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Scotland (Counties as in 1851-1901) => Scotland => Caithness => Topic started by: Munro84 on Saturday 16 March 19 14:55 GMT (UK)
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Ok, so there is a parish baptism record for a James Mckay, son of John Mckay in Forse in the parish of Thurso, Caithness.
As this is in the Thurso parish registers I am inclined to believe that the location mentioned as "Forse" is in fact "Forss" which is a place in the parish of Thurso and about 3 miles west of the town of Thurso itself.
However, there was another place actually called "Forse" in the county of Caithness but which was in the parish of Latheron and which was roughly over 20 miles south from Thurso.
Surely if it was recorded in the Thurso parish register it would actually be Forss in that parish and if it had been in the Forse in Latheron then it would have been recorded in that parish.
I know the spelling of place names in the parish registers varied a lot but there is a difference with the modern spelling of the two places.
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You'll surely be right! Two different estates, both with big hooses, also a Forsa on Mull. ;D
Skoosh.
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Yes, that would be right.
https://www.geograph.org.uk/gridref/ND0368 where the Forss Water forms the bondary of the parishes of Thurso and Reay
https://www.geograph.org.uk/gridref/ND2234 and https://www.geograph.org.uk/gridref/ND2134 are in the parish of Latheron
I think you are safe to say that the place referred to in the Thurso parish register is the first one.
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I think you are safe to say that the place referred to in the Thurso parish register is the first one.
Even though its spelt "Forse" ? I was pretty sure it was just wanted to make sure.
I just have a hunch that the above mentioned James Mckay born there in 1745 is the same James Mackie who was husband of Janet Sinclair who I have already confirmed came from the Sinclair of Forss family, parish of Thurso.
Then we get onto the spelling of Mackie/Mckay and whether they are actually spelling variations of the same surname.
Of the seven parish baptism records for the children of James and Janet Sinclair (my possible 5th great grandparents), four were spelt Mackie and three were spelt Macky which are both pretty much being pronounced in the same way.
Apparently, although the name Mackie is more common in the south of Scotland in Galloway, that it was also found amongst the Clan Mackay of the north, is considered a sept of that clan, and even some of the Mackay chiefs of Strathnaver signed their name as Mackie.
The problem is that if they are my 5th great grandparents then their daughter who was baptised as Barbara Macky in 1773 would have had to become Mackay and Mckay.
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@ Munro, Norse for a waterfall!
Skoosh.
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Then we get onto the spelling of Mackie/Mckay and whether they are actually spelling variations of the same surname.
No, I don't think Mackie and M(a)ckay are necessarily variants of one another, though they could be.
The problem is that if they are my 5th great grandparents then their daughter who was baptised as Barbara Macky in 1773 would have had to become Mackay and Mckay.
I don't see a problem with Macky as a variant of Mckay or Mackay. It's all in the pronunciation, and I don't see any reason why Macky could not be pronounced 'mac-EYE' the same as McKay and Mackay.
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There was no standard spelling, it was what some clerk said it was. My local pub is called "The Real Mackay!" ;D
Skoosh.
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There was no standard spelling, it was what some clerk said it was.
And the same applies to Forse and Forss.
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I don't see a problem with Macky as a variant of Mckay or Mackay. It's all in the pronunciation, and I don't see any reason why Macky could not be pronounced 'mac-EYE' the same as McKay and Mackay.
The thing is although my possible ancestor's, Barbara's, parish baptism is spelt Macky as with two other children of the family, the other four children have it spelt Mackie. It also seems that the Mackie spelling was the correct one for the family because there are quite a few mentions of them in the Sinclair of Freswick Family Papers in the National Records of Scotland and they are all spelt Mackie, so it seems that that was the spelling/pronunciation that was intended.
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The thing is although my possible ancestor's, Barbara's, parish baptism is spelt Macky as with two other children of the family, the other four children have it spelt Mackie. It also seems that the Mackie spelling was the correct one for the family because there are quite a few mentions of them in the Sinclair of Freswick Family Papers in the National Records of Scotland and they are all spelt Mackie, so it seems that that was the spelling/pronunciation that was intended.
There was no such thing as 'correct' spelling in the 18th (or for that matter the 19th) century. If the clerks decided to spell it Mackie instead of Mackay or McKie or Macky, that's what they decided. I would certainly not get hung up on the spelling of a surname if the other information - parents' given names and residence - match.