Author Topic: Roy family of Rothes and Fochabers  (Read 2818 times)

Offline AR86

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Roy family of Rothes and Fochabers
« on: Wednesday 08 March 17 13:51 GMT (UK) »
Hi,

I've hit the proverbial brick wall with my Scottish ancestors and wondered if anyone could offer guidance. I've traced my lineage back to a George Roy, 1795-1864, baptised at the Chapel of Orton (Inchberry) and latterly a carpenter in Fochabers, but cannot seem to locate his parents with any certainty.

I have baptism and death certificates for George and his siblings John (b. 1789) and Helen (1791-1857) which list the parents as John Roy, a salmon fisherman and crofter latterly of Fochabers, and Helen Gordon, but cannot find records of their marriage on ScotlandsPeople. I have a suspicion that they may have been Catholic due to the baptisms at Orton chapel and realise therefore that marriage records may be unavailable at that time. With no timeframe for their births (presumably before 1771 if they were 18 at the first child's birth) or deaths (post-1795 when the eldest was born) I'm having real trouble working out who they were.

The witnesses at the baptism of Helen in 1791 include James Roy and Helen Johnston, whom I believe I have found in their late 80s in Dundurcas at the 1841 census. I suspect that James is the brother of my John Roy (rather than his father) as he and Helen Johnston did not have children registered together until 1786 at the earliest. That has led me to scour ScotlandsPeople for records of a John and James Roy being born to the same parents around Rothes, and in approximately the right timeframe for James to have been born c. 1750s, but with the names being so common I'm not having a great deal of luck narrowing the field. Libindx hasn't thrown up any likely candidates for either John or James.

Has anyone researched the Roy family around this area and found these people before? Am I missing something blindingly obvious that would allow me to identify John? What other sources could I search for details of George's parents? Or have I reached as far back as I'm likely to be able to go?

Many thanks in advance for any help you can offer.

Offline morgan 55

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Re: Roy family of Rothes and Fochabers
« Reply #1 on: Friday 10 March 17 13:22 GMT (UK) »
There is a Helen Roy nee Johnston c.1755 husband James Roy farmer Kirkhill Dundurcas Rothes they had a daughter Isabella, Helen died 18 Dec 1850 aged 95 Headstone ref Bt62 Lynemore Botriphine hope this helps

Offline Forfarian

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Re: Roy family of Rothes and Fochabers
« Reply #2 on: Tuesday 02 May 17 10:09 BST (UK) »
If they were Roman Catholic, any surviving records are available on Scotland's People.

If you go to https://www.nrscotland.gov.uk/research/guides/old-parish-registers/list-of-old-parish-registers and select Moray, then Rothes, you will see that the marriage records of the parish of Rothes have not survived from the period when your John Roy and Helen Gordon were married.

The Rothes parish register for much of the 18th century is very helpful, because the baptism records give not only the parents' residence and names of witnesses, but also the witnesses' residences and their relationship (if any) to the child. Using this information I have been able to deduce, for instance, the name of my 5th-great-grandmother and the parentage of several other relatives.

I have a John Roy who married Jean Leslie in Rothes in 1812. If you can confirm whom your John b 1789 married, and when he died, I could then definitely eliminate him as a possible candidate to be Jean's husband, who died before the start of statutory civil registration so there is no death certificate to be sought.
Never trust anything you find online (especially submitted trees and transcriptions on Ancestry, MyHeritage, FindMyPast and other commercial web sites) unless it's an image of an original document - and even then be wary because errors can and do occur.

Offline GR73

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Re: Roy family of Rothes and Fochabers
« Reply #3 on: Wednesday 26 September 18 14:33 BST (UK) »
Hi,

I have been tracing my Roy family for nearly 20 years.
I have recently done a Y DNA test on Family tree DNA (67 markers) and an autosomal test on Ancestry.
I am getting matches from people in Moray, and there are lots of roys there that could be my James Roy, born circa 1745.
Have you done a DNA test? If not I would encourage you to do one. Especially if you are a male Roy.

Regards

Greg Roy


Offline Nova0015

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Re: Roy family of Rothes and Fochabers
« Reply #4 on: Tuesday 11 February 20 14:57 GMT (UK) »
My Roys came from Moray Robert born in 1660-1698 married Isobel innes 1658-1743 they had children named Joseph 1686-1738 he died in America. Elizabeth.  I also have hit a blank wall in finding Roberts parents.  I have a last name to research as someone has a Robert Roy Portalence as Robert Roy's father.  I am still searching.Portelance which leads me to believe the Roy's  might have come from France, as some of relatives in canada had the last name Portelance.
Roy, Innes relationshsips