John Dorat Blacksmith born Scotland c1795 possibly Angus

[avidt]

Hi

I am trying to find the birthplace and baptism of John Dorat who married Mary Robinson in THursby Cumberland 1811. He appears in the 1841 Census as a Blacksmith aged 50, but there is a Family tree von My Heritage which states born 1797, but I cannot access as I do not have a subscription for this site. Does anyone have access to Scottish records who can help please

Kind Regards

David

[Forfarian]

You have the same access as everyone else.

www.scotlandspeople.gov.uk is not a subscription site.

It has the originals of the vast majority of original Scottish records. You can view the index free of charge, and view the actual document for a small fee.

Use wildcards - search for Dor*t.

[GR2]

There are plenty baptisms on ScotlandsPeople for people with variations on the name, including in Angus, however there are no Johns in the period 1780-1800.

As to his age, ages given on censuses are not always very accurate and in 1841 there is the added complication that ages were rounded down.

What makes you think he might be from Angus? Have you found him in the 1851 census?

[avidt]

Hi GRT

No only that there were other people of that name born in that century with that surname in that area but also in Midlothian.

Kind Regards

David

[Forfarian]

I see that his wife is listed as a widow in the 1851 census.

If he was born in 1797 he would have been only 14 in 1811, when he married. I think you can safely conclude that the supposed birth in 1797 is a classic example of the sort of disinformation you get in published trees on commercial web sites like MyHeritage.

If his age in the 1841 census is accurate, he was born between 8 June 1786 and 7 June 1791. 

[avidt]

Hi Forfarian

He died in 1842 aged 51 !  Thanks for your advice about Scotlands People site that was very useful but still no sign of him. Interestingly looking at some of the Genealogy sites there seems to be a link between Dorat/Dorward I dont know why ?

Kind Regards

David

[Forfarian]

Interestingly looking at some of the Genealogy sites there seems to be a link between Dorat/Dorward I dont know why ?

Dorward or Durward is a long-standing Scottish surname, originally the keeper of the door to an abbey (the same as Porter and Usher) then door-keeper to the king. Alan Durward was prominent in Scotland in the 13th century, having married an illegitimate daughter of King Alexander II and acting as Regent during the minority of King Alexander III.

The Surnames of Scotland says that Dorrat is a surname found in Fife and considered to be a corruption of Dorward.

[avidt]

Hi

There is a John Dorratt born 25th March 1802 in Balmerino son of David Dorratt and Frances Hardy I wonder if the father David was a Blackmith /

Kind Regards

David

[Forfarian]

The original baptism might tell you his father's occupation.

But he can't be yours because he was only 9 when yours married in 1811.