McKinnon /mcconnon

[elaine gray]

My gtgt gran was abigail mckinnon who married Thomas robb. She was born in Lesmahagow abt 1820.her mum was Agnes brown and, here's where I'm lost and confused, her dad was Robert mckinnon. On her death cert that is who is named but it appears Robert was maybe born mcconnon and some folks have him born in Dumfries to Walter and others have him born Inveraray, Argyll. Also have him dying abt 1841. I can't find any paper trail to try and sort this out. The big question is did they change their name or is a case of lost in translation??
Is there anyone out there who knows where I go from here, I'm just not finding anything in the official records to sort this. Thanks

[MonicaL]

There are lots of spelling variations for surnames (and first names). Surnames did change over the years in some cases.

There looks to be the birth of twins to Robert MCCONNON and Agnes Brown:

Janet and Martha born on 25 July 1833 in Lesmahagow. Christened on 11 August 1833.

Monica 

[MonicaL]

Was Abigail already away from home by 1841 and the census? Have you found her entry?

This must be Agnes Brown and family in 1841:

Agnes McConan 40 pirn winder
Elizabeth McConan 15
John McConan 12
Martha McConan 7
David Mc Claimet 45
William Grahame 30

Address: Devon Burn, Lesmahagow

Monica

[MonicaL]

Abigail is not that common a Scottish first name.

I see there is an Abigail McConnan born or christened in 1818 in Crawfordjohn to a John McConnan and Margaret Carter.

Could John McConnan be connected to Robert? Maybe the name Abigail may help connect to both these possible families.

Monica

[elaine gray]

Hi Monica, thanks for the reply, yes I have noticed on someone's ancestry tree that there was twins but think one died pretty young. That census is def them and Robert died, as claimed, in early 1841. Will start looking at the name with one N. Yes, thankfully abigail is quite unusual and that is helpful, my gt aunt was abigail so it went down the line. Would love to know why folks have him born in Dumfries as so far I don't have any proof. I actually wonder if they were orrginally Irish. Will look at it more tomorrow. Thanks again, Elaine

[elaine gray]

Hi, forgot, abigail must have been away from home, she shows up in the 1851 census with two sons that appear to have different surnames although they could be middle names. She was unmarried. I do know that her husband Thomas robb was many years older than her. Elaine

[sancti]

Abigail was baptised 25 February 1826 in Lesmahagow and registered under the name CONNON

[MonicaL]

Great find Sancti 

Birth shows a little earlier on 11 February. Elaine, you had her as born earlier, early 1820s?

There is also another son, with different spelling:

John Mccouan chr. 28 May 1828 in Lesmahagow.

This is probably the John that shows on that earlier 1841 census.

Monica

[MonicaL]

Abigail herself shows as McConnan/McCannar/McCannan for the birth registrations of some of her children....and for her marriage to Thomas Robb in 1853 she is showing as Connor 

The fluidity of spelling at that time keeps us on our toes!

Monica