George Badenach or McDonald 1755

[JayneSA]

My ancester George Badenach was born in Glamis in 1755 to father James Badenach. He married Jean Fife in Lintrathen in 1783 (still using the name Badenach). Then he started using the name McDonald when baptising his children. Unfortunately I can't find his mother (who I suspect might be a McDonald). I also can't find when and where he died. I'm hoping someone can help 

[GR2]

How do you know that George McDonald isn't a different person?

[Skoosh]

Black, in his surnames, has Badenach/Badenoch as common in Aberdeen/Banff counties from the 15th cent. Derives from the district in Inverness-shire.

Skoosh.

[Forfarian]

No gravestones recorded for Badenoch or for George McDonald in Lintrathen, according to the MI booklet.

[JayneSA]

GR2 - How do you know that George McDonald isn't a different person?
Good question. I’ve been researching this for the last six months and more than once asked myself the same question but as I have George B’s lineage from 1755 to present day (and have certificates), I know he’s the same person basically because some of his children who were all baptized McDonald, baptized their children either McDonald or Badenach or both. This continues for 2 generations (at least on the certificates I have). Plus certificates consistently show Jean Fife as mother for their children, all born in the same area of Lintrathen 

[JayneSA]

Skoosh - Black, in his surnames, has Badenach/Badenoch as common in Aberdeen/Banff counties from the 15th cent. Derives from the district in Inverness-shire.
I’m not familiar with that publication, I’ll try to find it online. I had tried to trace the Badenach name (and variations of – Bad, Baden, Badyenocht, Banzenocht, Badyeanogh … there are so many!) and I found most of the earliest mentions in records come from the south.To me it makes sense (I did a dna test and I have almost the same percentage for UK and western Europe). I’m familiar with the area of Badenoch and it’s a possibility which I’m not ruling out. I also have a feeling that George’s father, James Badenach, was using an alias, possibly a geographical reference and it could explain why George reverted back to the name McDonald. Thanks for your input 

[JayneSA]

Forfarian - No gravestones recorded for Badenoch or for George McDonald in Lintrathen, according to the MI booklet.
Thanks for your reply. I’m researching together with another cousin and we haven’t been able to find any references to George B or George McD’s death anywhere (that would fit). I have however found Jean Fife's. George and his father are proving to be difficult   

[Forfarian]

I did wonder about an alias.

What evidence do you have to prove that the George Badenoch who was baptised in Glamis in 1755 is the same one who married Jean Fife and had four (?) children in Lintrathen? I notice that there is no record of a son named James, and that his eldest son was named Alexander.

There was*, apparently, a stone in Glamis inscribed to Agnes Low, wife of James Badenoch, who died in 1755 aged 58. If this age is correct she was probably too old to have been the mother of George baptised in 1755.

*according to the MI booklet this stone was recorded by Andrew Jervise in the 19th century, but was not found when the kirkyard was surveyed in 1978.

[Skoosh]

Jayne,  Black's "Surnames of Scotland!". If the name comes from the district they must have left some time ago!

Skoosh.