William Hunt Wilkes and Mary Gordon

[Maxn]

The above were married in Edinburgh 4th Dec 1795. William is referred to as a Gentleman's servant, Old  Grayfriars parish with Mary, St Andrews Church Parish daughter of John Gordon, late Shipmaster of Cromarty. They would appear to be my 4th GGrandparents.

I have not been able to work back on William and any assistance in determining his origins would be greatly appreciated.

[MonicaL]

Hi Maxn

Doesn't answer you questions on William's origins, but a reference here to William's work place and employer. Not specific what year though without paying to view:

www.scotlandsplaces.gov.uk/digital-volumes/historical-tax-rolls/male-servant-tax-rolls-1777-1798/male-servant-tax-rolls-volume-22-1793-4-burghs/37

Monica

[JMStrachan]

That's going to be very tricky indeed. Wilkes isn't a Scottish name, and given was working in Edinburgh he could have come from anywhere. Wilkie is, however, a common Scottish name.

I notice from FamilySearch that they had a child baptised in 1800 at Cromarty who was given the rather wonderful name of Simona Somervil Bissat Wilkes. There may all be some clues in that name - for instance, was she named after someone called Simon Somervil or Bissat?

[Maxn]

Thanks Jim. As I have found.
Am unable to go back on Simona other than mother Mary Gordon who would appear to have had John as a Father (no Mum). He in turn may have had John as a Father ( no Mum).
Simona married George Junor 1823 Cromarty and it is believed that one of their daughters, Elizabeth was the Grandmother of Lawrence of Arabia. A very interesting story I must say.
Cheers, Maxn

[trish1120]

A James GUNN, Servant, Married Janet WILKES, 16 April 1792, Parish Church, Edinburgh
That and your William Hunt Wilkes Marriage are the only ones that come up on FreeREG.

Trish

[Maxn]

Thanks everybody for their input. In endeavouring to identify the above particularly, William,  it is noted that the clan "Bisset" believed to have been of Norman Origin and brought to Scotland when William the Lion Heart returned from captivity. Also it is observed that the name "Somerville" derives from a town in Normandy. Wilkes is not a Scottish name as Jim points out but is early medieval introduced to England by the Normans at the time of the conquest of 1066. An early Wilkes marriage appears in the London registers, 1540. Is my William connected? A romantic notion I agree but who knows. Not me that's for sure.

[JMStrachan]

I'm Judy actually, not Jim. My initials are JM!

One of my lines is Fraser, which is also a name brought over from France with the Norman knights. I can get back to about 1744, with a Fraser ancestor who was a soldier and thankfully left an imprint of himself in the records. His first two children were born in Arbroath and then the family seem to have settled in Cruden parish in Aberdeenshire. I doubt, however, if there's a blood connection to the Fraser lairds. Surnames did not exist in that part of Scotland till quite late, so when they needed a surname many people simply adopted that of their local laird.

[Maxn]

My sincere apologies, Judy.  How did I get Jim? Too many posts (or ports perhaps). I don't think I'm going to find out more about William and Mary (even she is difficult albeit her father has been identified but no Mum). The line down is fairly clear with a few assumptions and I guess I should be happy with what I have been able to find - 9000 names in the tree is fairly formidable I suppose.

To Monica. Must have missed your post. Thanks for that info.
Kind regards, Max.