McBlain Family (Seeking Irish Roots)

[mirrin]

Is there anyone who is connected to this family.  John McBlain bc1788 Ireland died 29.12.1860 in Cambuslang. His wife Jane McRoberts born c1793 in Ireland died 28.3.1872 in Glasgow.  Their daughter Mary McBlain born County Down circa 1815, died 18.7.1894 in Rutherglen, Scotland.  She married John Robertson  (born in Glasgow) in Glasgow in 1850.  I am interested in finding out about their Irish roots.  I have been unsuccessful.  Any help appreciated. 

I should add this was a second marriage for them.  Mary McBlain married David Muir in Rutherglen 1835 and had 5 children

On John McBlain's death certificate (cotton weaver) (1860) his parents are shown as William McBlain stone mason and Mary McAllister.  Jane McRoberts parents are shown as Robert McRoberts (labourer) and Jane Reid.

[aghadowey]

Lots of McBlains listed here but you really do need to know the family's religion and where they lived (parish if not actual townland) to see what early records might survive.

http://freepages.genealogy.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~rosdavies/SURNAMES/Mc/McB.htm

[mirrin]

Yes it is like looking for a needle in a haystack. I have tried and this was an attempt to locate anyone with any connection to this McBlain family.

[BallyaltikilliganG]

As you have done a lot of research work already, I wondered about any other method that might reduce the civil parishes to a manageable few by just searching a Co Down website  for McAllister, McBlain, McRobert, Muir and if you were really lucky finding all in the one parish or in a close focus with neighbouring parishes only.

So having a short list of the most likely civil parishes to search, what records would you choose to search or which records would be the quickest. the national census  substitutes include the Flax growers of Ireland,1796 but doesn’t include any of the names, the next is the Tithes Applotment Books about 1824-1836, which again has a limited inclusion, but worse still the three parishes Holywood , Newtownards and Newry are not well represented at all.  Indeed so badly and discovering Newry was listed in 1840, that I drop the tithes for the time being. The next is Griffiths valuation c~1860

McAllister   ...McBlain   ....McRobert   .....McRoberts    ........Muir
Aghaderg   -----------------   -----------------   -----------------   -----------------
Annaclone   -----------------   -----------------   -----------------   -----------------
Ballywalter   -----------------   -----------------   -----------------   -----------------
Blaris      -----------------   -----------------   -----------------   -----------------
Comber   -----------------   -----------------   Comber   -----------------
Donaghcloney-----------------   -----------------   -----------------   -----------------
-----------------   -----------------   -----------------   Down                 -----------------
Dromara   -----------------   -----------------   Dromara   -----------------
-----------------   -----------------   Dromore   Dromore   -----------------
Drumballyroney----------------- -----------------    Drumballyroney         -------------   
-----------------   -----------------   -----------------   Dundonald   -----------------
-----------------   -----------------   -----------------   Garvaghy   -----------------
Hillsborough   -----------------   -----------------   -----------------   -----------------
Holywood   Holywood   -----------------   Holywood   -----------------
Kilcoo      -----------------   -----------------   -----------------   -----------------
Kilkeel      -----------------   -----------------   -----------------   -----------------
-----------------   -----------------   -----------------   Killinchy   -----------------
-----------------   -----------------   Kilmore   Kilmore   -----------------
-----------------   -----------------   -----------------   -----------------   Magheradrool
-----------------   -----------------   -----------------   Magherally   -----------------
Newry      Newry      -----------------   Newry      -----------------
Newtownards   Newtownards   Newtownards-----------------
-----------------   -----------------   -----------------   Saintfield   -----------------
Seapatrick   -----------------   -----------------   -----------------   -----------------

you might agree that means Holywood , Newtownards and Newry are the most likely parishes from this one source

If you did the same using  perhaps Ros Davies website  you will have many more parishes but the result would be more accurate

so having a short list of the most likely civil parishes to search, what records would you choose to search or which records would be the quickest. the national census  substitutes include the Flax growers of Ireland,1796 but doesn’t include any of the names, the next is the Tithes Applotment Books about 1824-1836, which again has a limited inclusion, but worse still the three parishes Holywood , Newtownards and Newry are not well represented at all.  Indeed so badly and discovering Newry was listed in 1840, that I drop the tithes for the time being.

 so going for an easier possibility an existing family tree do you know about Genes Reunited below? and if you are not one of the treeholders, have you had contact with one of them?
http://www.GenesReunited.co.uk/
Mary   McBlain   1816   Co Down Ireland ...         Ronald
Mary   McBlain   1815   County Down Ireland ...      Moira   
Mary   McBlain   1815   Ireland ...            Jo and Stuart   
Mary   McBlain   1815   Ireland ...            Barbara
Mary   McBlain   1815   Couny Down,Ireland ...      Nick   
Mary   McBlain   1815   Ireland ...            Christine   
Mary   McBlain   1815   Co Down Ireland ...         Peter
David McBlain   1811   S Ireland Drogheda ...      Kevin   
John   McBlain   1790   Ireland ...            Jo and Stuart   
John   McBlain   1787   Ireland ...            Nick   
John   McBlain   1785   Ireland ...            Moira   
James McBlain   1770   Ireland ...            Liesele   

I need to ask did you  check 1840 census in Scotland yourself, ie is all possible clues as to were in Co down are checked out, even in later census
John McBlain whole family must have gone to Lanarkshire  Finally my ear thinks Muir in Co Down could be pronounced Moore/ Mure

good luck hoping you knock the bricks flying

[mirrin]

Thankyou very much for your suggestions.  In all the paperwork that I have it only shows Mary born in either Ireland or County Down.  I have tried searches on Irish sites but it is almost impossible with the limited information that I have. Also based in Scotland I am not familar with irish sites.  I have no record of where David Muir was born, so he could have been born in Scotland. David and Mary were married in Scotland.
I have also checked the 1851 census for Mary's parents and it gives their place of birth only as Ireland.
 

[mirrin]

Checked the 1841 census for Mary McBlain's parents.  Shows John McBlane (age 50) and Jane McBlane (age 45) in the Parish of Bridgeton both born in Ireland. Family shown as Elizabeth age20 born in Ireland, William age 18 born in Ireland (both weavers) Next Jane age 10 and Matthew age 8 both born in Scotland.  By this time Mary would be married to David Muir.
It would therefore appear that John and Jane McBlane left Ireland aprox. 1826 to 1831 going by the place of birth re children.