Origins of Protestant Families arounf Ballymena and Portglenone

[Elwyn Soutter]

The spread of both surnames seems so widespread, that all I think you can conclude is that your ancestors could have come from practically anywhere in Scotland save for the northern Highlands and Western Isles. (I know that may not be what you want to hear!).

Elwyn

[Leigh P]

Thanks Elwyn,

At least I think I can assume they were Scottish even if I don't know where in Scotland they came from.

Thankyou to all who have replied to me.

Regards

Leigh

[owenc]

Leigh, they could be from as near as Galloway, the landowners of the Townland they lived on might give a clue to their origin. The Adair's for example were Galloway lairds who crossed to Antrim and would have taken their tenants (or younger sons) with them.    Skoosh.

Hmmm does that mean my ancestors could be english then considering they rented land from the clotherwortherks compay?

[mattfrombann]

Leigh.

I may possibly be able to help you a bit further. I am from many many generations of Ahoghill Bankhead who resided in Lismurnahagn and Killane townlands, and also in Portglenone parish. 1st Ahoghill graveyard is full of them. There are more than a few Bankhead/Galt marriages in my research notes, stretching back via Coleraine to the parish of Kilmaurs in Ayrshire. That parish or the surrounding ones are fairly certain to be your ancestral homelands. The Galts in Coleraine were (about 1700) fairly prosperous Presbyterian families

Regards

Matt

[mattfrombann]

Leigh.

 I mentioned the Coleraine connection for Bankhead/Galt families and I attach an extract from my notes. The will does NOT survive but an abstract does. Both families moved on to Ahoghill. There are a serious of local history books about Ahoghill , published about a decade ago. Worth getting hold of to see all the local family names.

"   Hugh #1 Bankhead of Killowen
                                    d 1718

James   Hugh= Elizabeth Galt    Ellinor =  Hugh Lyle     Sarah = Howard     daughter = Will Shaw
d1718                                                                                            (died before 1718)
        ¦                                  
                     +---------------------------+
         ¦                             ¦
              daughter = McNeall          Mary = Dominick Hayland
                 ¦                                  (his 3rd marriage)
            ¦                 ¦
                         Elizabeth                         ¦
                        +----------------------------+
            ¦                        ¦
         Elizabeth = Robert Gault             Hugh
                            of Edindaroc        (died at sea)
            (his 2nd marriage)

The Heylands and Galts were in early years very prosperous Presbyterian
families. The period 1717-1718 was the first time that the Scots-Irish emigrated in large numbers, an exodus fuelled by failed crops, crippled linen industry and rack-renting (sudden increase of farm rents). Perhaps the wills were drawn up in expectation of a hazardous voyage"

The Minutes of the Ulster Synod have been published in book form. From my notes:-

"By 1740 however a Hugh #3 Bankhead was resident in Ahoghill Parish and James #4 Bankhead plus Samuel #1 Bankhead in the adjoining parish of Drummaul.  James #4 appears in the minutes of the Ulster Synod of 1738 when as one of 30 heads of families and 12 young men they asked for and were granted disannexation from Drummaul and transference to Ahoghill.  Quite why this happened is not revealed in the minutes.  "

I think, but cannot be sure, that the Galt name appears as well

Matt

[aghadowey]

Hugh BANKHEAD, Killowen, a tanner, was admitted as a freeman of Coleraine 1678. Son Hugh Bankhead (a founder member of New Row Presbyterian Church) married Elizabeth, daughter of John Galt & Sarah Moore- their daughter Mary BANKHEAD married her 1st cousin Dominick HEYLAND.

[mattfrombann]

I know. The James Bankhead who appears to have died in 1718 is almost certainly the one who signed the petition of that year to Governor Sam Shute in New England, but it has been stated that no proof of any of the signatories actually emigrating has been found. I have been trying unsuccessfully for decades to establish the connection between Coleraine and Ahoghill. A Bankhead will or two are recorded for places in between but they are not extant. The slightly famous Rev John Bankhead of Ballycarry (he of the 22 children) possibly derived from Coleraine families.

Regards

[ki4asq]

Mattfrombann,

I am new to RootsChatt, but noticed that, in this Forum, you posted that you are from the Ahoghill Bankheads.  I am searching for the parents and family information of a James Bankhead that was born in 1748 in County Antrim (the only location I have on him).  I also know that on October 21, 1767, he sailed from Belfast to South Carolina, U.S.A., where he married a Mary Hatfield.

Do you have any information related to this James Bankhead?  Or, what would be the next step I could do to narrow my search?

I found your information on "Origins of Protestant Families around Ballymena and Portglenone" very interesting.

Thanks!

Moderator's Note: see this new thread-
www.rootschat.com/forum/index.php/topic,494520.msg3516843.html#msg3516843

[hallmark]

Could someone please explain the orgin of the protestant families around Portglenone and Ballymena? Where did they come from and when?

Names I'm interested in are Swan(n), Gault and Miller/Millar.

Thankyou,

Leigh

From