MacKay Clan

[IanB]

Hi Bitza,

My family were/are Morrisons from Lerin (near Durness) and it seems that about every second Morrison married a MacKay. Consequently, I have had an interest in the MacKays for many years.

There are two very interesting, and useful, books that I suggest you try to find. They are:
"History of the House and Clan of Mackay" by Robert Mackay of Thurso; and
"The Book of Mackay" by Angus Mackay.

I believe both are now out of print and your best bet for gaining access to them is a large public library or a university library. Both contain narratives of the clan history and genealogical accounts, i.e. that of the chiefs' line and the main branches of that line, ( the clan proper). I believe there are more people with the name of Mackay who are not related to the chiefly line than those who are.

The origin of the Mackay chiefs seems obscure and "authorities" cite different sources. Malcolm MacHeth (or MacEth) is often mentioned and clearly he was of royal blood. King Malcom MacKenneth is also mentioned frequently but I do not know of any source that is undisputed.

If you know which branch "your" Mackays are from, I could look in the forementioned books to see if your known ancestors are mentioned. You appear to have traced them as far back as 1700 and these books give fairly good detail from 1700 back to 1210.

Ian

[Emily_gb]

Hi Bitza- I'm wondering if your late 1700 and early 1800 McKay ancestry is connected to folks I have very little info on.
what I have is John Sutherland was born about 1812 to a Sutherland and a McKay. Mother McKay had 3 siblings Robert, Alexander, and Elizabeth. Mother and Father McKay died when John was young and John was raised by his uncle Robert who was a piper. They left Scotland for Nova Scotia in the 1820's. His other uncle. Alexander McKay left Scotland for South America about the same time.

Then John Sutherland married Mary McKay daughter of Marion McKenzie and Alexander McKay in Earltown Nova Scotia on March 18, 1846. Alexander had a brother William. He died in Earltown on May18, 1884 (how sad, he died on his wedding anniversary day after 38 years of marriage). I do not know when Mary McKay died.

Do you have any info on any of these McKays?
thanks
Emily

[IanB]

Hi Emily,

This entry in the Durness parish register may be of interest to you:
John Thomson Sutherland christened 4 Apr 1812. Parents were Angus Sutherland & Barbara Mackay.

Angus Sutherland & Barbara Mackay were married 21 Dec 1811 and the PR entry states that Barbara was the daughter of Robert mackay of Saingo

The IGI only shows one Barbara Mackay born to a Robert mackay about the right time 30+/- and she was christened 10 Feb 1782 ; parents Robert mackay alias MacEanMacUilliamMacNeil and Janet Murray.

This alias came up recently for another lister but I cannot recall the circumstances

This seems worth further investigation.

Ian

[Emily_gb]

Oh Thanks Ian for your response. It really does look like Barbara and Angus could be the next generation up. I think I have seen the alias too now to find it again.
Thanks so much.
Emily

[mccoyof8]

I have been doing research for a couple of years and subscribe to Ancestry.com. I have done a DNA test as well. I would like to submit my results and compare results as well as family tree information.

[mccoyof8]

An excellent source of information on MacKay's for as far as can be traced is "The Book of MacKay" by Angus MacKay and "History of the House and Clan of MacKay" by Robert MacKay.