McDonald or McIlraich Ardchattan

[glenview]

Does anyone know why two McDonald families in Ardchattan would be transcribed as McIlraich or McIlreach by Scotlandspeople and Freecen. One because of legibility of handwriting I could accept but two families is puzzling me. It was so hard to find them when working back chronologically through Ardchattan census because I was looking for the McDonald name I started with in 1881 census. Eventually I found these:
1841 has Euphane McIlriach age 40 at Kiel Crofts
1851 has Euphemia McIlreach age 52 with same husband Donald and children at Achnacreemore. Whereas 1881,71,61 has her with or without Donald and whichever children are still at home at Achnacreemore as McDONALD

The other family
Ardchattan 1841  Achnacreemore

MCILRIACH Alexander M 60 Farmer Argyllshire
MCILRIACH Chirstian M 55 Argyllshire
MCILRIACH Archibald M 25 Argyllshire
MCILRIACH William M 20 Ap Argyllshire
MCILRIACH John M 15 Argyllshire
MCILRIACH Leasy F 20 Argyllshire
MCPHAIL Donald M 25 Tailor Argyllshire
MCPHAIL Mary F 25 Argyllshire
MACKENZIE Colin M 9 Ag Labourer Argyllshire
MCGREGOR Isabella F 60 Widow Argyllshire
Piece: SCT1841/504 Place: Ardchattan-Argyllshire Enumeration District: 6
Civil Parish: Ardchattan Ecclesiastical Parish, Village or Island: -
Folio: 6 Page: 6
 
1851 at Selma
Alexander McDonald  W 75 crofter of 8ac
Archibald McDonald U 38 Ag Lab
John McDonald U 29 Ag Lab


I can only think that perhaps the wife in both of these families had that maiden name, although why not use the husband's name?
 Perhaps transcription is the only reason.
 However I would be glad of any explanation that might tie these families or otherwise.

Sorry this is so long winded,

Mary

[Forfarian]

Have you looked at the originals?

[MonicaL]

My MacDonald family in Moidart were originally MacIsaac and were often recorded in the early documents as 'MacIsaac or MacDonald'

The change over seemed to have taken place from the 1850s. From then on, the family went singularly by the name of MacDonald.

From my own research, these notes would fit:

The surname Mcilraith is a variant of Mcilraich, a version of the Gaelic patronymic Mac-ille riab-haich, ‘son of (the) brindled lad.’ Originally the Mcilraith’s were a sept under the Clan Macdonalds of Clanranald in Uist and Sky as well as Kintyre and Islay, the name Mcilraith first emerged as one of some small note in South Ayrshire during the seventeenth century....
www.genealogy.com/forum/surnames/topics/mcilwraith/2/

Other surnames also seem to have changed around the same time. From my own line for example, a further example with McVarish.

Monica

[glenview]

Monica
Thank you so much. That gives me hope and a way of searching for the McDonald family I am really trying to trace in 1841.

Rootschat is the way to go. So many helpful people.

Mary

[MonicaL]

Mary, what was wife Christian's maiden name? There are two Alexander and Christina/Christian having children in Ardchattan in the right time period:

Dugald Macilriach
Christening on 7 Jul 1823
Ardchattan
Birth 3 Jul 1823
Father's Alexander Macilriach
Mother's Christian Thomson

Or,

Archibald Macilriach
26 April 1818
Archattan
Father's Alexander Macilriach
Mother's Christian Clark

Given the names of the children in the 1841 census you have, likely mother was Clarke? Other children's and original images showing on Scotlands People.

Monica

[MonicaL]

Marriage/banns for Alexander and Christian:

Alexander MCILLRIACH and Cirsty Clarke
30/11/1809
Ref 504/10 110
Ardchattan

Did Alexander live past 1855 to at least help you verify his parents' names?

Monica