McKnights of Ochiltree, Ayr

[shawsboy]

I have a john mcknight married to a mary  wilson and one of their daughters is named susannah rankin mcknight born 1847 old monklands lanarkshire .

[MCKIN]

HI ALL MCKNIGHT DESCENDANTS, I AM TRYING TO DO THE MCKNIGHT FAMILY HISTORY FOR MY FATHER-IN-LAW. I HAVE RECENTLY WORKED OUT THAT HIS GREAT GRANDFATHER JAMES MCKNIGHT B. 1844 IN OLD CUMNOCK, AYR WAS THE SON OF JOSEPH MCKNIGHT AND AGNES MCKINLAY (WORKED THIS OUT AS AGNES SISTER MARGARET MARRIED A STUART AMOUR, SPELLING VARIES ON HIS NAME). I HAVE NOT FOUND EXACTLY WHEN JAMES DIED BUT ALMOST CERTAIN HE WAS THE SAME JAMES THAT WAS IN AND DIED IN THE MENTAL ASYLUM. ANYWAY I AM HOPING THAT SOMEONE COULD HELP WITH JOSEPH MCKNIGHT, THINK HE IS THE SAME ONE MENTIONED ON HERE BUT THE 1851 CENSUS SAYS HE WAS BORN MAYBOLE AYR (AS I AM IN NZ I HAVE NO IDEA OF THE SCOTLAND COUNTRY AND MAPS DON'T DO ALOT TO HELP). HE WAS STATED AS INN KEEPER OF DUMFRIE'S ARMS AND FARMER OF 50 ACRES. IF ANYONE CAN HELP AND FILL ME IN ON THE ANCESTOR'S IF FOUND MORE THAN MENTIONED ON HERE I WOULD REALLY APPRECIATE YOUR HELP. I NOTED THERE WAS ANOTHER PERSON ON HERE WHO ALSO HAD AN ANCETOR COME TO NZ SO WOULD LIKE TO KNOW THIS FAMILY LINE TO AS MY FATHER-IN-LAW'S SETTLED IN FOXTON. YOU CAN CONTACT ME AT mike.dee@xtra.co.nz
THANKS. DENISE MCKNIGHT.

[jaybelnz]

I believe I too have a distant McKnight connection in New Cumnock or Barr!  Only I can't recall just who the McKnight person is, or the connection.  That's really helpful isn't it

I have several files that I can't presently access, neither in my old PC backups, nor in a box stored up in my ceiling, which I can't get to presently!

For what it's worth, my New Cumnock families are Watson (also 2 Innkeepers there, Joseph and Susannah Watson at Bank Glen Inn!  Susannah is listed as innkeeper after Joseph's death.

My other New Cumnock Family is McAughtrie, originating in Barr!

Don't know that's going to be much help for you though.  On the bright side, I have 3 very good New Cumnock history Books sitting on my bookshelf looking at me right now.  So going to make myself a coffee and have a browse through them, and will post anything of interest that I might find!

Jeanne 😄

[AndrewMcK]

Greetings - I am the great-grandson of Andrew McKnight of Dalry, Ayrshire (b. 1866, emigrated to US 1893). There appear to be a billion McKnights in Ayr, so finding reliable information is proving a bit tricky but an incredibly fun challenge. He is son of Andrew McKnight (b. 1831, perhaps either in Scotland or County Down) and Sarah Milliken (b. 1834, County Down, northern Ireland), supposedly #11 of 15 children. If any here know anything of my family, I'd be grateful! Family lore has us long ago of the Clan of the Black Douglas, and run off to northern Ireland for sheep rustling

[jonn]

Hello Andrew,

Andrew McNight, was born 22 Feb/1864. Dalry, Ayrshire, to parents Andrew McNight, and Sarah Millikin. That is the spelling on his birth, also there are other variations on the births of their other Scottish, born Children.

You are correct that Andrew, and Sarah, came to Scotland, between 1861. and 1864. and were most likely married in Ireland.

Regards,
Jonn.

[jonn]

Hello Andrew,

Here is your family on the 1881. census living in Auckinleck, Ayrshire.

Address, 5Th. Row no 218.

Andrew Mc Knight, Head, Ironstone Miner, M. age 49 years, M. born Down Newtonards, Ireland,
Sarah Mc Knight, Wife, M. age 46 years, F. born Down Newtonards, Ireland,
Andrew Mc Knight, Son, Pupil Teacher, age 17 years, M. born Dalry, Ayr,
William Mc Knight, Son, Ironstone Miner, age 14 years, M. born Dalry, Ayr,
John Mc Knight, Son, Scholar, Age 9 years, M. born Dalry, Ayr,
James  Mc Knight, Son, Scholar, age 7 years, M. born Dalry, Ayr,
Maggie Mc Knight, Daur, age 4 years, F. born Auchinleck, Ayr.

Regards,
Jonn.

[AndrewMcK]

Thank you very much - where did you find that record? As you doubtless know, these variants in spelling do complicate matters a bit! I haven't yet even tried the various different spellings, but for the first time I've been seeing that Scotland census data at Ancestry.com which is helpful. Thanks again!

Hello Andrew,

Andrew McNight, was born 22 Feb/1864. Dalry, Ayrshire, to parents Andrew McNight, and Sarah Millikin. That is the spelling on his birth, also there are other variations on the births of their other Scottish, born Children.

You are correct that Andrew, and Sarah, came to Scotland, between 1861. and 1864. and were most likely married in Ireland.

Regards,
Jonn.

[jonn]

Hello Andrew,

If you compare the names of the children on that census ages and where born we have these births,

William McNight, born 19/July/1866, Dalry, Ayr, to parents Andrew McNight, and Sarah Millikin.
John Lowe McNeight, born 1/May/1871. Dalry, Ayr, to parents Andrew McNeight, and Sarah Milligan,
James Millikin McNeight, born 15/May/1873. Dalry, Ayr, to parents Andrew McNeight, and Sarah Millikin,
Margaret McNight, born 7/Oct/1868. Dalry, Ayr, to parents Andrew McNight, and Sarah Milliken.

This young Margaret McNight, died and the later Margaret on the 1881 census aged four was most likely named after her.

You can see the variations on both surnames Mcknight, and Millikin, etc.

Regards,
Jonn.

[jonn]

Hello Andrew,

I forgot to mention you can get those births on Familysearch. up to 1874.

The family are living in Dalry, in 1871. under the surname McNeight.

After 1881 the family moved to Midlothian, West Calder, on the East Coast, of Scotland, and thats where the parents died,

Regards,
Jonn.