MUIR family - County Antrim

[IanM]

Trying to find any information on the MUIR family in County Antrim prior to 1860.

Particularly looking for info on ALEXANDER MUIR, his wife ANN and their son JOHN (born c.1827).

Thanks,

Ian

[IanM]

Now discovered that the family left County Antrim for Scotland between 1830 and 1834.

Also found that another son, ALEXANDER, was born in County Antrim c.1830.

The maiden name of ANN was probably McILROY.

Ian

[IanM]

Just bumping this back up to the top - still hoping someone can help.

Ian

[IanM]

Another year passed and I've still stalled    Anyone able to help yet?

Ian

[scotmum]

Hello

Sorry, nothing new for you but just wanted to comment that the name does not seem to have been overly common in Ireland in that timescale. PRONI Freeholders List of pre1840 contains no Muir surnames. At the  following link, type in Muir, search will then show that the name was not that common Surname distribution 1848-64. It also shows some possible variations of the name that may have been in use in the timescale. Interestingly, when the search is complete, if you type McIlroy in the second surname box on the results page, it then shows that in 1848 - 64 these two names only appeared together in Belfast (after your timescale, I know, but may help focus in on one part of Antrim as it were).

Have you had a look at www.ancestryireland.com 1821 birth of an Alexander Muir just in case there is any connection to yours? Perhaps an earlier born child that died.

Finally, which part of Scotland did they end up in (I have recently been looking at a Muir link on one of my lines in Scotland)?

[BallyaltikilliganG]

There are two sad Muir entries in the Clifton St Cemetry Register see  home.glenravel.com/
Good Luck onwards, Jim

[IanM]

Thank you scotmum, I feel the reason I am having so much of a problem getting any information is because the name is so rare in the area - on the plus side, any mention of the name is probably a relation of some sort!

The family moved to Renfrewshire, ending up just south of Paisley.

Thanks also to Jim.  Had a look at the 2 entries but sadly can see no obvious link to my family.

Ian

[aghadowey]

The surname MUIR is found in Northern Ireland but would certainly be more common in Scotland. Are you sure they used the spelling MUIR in Northern Ireland and not Moor/Moore?
McIlroy is more common in Ulster and found in both (although not exclusively) Co. Antrim & Co, Londonderry.

[IanM]

Thanks aghadowey,

The earliest data I currently have is the 1841 census that states that Alexander (Snr & Jnr), Ann and John all have the spelling MUIR. 

Alexander was born c1830 in Co. Antrim (from his marriage record) and the next child was born in Renfrewshire c1833, meaning the family must have moved (back?) to Scotland around that time.  My theory is that the Muir family originally moved from Scotland to Ireland and worked in the mills in Co. Antrim.  Then for some reason in the early 1830's they returned to Scotland to continue working in the mills near Paisley.  In fact my Grandfather was also a mill worker in Paisley until about 1970.


I have a copy of the marriage of John in 1855 with the spelling still MUIR.  This is also where I get the first indication of the maiden name of McILROY for Ann.  I then have a second marriage for John in 1867 giving the same details.

Unfortunately I don't currently have any data before 1841, and no data at all from Ireland.  I suppose the most logical path would be to try and find the marriage of Ann McILROY to an Alexander MUIR/MOOR/MOORE around 1825-1830 in Co. Antrim.


Ian