A Kilmarnock conundrum!

[Artognou]

Hi everyone,

I've had a huge brick wall that has been quite frustrating for me for quite some time now, regarding my 4th great grandparents, Alexander Bell and Janet Findlay/McKinlay.
Alexander was born in 1805, Sorn and Janet was born in 1800, Kilmarnock, both according to the census records.
They married in late 1831 and went on to have seven children (that I know of) between 1833 and 1850.
I have the birth record of their third born child, also my third great grandfather, Alexander Bell and it states that Janet's maiden name was McKinlay as it also states on the marriage record, however, here's where it becomes ridiculously confusing ;
On the 1851 census, it shows that a nephew is living with the family, his name is James Findlay and his parents were Alexander Findlay and Elizabeth Gebbie, on the death record for Janet, it shows her as being called Janet Findlay and father is unknown Findlay, mother Janet Templeton.
I have several marriage and death records of the children of Alexander and Janet and there appears to be much confusion (?) over her birth name, it changes from Findlay to McKinlay and the occupation of Alexander Sr is always correct on each one.
Alexander Jr was always consistent in his stating that Janet was a Findlay, so you can probably understand my utter bewilderment about the whole thing!

My other issue is with Alexander Sr, upon his death, it states that his parents were John Bell and Margaret Wilson, after I'd put these details into my tree on ancestry, it threw up a hint for a couple of those names who married in about 1789 in Cumbria.
I know that many people have been jumping to and fro across the border for aeons, but I'm still in two minds about this and then there's the baffling issue about there being no birth records for both Alexander and Janet.
I know from both death records that John Bell was a farmer and the mystery Findlay, a shoemaker, but obviously without any birth records, I'm stuck in an extremely confusing place.
Would there be any reason for the absence of these records?

If anyone can help me in anyway, I would be eternally grateful!

Many thanks in advance,

Alex.

[CaroleW]

Much earlier but this marriage may be one to bear in mind from Family Search

Alexander Bell  Spouse's Name    Janet Templeton  17 Jan 1766
Event Place  Bo'Ness, West Lothian, Scotland

And Findlay/Gebbie marriage

Alexander Findlay Spouse's Name    Elizabeth Gebbie 1 Dec 1829
Event Place  Tarbolton, Ayr, Scotland

[loobylooayr]

Hi,

On the 1851 Census (per Freecen transcriptions) - there is only one other Bell family who give their place of birth as Catrine (as does your Alexander) .
John Bell   aged  49  Corrector of Webs Cotton Works
Margaret Bell aged 48 his wife
and their children - Jane 27, Agnes 23, Marion 21, Mary 17 and James 14.

Obviously this couple are far too young to be Alexander's parents - but it is possibly a brother and his wife.
With regards to Alexander's parents names - are the only mention you have of these on Alexander's death certificate. If so, please remember that information is only as accurate as the informant's knowledge and memory. It's amazing how many people had no idea what their grandparents were called.
I would be interested to find out the above Margaret Bell's maiden name.

Looby

[CaroleW]

From FS

Name    Mary Bell
Gender    Female
Christening Date    03 Feb 1833
Christening Place    , CUMMERTREES, DUMFRIES, SCOTLAND
Birth Date    20 Jan 1833
Father's Name    John Bell
Mother's Name    Margaret Bell

Ignore - I should be looking in Ayrshire!!

[Artognou]

Good morning everyone,

Many thanks for your replies,

I had a look at this John Bell and it's jogged my memory a bit.
Several years ago when I began searching for the birth of Alexander, I came across a birth in Sorn for an Alexander Bell to James Bell and Elizabeth Beattie and I'm fairly sure that they are the parents of John, and perhaps this might possibly make John and Alexander cousins?
I also remember seeing a marriage in 1784 at Edinburgh for a James Bell and Elizabeth Beattie, but I don't want to commit myself to it, it's just such a frustrating situation!

I was wondering whether like several places in England, where the records haven't yet been either transcribed/digitised, the same might apply to various areas in Scotland?

[loobylooayr]

Hi again,

Firstly , in reply to your query re- the transcriptions/digitalisation of Scottish records, the best place to find records is www.scotlandspeople.gov.uk.    This is the official Scottish website with all existing  BDMs available to view for a small charge.  Some old parish registers from pre1855 (statutory registration came into force) have not survived or were never completed in the first place. This is why you have probably drawn a blank finding Alexander and Janet (Findlay/McKinlay) Bell's marriage and christening records.

Secondly - with regard to Janet and the two alternating surnames McKinlay and Findlay - I found this -  http://irishmckinleys.blogspot.co.uk/p/from-scotland-to-ulster.html   
McKinlay is the Anglicised  version of the Gaelic name for son of Finlay. So I could imagine that the name McKinlay and Findlay could be  interchangeable during the era of Janet's birth, marriage etc. It could be if her family's origins were Irish , which is entirely possible , they may have changed McKinlay to Findlay.
Actually on the couple's marriage record at Kilmarnock Janet has been recorded at McKindlay....naturally this has been written by the clerk of the church and probably spelt as he heard it pronounced .

Looby

[Artognou]

Hi Looby,

Thanks again for replying.
I have done a lot of searching on the Scots peoples website and I have over the past couple of days gone back over my saved searches, there is a marriage record for Alexander and Janet, I am now convinced - thanks entirely to your very helpful link - that they are my people, Janet is, as you say, McKinlay.

I shall have to go through the saved searches with a fine toothed comb, I am very sure that I have a record there for a birth for an Alexander Bell, born to a James Bell and Elizabeth Beattie, however, I don't think that this is mine, due to the naming of his children, they fit in with the given names of his parents as listed on his death record.

I don't think that I've ever had such a puzzling search before!

Alex.