Using DNA matches to find my Paternal grandfathers family

[DaveMcC]

Perhaps this was covered in the previous thread, but did OP ever check the parish register's for his grandfather's baptism, and that of his grandfather's sibling?

Even though the civil registration did not name the father, parish registers often did.

What religious persuasion were they?

Hello,

My grandfather was Catholic and so were the couple he was living with when he married my grandmother. I'll see if I can find all local church records to where he was born to see if he is mentioned. If they are not online, I won't be able to do that.

As for his family being McCormick's, probably not as I have found no connection to McCormick's other than who he was living with and possibly where his name came from. My grandfather was living with a man named Daniel McCormick who was originally from Cluntagh towland, Crossgar, County Down. His father was John McCormick, so I am guessing at least maybe where his middle name Daniel came from if not his first name too? That doesn't mean I am related to McCormick's as I have found no evidence I am and no DNA matches to anyone related to these McCormick's.

I assumed if you read the original post link I posted to the original topic I made, that Daniel's wife, Annabella McKnight was related to Margaret since they both have the surname McKnight, but I couldn't find any record of Daniel and Annabella's marriage anywhere which might have listed her father's name.

[Wexflyer]

My grandfather was Catholic and so were the couple he was living with when he married my grandmother. I'll see if I can find all local church records to where he was born to see if he is mentioned. If they are not online, I won't be able to do that.

Why ever not? It's not as if you can't write to them, or in many cases telephone or email.

[Wexflyer]

I assumed if you read the original post link I posted to the original topic I made, that Daniel's wife, Annabella McKnight was related to Margaret since they both have the surname McKnight, but I couldn't find any record of Daniel and Annabella's marriage anywhere which might have listed her father's name.

Yes, I saw that, but I also saw that so far no birth, baptism or marriage record has emerged for either Margaret or Annabella? And no 1901 or 1911 census for Margaret either. Which seems more than odd. I have more than my own fair share of difficult to find folk, but I have never encountered snyone who ticks all those boxes. Hence wondering if, at least for Margaret, "McKnight" might be an assumed name? Just one more possibility to confuse the issue, I know. But again points to need to check church records.

[shanreagh]

I assumed if you read the original post link I posted to the original topic I made, that Daniel's wife, Annabella McKnight was related to Margaret since they both have the surname McKnight, but I couldn't find any record of Daniel and Annabella's marriage anywhere which might have listed her father's name.

Yes, I saw that, but I also saw that so far no birth, baptism or marriage record has emerged for either Margaret or Annabella? And no 1901 or 1911 census for Margaret either. Which seems more than odd. I have more than my own fair share of difficult to find folk, but I have never encountered snyone who ticks all those boxes. Hence wondering if, at least for Margaret, "McKnight" might be an assumed name? Just one more possibility to confuse the issue, I know. But again points to need to check church records.

The other thought other than an assumed name is a misheard name by whoever was registering/writing the record. 

[Wexflyer]

The other thought other than an assumed name is a misheard name by whoever was registering/writing the record.

I could easily believe that for a single instance. But precisely the same misheard/misunderstood name on more than one record? [The birth registrations of the two children].

[DaveMcC]

I assumed if you read the original post link I posted to the original topic I made, that Daniel's wife, Annabella McKnight was related to Margaret since they both have the surname McKnight, but I couldn't find any record of Daniel and Annabella's marriage anywhere which might have listed her father's name.

Yes, I saw that, but I also saw that so far no birth, baptism or marriage record has emerged for either Margaret or Annabella? And no 1901 or 1911 census for Margaret either. Which seems more than odd. I have more than my own fair share of difficult to find folk, but I have never encountered snyone who ticks all those boxes. Hence wondering if, at least for Margaret, "McKnight" might be an assumed name? Just one more possibility to confuse the issue, I know. But again points to need to check church records.

When I can I'll see if I can find church records. I don't know how old Margaret was when my grandfather or great-uncle were born. I don't know if McKnight might be assumed name, but I am not sure, although it would be odd to be written down the same twice on both my grandfather and great-uncles birth certificates.

