Balmain, Malcolm, William, Walter - Wemyss

[kelly]

Harry,

I believe that Balmain in NSW was named after William Balmain who was born in Rhynd, Perthshire in 1762 and was a naval surgeon and civil administrator who sailed as an assistant surgeon with the First Fleet to establish the first European settlement in Australia. He later took up the appointment of the principal surgeon, for New South Wales.

[hdw]

That's an old thread you've resurrected! My Mary Balmain was married in 1707 to David Anderson, a miner in Methilhill, parish of Wemyss. The miners were still serfs at that date, the property of their masters, in the case of David and their son Murdo Anderson, the property of the Earls of Rothes.

The surname Balmain seems to have been commonest in central and west Fife, and I've never come across a Balmain in east Fife where I was brought up. I doubt if they were related to Perthshire Balmains.

Harry

[hdw]

I checked on Scotlandspeople for births of individuals called Balmain/Balmean/Balmeane in Fife between 1600 and 1700, just to get an idea of the spread.

Balmain 11:- 2 in Torryburn, 2 in Abdie, 6 in Abbotshall parish, Kirkcaldy, 1 in Kinghorn
Balmean 14:- 6 in Largo, 6 in Kirkcaldy, 1 in Kinglassie, 1 in Newburn
Balmeane 11:- 4 in Largo, 7 in Kirkcaldy.

Note that there are none in Wemyss!

I found a Mary Balmean born in Largo in 1679 to John Balmean and his unnamed wife in Balcormo. Funnily enough Balcormo is just down the road from Balmain! This is presumably John "Balmeane" and Euphame Syme who were married in 1678 in Largo.

She might be the Mary who married David Anderson in 1707 in Wemyss parish, my 6 x great-grandparents, ancestors of many Andersons, Horsburghs, Bowmans and others in Pittenweem and beyond.

Harry