemetery?

Thank you,
Megan
Logged

SCOTLAND-
Flanigan,McGrory,ONeill,Farrell
Craigneuk,Motherwell and Glasgow

ENGLAND-
Flanigan,Corrigan - Bedfordshire

IRELAND-
Flanigan,McAdams,Donnelly,Daley -Co. Monaghan
Flanigan,Doherty,McGrory,Collins,McQuelin-Co. Armagh
Farrell,McPoland,Devlin,Cull,McMahon-Co. Down
ONeill,Feeney-Co. Offaly
McGrath,Creagh,Craugh,OKeeffe,Brouthers,Frye-Co. Laois and Co. Kilkenny
Kelly,McInnerney,Marrinan,Falsey,Blackhall-Co. Clare

Mystery**
Johnston - immigrated to Michigan,USA from ?
seanmac
RootsChat Senior
****
Posts: 469



WWW
Re: Help with a surname , please
« Reply #3 on: Thursday 19 March 09 17:53 UTC (UK) »

The church is the 'Church Of The Holy Trinity' and a man to contact would be;
Kieran O Sullivan,
Main St,
Rathdowney
087-7615257
0505-46299

The cemetery list I have is dated 1928-2001 that contains the Creagh burials.
I can forward those names if you wish,
Regards,
Seanmac
Logged
mkftandc
RootsChat Senior
****
Posts: 454


James P. Flanigan 1905-1983 Craigneuk,Scotland


Re: Help with a surname , please
« Reply #4 on: Thursday 19 March 09 18:18 UTC (UK) »

Seanmac,

Thank would be wonderful if you could forward them to me . Thank you for your help on this.

Megan
Logged

SCOTLAND-
Flanigan,McGrory,ONeill,Farrell
Craigneuk,Motherwell and Glasgow

ENGLAND-
Flanigan,Corrigan - Bedfordshire

IRELAND-
Flanigan,McAdams,Donnelly,Daley -Co. Monaghan
Flanigan,Doherty,McGrory,Collins,McQuelin-Co. Armagh
Farrell,McPoland,Devlin,Cull,McMahon-Co. Down
ONeill,Feeney-Co. Offaly
McGrath,Creagh,Craugh,OKeeffe,Brouthers,Frye-Co. Laois and Co. Kilkenny
Kelly,McInnerney,Marrinan,Falsey,Blackhall-Co. Clare

Mystery**
Johnston - immigrated to Michigan,USA from ?
seanmac
RootsChat Senior
****
Posts: 469



WWW
Re: Help with a surname , please
« Reply #5 on: Thursday 19 March 09 18:49 UTC (UK) »

Mc Creagh Mrs.. 45, farmer, married, Harristown, 7/5/1933

Creagh John, 75, labourer, married, Grogan, 20/11/1934

Creagh Michael, 65, farmer, widower, Harristown, 22/9/1936

Creagh Christina, 12, Harristown, 29/5/1938

Creagh Kitty, 18, single, New cottages, 12/2/1939

Creagh Christopher, 85, single, New cottages, 21/9/1941

Creagh James, 56, labourer, single, Grogan Ballybrophy, 9/1/1946

Creagh John, 55, labourer, single, Grogan, 25/4/1948

Creagh John, 80, labourer, widower, Sragh, 5/9/1951

Creagh Peter, 74, married, New cottages, 27/6/1953

Creagh Kate, 72, widow, 25/8/1954

Creagh Annie, 70, married, New cottages, 24/2/1955

(all from Rathdowney RC cemetery)

Creagh, Catherine, 24, single, arristown, 25/2/1956

Creagh Anne Miss, 63, London/Rathdowney, 5/2/1985

Creagh Patrick, 74, labourer, single, New cottages, 25/7/1990

Creagh Bridie, 89, single, Grogan, 18/8/1990

Creagh Mrs, 89, widow, Ballybuggy, 3/5/1992

Creagh Patrick, labourer, single, Ballybuggy, 16/8/2001
Logged
shanew147
RootsChat Aristocrat
******
Posts: 2596


- - Dublin, Ireland - -


Re: Help with a surname , please
« Reply #6 on: Thursday 19 March 09 19:12 UTC (UK) »

from the McGrath clan website at http://www.cerebis.com/mcgrath/

extract : "...MacGrath is often written Magrath .... In Irish it is Mac Craith,...."

