I have been fortunate to be able to trace all lines of my husband's and of my family back to the 1400/1500 (England) with exception of one Irish/Scot line.
A David Devoy (b @ 1821 or 1812) in Ireland came to Stoneykirk around 1825-30 and married Helen Rennie (of Scotland). His parents on his death certificate are listed as Percy Devoy and Margaret Glen.
A Samuel Devoy (b @ 1811) in Ireland came to Stoneykirk around 1825-30 and married Elizabeth McChlery (of Ireland). His parents on his death certificate are listed as Price? Devoy and unknown. In the earliest record of Samuel, his name is spelt "Dauvoy." And in all the records of my family, the spelling is DeVoy or devay or devoy.
There was one other Devoy in Stoneykirk but the records are light and the names recorded show in the Catholic church records. Samuel and David's records are in the COI register. Since Percy married a Margaret Glen (Scot lowland clan) in Ireland, I have made the assumption that they were in Ulster or some place with Presbyterians.
Devoy is a common Norman name from the 11th century but my grandmother (born in Glasgow) had always told me that they were Huguenots. There is one early Devoy in Scotland. A Helen Devoy Canongate 1672 but then nothing until my family's records.
In Ireland, the only instances where I can find Glens and Devoys in the same place are either Newtownards (and surrounding) but the records are not available on-line pre-mid-1800's. This area was heavily settled by Huguenots and Ulster Scots.
In East Skerry, from Tithe Applotment records, I have found a Percy Devay in East Skerry, Newton Crommelin 1833. There are many Glens in that area as well. This is the only probable record in Ireland that I have been able to find.
Here is my first question... Devay is a common French name. And although there are Percival (differing spellings) Devoys that show up In England and Wales, they are all much too late and I cannot trace them back. Is there a likelihood that the ancestor's name was Pierre Devay? Or even Pierre Devoye?
And my second... I have read that the Huguenots were few in Scotland except Edinburgh but how do I research the DeVoys at from 1672 to 1800? It is possible that they left Scotland and came back? After the Helen Devoy of 1672 Canongate on Scotlandspeople, there is nothing until my relatives.
I have access to find.my.past, rootsireland.ie, etc., "Huguenots of Lisburn", "Huguenot and Scots Links 1575-1775", Scotlandspeople, and have been reading the history on the waves of Huguenot exoduses, Scotland lowland industry, famines, etc.
Can anyone please suggest an avenue to research? I have hit a dead-end. I have tried every spelling of Devoy but am not clear how far off Devoy might be from Devereux (for example) even though I know French. If the Pierre Devay, Devoye seems worthwhile, I can back up my research into France. While London has many records, none of them are fitting the right time period or they lived their entire lives in London, etc. I have not found anything in Dublin.
We are traveling to Scotland for pleasure soon so I could stop at Canongate. In the Spring, I plan to come out to Northern Ireland to do some research.
Thank you!
Ann
PS I have also posted in the Ireland forum
