Please help! Looking for my gg-grandfather...

[andrea]

Hi all,

This is my first try at a forum like this.  I've been all over the internet but haven't had any luck searching for my great-great-grandfather, so I'm desperately hoping someone may have a lead (or at least a suggestion)!

I'm trying to locate my family's origin in Co. Donegal, Ireland.  My gg-grandfather was Michael McFadden, born Sept. 16, 1821.  He emigrated to the US in 1850.  I know birth records are hard to come by pre-1850 or so in Donegal, so it makes it very difficult to find his hometown.  We have an inkling his father's name was Patrick, and I've found several Patricks in the Griffith's Valuation.  But I don't have a way of finding out if any of them had a son named Michael with his birthdate.  Any suggestions??

Also, Michael must have been a stowaway because I cannot find him on any passenger lists to the US or Canada.  I did find 2 in the National Archives here in the US, but their ages don't match up.  

Please help!  I've been researching this for awhile and keep getting stuck!  

Thanks!

[skippy]

Hiya,

Researching Irish ancestors is quite difficult. There are virtually no census records apart from 1901/1911 and other records are very scant.
 

Some links which may help:-

http://www.genealogylinks.net/uk/ireland/donegal.htm


http://www.donegaltown.ie/forum/default.asp?CAT_ID=1


http://freepages.genealogy.rootsweb.com/~irishancestors/Surnames/Dist.html


http://freepages.genealogy.rootsweb.com/~donegal/


http://www.dun-na-ngall.com/archives.html


http://nzsghamilton.co.nz/ireland.htm


Re passenger lists, have you checked records from Ireland only or did you include UK (England) lists in your research.

The Irish naming conventions would suggest that if Patrick was his
grandfathers name then he had brothers or sisters.

Irish Naming Conventions

The 1st son was usually named after the father's father
The 2nd son was usually named after the mother's father
The 3rd son was usually named after the father
The 4th son was usually named after the father's eldest brother
The 5th son was usually named after the mother's eldest brother
The 1st daughter was usually named after the mother's mother
The 2nd daughter was usually named after the father's mother
The 3rd daughter was usually named after the mother
The 4th daughter was usually named after the mother's eldest sister
The 5th daughter was usually named after the father's eldest sister

So, there may be one or more that stayed at home.

I think there is a link above which gives surname distribution - so that may be another avenue to explore.

All McFaddens will be related to each other somewhere along the chain.

Don't know if this helps but good luck with your research

regards,

Skippy

[skippy]

Hi,

More Donegal links which you may find useful

http://geocities.com/Heartland/Estates/6587/Donsurnames.html

http://www.ancestryireland.co.uk/index.php?filename=map_donegal

The Ireland Ancestry page also has a list of books (to purchase) which may help with your research.

Also, Genuki has a good page detailing resources:-

http://www.genuki.org.uk/big/irl/DON/#Genealogy

regards,

SKIPPY