Mac Craith could be written in English as Mc Creagh...

 might be an explanation for the change



Shane
Logged

Wilson : Cambridgeshire [Chatteris], Yorkshire [Leeds], Dublin & Australia [Sydney/NSW] | Fitzsimon : Bray, Co. Wicklow & South Co. Dublin
Hayes, Shepherd, Bickerdike, Render, Harper : Yorkshire | Doyle, Dillon, Cantwell, Roach, Clarke  : Co. Wicklow
Cathcart, Wilson : Kings Co./Offaly, Dublin City & N. Ireland | Hodges : Bristol, Glos./Bray Co. Wicklow/Dublin City | Nevin : Cork
Sheridan : Dublin City | Kavanagh, Rooney, Clarke, Hughes, May, Monks : North Co. Dublin  [Rush/Thomastown]
seanmac
RootsChat Senior
****
Posts: 469



WWW
Re: Help with a surname , please
« Reply #7 on: Thursday 19 March 09 19:42 UTC (UK) »

From Familysearch Irish Civil Registrations 1845-1958, that gives Births, Deaths, Marriages from the Mountmellick/Abbeyleix District, but this one also includes Donaghmore, there is a parents section and after putting in the surname Creagh, Laois, these are some 'parents' that were mentioned (one name only)
Bowe
Loughman
Bartley
Dowling
Creagh
Logged
mkftandc
RootsChat Senior
****
Posts: 454


James P. Flanigan 1905-1983 Craigneuk,Scotland


Re: Help with a surname , please
« Reply #8 on: Thursday 19 March 09 20:07 UTC (UK) »

Seanmac,

Thank you for posting those MI's for me .And for looking further into this mystery .

Megan
Logged

SCOTLAND-
Flanigan,McGrory,ONeill,Farrell
Craigneuk,Motherwell and Glasgow

ENGLAND-
Flanigan,Corrigan - Bedfordshire

IRELAND-
Flanigan,McAdams,Donnelly,Daley -Co. Monaghan
Flanigan,Doherty,McGrory,Collins,McQuelin-Co. Armagh
Farrell,McPoland,Devlin,Cull,McMahon-Co. Down
ONeill,Feeney-Co. Offaly
McGrath,Creagh,Craugh,OKeeffe,Brouthers,Frye-Co. Laois and Co. Kilkenny
Kelly,McInnerney,Marrinan,Falsey,Blackhall-Co. Clare

Mystery**
Johnston - immigrated to Michigan,USA from ?
mkftandc
RootsChat Senior
****
Posts: 454


James P. Flanigan 1905-1983 Craigneuk,Scotland


Re: Help with a surname , please
« Reply #9 on: Thursday 19 March 09 20:11 UTC (UK) »

Shane,

I was thinking the same thing about the name change Mc Craith except for the fact that the name change occured in Ireland , where I would think people would know how to say the name.

I think this one might be a mystery that will never be solved . Because no one is alive to ask.

Thank you for your help,
Megan
Logged

SCOTLAND-
Flanigan,McGrory,ONeill,Farrell
Craigneuk,Motherwell and Glasgow

ENGLAND-
Flanigan,Corrigan - Bedfordshire

IRELAND-
Flanigan,McAdams,Donnelly,Daley -Co. Monaghan
Flanigan,Doherty,McGrory,Collins,McQuelin-Co. Armagh
Farrell,McPoland,Devlin,Cull,McMahon-Co. Down
ONeill,Feeney-Co. Offaly
McGrath,Creagh,Craugh,OKeeffe,Brouthers,Frye-Co. Laois and Co. Kilkenny
Kelly,McInnerney,Marrinan,Falsey,Blackhall-Co. Clare

Mystery**
Johnston - immigrated to Michigan,USA from ?
Martincreagh
RootsChat Extra
**
Posts: 8



Re: Help with a surname , please
« Reply #10 on: Wednesday 21 October 09 20:10 UTC (UK) »

Creagh is normally pronounced "Kray" however I have also heard it called Cra "Kra", a person given a name as I'm Creagh could be easily interpreted as McGrath by someone transcribing.

There is no direct correlation between the two names apart from marriage, as Creagh originated when a group of O'Neill clan dressed in green branches (camouflage/luck???) rode into the battle of Limerick. The name comes from craobh meaning literally branch.

McGrath or Mc Gra (Mac gra) son of love or child of grace

http://mcgrathsearch.com/files/Common_Origins_10-24-05b.PDF

Logged

Creagh Doneraile, Higgins, Callaghan,
O'Neill,
Pages: [1] Print 
« previous next »


[Copyright] [Shrink Link] [About Us] [Terms of Use]
All Census Lookups are Crown Copyright, National Archives for academic and non-commercial research purposes only
RootsChat.com cannot be held responsible directly or indirectly for the messages or content posted by others. Inline images in messages are the copyright of the respective linked sites.
RootsChat.com, Europa House, Bury, Lancashire, BL9 5BT

In loving memory of Eric George Davies, 1934-2009, the father of RootsChat.com































Powered by SMF 1.0.7 | SMF © 2006-2009, Simple Machines LLC
0.053:21