Cross family - from UK to Ireland?

[Margaret01]

Hi, everyone.

I'm trying to trace my mother's family. So far, the furthest reference I have of a direct ancestor is from the 1829 Tithe Applotment book detailing a John Cross who lived in Drimshree (can be spelled in alternative ways), Co. Kildare. While I am still figuring out the details of other family members, I think I have made the direct line from myself to 1829.

However, my mother always told me that her father reckoned that the Cross family weren't originally from Ireland. I asked my mother to take a DNA test with Ancestry, which showed a 13% British background. I know 13% is little, and I'm not even sure how that number is arrived at by Ancestry, but it has made me very curious to discover if I can trace my direct line back to the UK. I'm finding records scant from anytime prior to early 1800s, so I'm not sure if this is even possible.

Even if it is impossible to trace my family to the UK (or any other country/region), I'm also hoping if anyone could point me to older records prior to the 1800s that may be useful. I would greatly appreciate any help/advise with this.

Thanks.

[Pennines]

Cross doesn't seem like an Irish name actually. Is it possible that your John Cross ancestor, or his father were in the Army? It may be worth checking old army records.

If you subscribe to Find My Past there are old military records on there --- this is just a thought, due to the surname.

[Schoch]

Welcome to rootschat.

Perhaps you can provide some details of who you are trying to find i.e.. full name, date of birth (or age in given year),

You can try Family Search (it's free) and put what you have in their search fields. This should at least give you a start on your search.
I would not use DNA as a guide so much. Just about everyone has a mixed heritage in their ancestry. If you register your results with one of the larger databases you might find some living relatives as well.

Good Luck

[Margaret01]

Cross doesn't seem like an Irish name actually. Is it possible that your John Cross ancestor, or his father were in the Army? It may be worth checking old army records.

If you subscribe to Find My Past there are old military records on there --- this is just a thought, due to the surname.

I'm currently subscribed to Find My Past, but that's a very good suggestion. I never considered that there may be a military connection - definitely worth a search.

Cross isn't a common surname at all here in Ireland. My Mother said that once-upon-a-time all the people with the surname Cross in the Irish phone directory were all distantly related to each other. That would be many years back, but it does give me the idea that it is fairly unusual in these parts.

Welcome to rootschat.

Perhaps you can provide some details of who you are trying to find i.e.. full name, date of birth (or age in given year),

You can try Family Search (it's free) and put what you have in their search fields. This should at least give you a start on your search.
I would not use DNA as a guide so much. Just about everyone has a mixed heritage in their ancestry. If you register your results with one of the larger databases you might find some living relatives as well.

Good Luck

Thanks for your reply. My difficulty is that after John Cross from 1829, I'm struggling to find anyone else from before that year. Although, this is probably due to my limited sources.

[Pennines]

It does get difficult in Ireland prior to 1830 -- however Find My Past has Irish Catholic Parish Registers on the site, which may just turn something up for you.

Go to the A-Z of record sets and type in Ireland Roman (or something like that and the appropraite datasets will pop up. Select the one you want and fill in the search form which appears.

Also a free site which is work in progress and you may know about it is;
https://www.irishgenealogy.ie

[Sinann]

Is Drimshree also spelt Drumsur in the Kilmeage Allenwood area?

BTW I know of some Cross's in Kildare.

[Sinann]

I guess you have already looked but there appears to be Cross records in Allen and Milltown parish register.
1822 Mary to John and Judy, Drimshree, August 3.
https://registers.nli.ie/registers/vtls000634375#page/9/mode/1up

[Maggsie]

Hi,
Was John's father called Thomas?
Found information stating place name and approx. birth year of 1842, is this birth year correct?       
Maggsie

[Margaret01]

I guess you have already looked but there appears to be Cross records in Allen and Milltown parish register.
1822 Mary to John and Judy, Drimshree, August 3.
https://registers.nli.ie/registers/vtls000634375#page/9/mode/1up

Is Drimshree also spelt Drumsur in the Kilmeage Allenwood area?

BTW I know of some Cross's in Kildare.

Drimshree is spelled in a few different ways, but it would be near Allenwood. It wouldn't be too far from Rathangan either, actually.

I haven't seen that birth record, so thanks for sharing it. I've only looked at my direct line so far. I haven't delved into brothers/sisters yet, so this is appreciated.

Hi,
Was John's father called Thomas?
Found information stating place name and approx. birth year of 1842, is this birth year correct?       
Maggsie

Thomas isn't a name common in the Cross family, I think. However, there could still very well be a connection there. But I imagine that if John Cross' son Richard (Mick) married in 1835, Thomas might not fit into my direct line. Saying that, I'm not entirely sure.

Thank you for sharing though. It is appreciated.