John McLean born around 1810

[weirdwizard56]

Thank you Trish1120 for this other info, funny thing is I have a sister I call Trish

[trish1120]

Lovely name

[chempat]

Have you got him in 1861 census, or does he die before then?
Have you got his death certificate, which should have information on his parents, if after 1855?

He is in a few trees on Ancestry - looks like most have very little information on  him.

Have you found Donald in 1861?

[chempat]

Is this mother and 2 sons in 1861, living in New Kilpatrick?
Mary McLean   46  Drymen
Malcolm McLean   16  New Kilpatrick
Hugh McLean   12  New Kilpatrick

Does it state whether she is married or widowed on the actual census image?

[Forfarian]

yes it is Donald was staying with her parents in 41 and Malcolm and himself the same in 51.  Wonder why did the marriage in Strathblane had him down as Blanefield?

Because, as Trish has shown, Blanefield is one of the villages in the parish of Strathblane.

The census asks which parish people were born in, but marriage records sometimes say where in the parish people were living at the time of their marriage.

[Kloumann]

Looks like the Mary birth I found at reply#2 could be the correct one

[Kloumann]

I think that John was born in or around Strathblane but the record no longer exists. I would also expect his father's name to be Hugh.

[Kloumann]

It may be worthwhile contacting Strathblane Church to see if they still retain any records for that time.

[weirdwizard56]

Is this mother and 2 sons in 1861, living in New Kilpatrick?
Mary McLean   46  Drymen
Malcolm McLean   16  New Kilpatrick
Hugh McLean   12  New Kilpatrick

Does it state whether she is married or widowed on the actual census image?

It could be however I have Malcolm aged 8 on the 51 Census and it had him born in Strathblane and Hugh 51 Census aged 4 and born in Strathblane.  I think she was a widow as I have father John deceased on Donald's wedding certificate 1864