McNally family - From Co.Mayo to Hull?

[Dave The Rave]

Hello everyone,

This query is best described as the 'longest of long shots.' [The McNally's are related via maternal side of family].

At time of 1851 census the following McNally family members are recorded living in Kingston-upon-Hull.

Patrick McNally born circa 1811
Elizabeth McNally circa 1813
James McNally circa 1838
Mary McNally circa 1840
Jane McNally circa 1842
Bridget McNally circa 1847

All collectively recorded as being born in Ireland    However, in the 1881 census James McNelly (sic) of Hull who I think is the same James who appears above, has his place of birth as 'Castlebare, England' which I'm postulating is Castlebar, Ireland 

Like I say, a very long shot, but any form of help/suggestion would be appreciated.

Thank you,
Dave

[Milliepede]

Hi there

What information are you looking for about this family?

[Dave The Rave]

Hi Milliepede,

Seeking to determine whether there is evidence to suggest this family did indeed originate from County Mayo (and more specifically, Castlebar) before settling in Hull.

Thanks,
Dave

[Maiden Stone]

Could you please post a snippet of the 1881 census or give a link?
Have you followed all the other members of James' family on every census to see what they gave as birthplace?
Have you got James on 1861 & 1871 censuses + those after 1881? Does information match?
Their surname might have sometimes been Nally or Neily.
Did they have other relatives in Hull who were born in Ireland?
Have you looked at Irish neighbours in 1851 to see where they came from? People from an area in Ireland often stuck together.
Were they Catholic? There are Catholic registers for Castlebar online in National Library of Ireland Catholic Registers collection. Marriages from 1824, baptisms from 1838.  https://registers.nli.ie/parishes/1039

[jonw65]

Link to Mc Nelly in 1881
piece 4769 folio 98 page 31
https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:Q27B-4HNH

[Dave The Rave]

Hello Maiden Stone,
Thank you very much for your response. I will work through those useful suggestions.
I can say that they were definitely a Roman Catholic family so the registers need to be looked into.
I can also say that the census information I have looked at is inconsistent. For example, in 1891 James's family is recorded under another surname variant, 'McNilley.' At this point all residing members are reported as being born in Hull! (Contrary to the diverse inceptions recorded a decade previously).
It's really quite a puzzle but entertaining nevertheless...
With appreciation
Dave

[heywood]

Hi Dave,
Presumably your ancestor is from that 1881/1891 James, is that right?

1881
James 42 yrs b 1839
1891
James 48 yrs b 1843

There is also this James
1881 4769/25/2

Patrick McNally   80 yrs
James McNally 42 yrs
John Naven 16 yrs grandson

This one looks more likely to be the son of Patrick and Elizabeth.

There are quite a number of McNally (variations) in Hull from 1851. There is a James and Julia McNally for example with children born Hull. Unfortunately, I can’t find birth registrations for them to look for a marriage in Mayo. Baptism, though, would be important and sometimes these are useful in helping trace other family members.

Your James (1881 and 1891) may not be from Patrick and Elizabeth (can’t see baptisms of those children in Castlebar parish) so you need  a parent for him from a marriage and 1881 looks very complicated.

[Dave The Rave]

Hi Heywood,
I very much appreciate you taking some time to investigate. 'Tis a pity that you had no luck in the Castlebar baptism search...
Establishing the 'right' James is going to be tricky. Holding some small store in the fact that 'my' James of 1881/1891 had children named Patrick and Maud Elizabeth

The search goes on. Thanks again.
Dave

[Maiden Stone]

I can say that they were definitely a Roman Catholic family so the registers need to be looked into.
I can also say that the census information I have looked at is inconsistent. For example, in 1891 James's family is recorded under another surname variant, 'McNilley.' At this point all residing members are reported as being born in Hull! (Contrary to the diverse inceptions recorded a decade previously).

Do you have access to registers for Catholic churches in Hull which might yield information about the various McNally &c. families and their associates to help you sort them out? Some priests in England included extra information. Keeping detailed notes of any entries of interest and looking to see if any patterns emerge sometimes bears fruit.
 Don't only look at the families you're interested in. Browse registers and census pages to see who was around at the same time. Look at histories of neighbourhoods, churches and schools. I found sons of Irish 2xgreat-grandparents in school rolls in Lancashire with father's name and address(es) for each school + some of their cousins with the same surname and in some cases the same forenames. That was after compulsory education began in England.
"McNilley" might be how the census enumerator transcribed the surname on the census form or how the name was pronounced by the person it belonged to and interpreted by whoever wrote it on the census form, or all 3.
Census enumerators sometimes wrote a ditto symbol in their census books when they shouldn't have. I found pages of people in Preston, Lancashire who were all apparently born in Ireland at first glance. Reading the pages with more attention, I was puzzled that most of the people had Lancashire surnames and that towns and villages of birth were in Lancashire.  The exception was a  household at the top of the first page of the run of supposedly Irish-born people. They were the only ones who were really Irish. The census enumerator had written a ditto symbol underneath Ireland after the first entry and continued ditto marks all down the page and following pages.