Ann Stewart c 1740 Dull Perthshire

[Ruskie]

Thanks for the help, Isabel.  I am curious about one of the witnesses.  I read his name as "John ni no Caird".  Have I got the spelling right?  What does it mean? 

It looks like there is a comma after John and before "n.. no ...Ca...d"

Are there any clues to be found with the rest of the baptisms on the page? Look at the order that the information is given on the other entries.  Is there a more recognizable name after the other children's names?

[Isabel H]

I think the marks after "Grizle", "John" and "witnesses" are just separating off the index column on the right from the body of the text.  I think John's name could be Mc___, though I can't quite work out what.
Do the names of these witnesses crop up elsewhere in the OPR? Sometimes the same witnesses turn up at more than one family baptism.

[Ruskie]

I think the marks after "Grizle", "John" and "witnesses" are just separating off the index column on the right from the body of the text.   I think John's name could be Mc___, though I can't quite work out what.
Do the names of these witnesses crop up elsewhere in the OPR? Sometimes the same witnesses turn up at more than one family baptism.

Ah, yes I see it now. I think you're right. It looks like a seperate column with the names Campbell and Scott. 

The name may be Mc something. The christening above appears to have what looks like the same letters at the beginning of the surnam of their witness. Can you post that as well?
[Is this what you are thinking Isabel?  ]

[TropiConsul]

You have a good point, Ruskie.  The attached excerpt shows that the first part of the name is "Mc".  I think the name of the mother in the preceding entry is "McCavish", a name I was unfamiliar with, but it does appear with some frequency.   The form of the "T" in "Tho: Scott" shows that the writer probably did not form C's and T's in a similar manner, so it is McCavish and not McTavish.  According to www.dunardry.net,  "Tavish Mccavish was rebel in Killean, Kintyre, 1685".

Now, I am reminded that I have seen Errochty Water spelled Errochd in 18th century maps.  This indicates to me that a final d, as in Tagermuchd was pronounced as the syllable "ty".  This suggests that the name of the witness is something like Mc No Carty.  I think McCaird is a valid surname.  The problem is what to do with the syllable that follows "Mc".

Tis a puzzle.

[Ruskie]

Well that confirms that the surname is "Mc" something but the middle bit remains a mystery. The "C" definitely looks like the "C's" elsewhere on the page.

[Ruskie]

I don't suppose it could be that the witnesses middle name is Mc No (or whatever the undecipherable word is) and his surname is simply Caird?

I know that surnames were sometimes used as first and middle names. 

For example there is a John McWilliam Caird on the IGI (I know this is not your witness I am just using this as an example) 

[TropiConsul]

What an excellent thought, Ruskie!  Sometimes the answer is staring us in the face and we refuse to acknowledge it.  When I googled McNo, I got nothing  recognizable as a surname.  However, when I googled McNoe I found masses of people in a family I had never heard of. 

I think the witness goes by the name of John McNoe Caird and I was making assumptions based on my very limited knowledge of surnames commonly found in Scotland.                           

[Ruskie]

Have you tried searching for a birth or marriage for a "John McNoe Caird" of a likely age in the area around that time?

[lgray]

I am looking for information on my line of Stewarts from Dull. Charles Stewart was born in 1754 and married Ann Nicolson in 1780 in Aberfeldy. I have circumstantial evidence (not proof) that his parents were Alexander Stewart and Catherine McEwen. Not sure if you have come across any information. Donald Stewart - son of Charles - left for Canada in 1804.