There is a 1911 Irish Census record for a Margaret McKnight aged 18, a dressmaker and Roman Catholic in Maghera, County Down: https://www.census.nationalarchives.ie/pages/1911/Down/Maghera/Drumee/243252

Same family in 1901: https://www.census.nationalarchives.ie/pages/1901/Down/Maghera/Carnacarvill/1234286/

It says on my great uncle, James McKnight's birth certificate that his mother, Margaret was a dressmaker: https://civilrecords.irishgenealogy.ie/churchrecords/images/birth_returns/births_1918/01275/1528624.pdf

Also, there is the name McMullen/McMullan I am getting in my Ancestry DNA matches. This Margaret McKnights parents are Bernard McKnight and Rose McMullan: https://civilrecords.irishgenealogy.ie/churchrecords/images/marriage_returns/marriages_1883/10932/5994481.pdf

Her mother being a McMullan might just be a co-incidence though and I may not be related to them but I have no confirmation on that either way.

[Wexflyer]

When I can I'll see if I can find church records. I don't know how old Margaret was when my grandfather or great-uncle were born. I don't know if McKnight might be assumed name, but I am not sure, although it would be odd to be written down the same twice on both my grandfather and great-uncles birth certificates.

There is a 1911 Irish Census record for a Margaret McKnight aged 18, a dressmaker and Roman Catholic in Maghera, County Down: https://www.census.nationalarchives.ie/pages/1911/Down/Maghera/Drumee/243252

Same family in 1901: https://www.census.nationalarchives.ie/pages/1901/Down/Maghera/Carnacarvill/1234286/

It says on my great uncle, James McKnight's birth certificate that his mother, Margaret was a dressmaker: https://civilrecords.irishgenealogy.ie/churchrecords/images/birth_returns/births_1918/01275/1528624.pdf

Also, there is the name McMullen/McMullan I am getting in my Ancestry DNA matches. This Margaret McKnights parents are Bernard McKnight and Rose McMullan: https://civilrecords.irishgenealogy.ie/churchrecords/images/marriage_returns/marriages_1883/10932/5994481.pdf

Her mother being a McMullan might just be a co-incidence though and I may not be related to them but I have no confirmation on that either way.

Well congratulations!

Looks like you have given yourself a Christmas present!

I think you have gone a long way to resolving some of the mystery - the mother's identity.
She was not turning up due to the spelling of "Margaret" in the census returns - looks like you did the sensible thing and looked at all of them for an anomaly.

[shanreagh]

The other thought other than an assumed name is a misheard name by whoever was registering/writing the record.

I could easily believe that for a single instance. But precisely the same misheard/misunderstood name on more than one record? [The birth registrations of the two children].

Point taken!

[DaveMcC]

When I can I'll see if I can find church records. I don't know how old Margaret was when my grandfather or great-uncle were born. I don't know if McKnight might be assumed name, but I am not sure, although it would be odd to be written down the same twice on both my grandfather and great-uncles birth certificates.

There is a 1911 Irish Census record for a Margaret McKnight aged 18, a dressmaker and Roman Catholic in Maghera, County Down: https://www.census.nationalarchives.ie/pages/1911/Down/Maghera/Drumee/243252

Same family in 1901: https://www.census.nationalarchives.ie/pages/1901/Down/Maghera/Carnacarvill/1234286/

It says on my great uncle, James McKnight's birth certificate that his mother, Margaret was a dressmaker: https://civilrecords.irishgenealogy.ie/churchrecords/images/birth_returns/births_1918/01275/1528624.pdf

Also, there is the name McMullen/McMullan I am getting in my Ancestry DNA matches. This Margaret McKnights parents are Bernard McKnight and Rose McMullan: https://civilrecords.irishgenealogy.ie/churchrecords/images/marriage_returns/marriages_1883/10932/5994481.pdf

Her mother being a McMullan might just be a co-incidence though and I may not be related to them but I have no confirmation on that either way.

Well congratulations!

Looks like you have given yourself a Christmas present!

I think you have gone a long way to resolving some of the mystery - the mother's identity.
She was not turning up due to the spelling of "Margaret" in the census returns - looks like you did the sensible thing and looked at all of them for an anomaly.

Not necessarily. I checked my closest DNA matches with McMullen or McMullans on their trees as direct ancestors who have an exact location for them who don't appear to be on my mums side and their McMullens are from Drin and Guinness which are here:

Drin: https://www.townlands.ie/down/iveagh-upper-lower-half/dromara/crossgar/drin/
Guiness: https://www.townlands.ie/down/kinelarty/magherahamlet/dunmore/guiness/

Not the same area as Rose McMullan was living, but I have started to make a trees with those McMullens/McMullans and also Rose family to see if that helps.