McDonald and McIlchonnel

[greenvalley]

Hi,

does anyone know why the surname of the bride is spelled McDonald in the banns in Balquhidder, but as McIlconnel in Comrie?

Did the Comrie "McDonalds" write their name as McIlchonnel?

Greenvalley

[MonicaL]

From the searches the other day on the Elders....still can't make out how Jean went by McDonald, although reasons there must be!

I found this on google when I was looking the other day:

McConnell is a Scottish patronymic name, Anglicized from the Gaelic Mac Dhomhnuill , which meant "son of Domhnall" whose name came from Celtic elements dubno = world + val = might, rule. When the name is of known Irish origin, it is taken from the Anglicized form of the Gaelic name Mac Conaill , meaning "son of Conall" whose name was taken from Celtic elements con, cu = hound + gal = valor. Variations include MacConnel, McConnal . Whannell and McWhannell are Scottish variations.

McIlchonnel I can connect with the above....McDonald I still can't 

Regards.

Monica 

[greenvalley]

Hi Monica,

it's not just Jean. I've come across some more Elder - McDonald marriages. Each time the name was spelled as McDonald in the Balquhidder banns and McIlconnel in Comrie.

There's William Elder who marries Margaret McDonald/McIlchonnell on 08 JUL 1797 in Balquhidder/Comrie.

I don't understand it either.

Greenvalley

 

[rothesay57]

Hi Greenvalley

Could you please tell me where the Balquhidder banns are available as need to look up a name on there .

Thanks Robyn

[greenvalley]

Hi,

I found the record of the banns on the Scotlandspeople website.

Greenvalley

[Rosinish]

Hi,

In Scottish Gaelic "MacDhomhnuill" usually spelled "MacDhomhnaill" would be Son of Donald - MacDonald with the obvious variants depending who was writing it down & depending on their hearing & spelling of gaelic names/words?    "

"McIlchonnel" may well be a transc. error if the ink was pretty faded. I could see, if we divide it up
Mc-Il-cho-nn-el
Mc-D-ho-mn-al (again depending but not impossible)? especially if they didn't know the actual gaelic spelling it could look similar) 

Just trying with a different angle on things? - another set of eyes? and wondering if it has been resolved?

Regards,

Anne Marie.

[jcmac]

In Perthshire you would be advised to also consider Donaldson as an alternative.
jcmac

[Skoosh]

MacDonald in Gaelic sounds like a nasal machkonal or alternatively donalach.

Skoosh.

[Rosinish]

Hi Skoosh,

Hence the reason I mentioned hearing/spelling etc. A way of justifying why the McIlchonnel could very well be MacDonald.

My kin were born and bred on South Uist, Gaelic being their 1st (native) language and pronunciation is somewhat hard for people to get their tongue round at times and then the 5 forebears to establish who you are

I just thought it would be good for other's to read as there are some people who can't understand how their name has evolved into something different from how it started out.

A bit like "chinese whispers" 

In this day there is a more thorough regime to eliminate such mistakes but illiteracy in bygone days didn't help matters as they themselves would have been at a great loss as to how their name should be spelled, not forgetting the accent so the transcriber with no Gaelic would have had his work well cut out 

To be honest, when I got into genealogy, I was intrigued by finding out those things and it's a great learning curve on the way up the ladder to say the least.

Regards,

Anne Marie.