Charles and Mary McKinnon from Snizort Parish Scotland

[SherryMcK]

Hi
I am stuck with our GG Grandpa Duncan John McKinnon who was born 1830 in Scotland (need proof). He lived and died in South Africa from 29 approx. I have his death certificate. His birth certificate shows born in Mauritius which doesn't seem correct saying born 1826. It seems a sensus done in 1841 puts him at age 10 in the Snizort Parish with his
 mother Mary 45 and
father Charles McKinnon Age 50 .
Ann sister age 20 (immigrated to New Zealand) 1862
 Farghar age 15
John age 10 and
Don age 2.
I cannot find the connection and thus cannot confirm Duncan John McKinnon is Scottish.  I was hoping for some leads.
Many thanks

[CaroleW]

Welcome to Rootschat

Where did you get his birth cert from?  There were no Scottish birth certs prior to 1855 - only baptismal entries

Is this his marriage?

https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:8TNL-8ZN2

[ColC]

Scottish records are on https://www.scotlandspeople.gov.uk it is free to search and a small fee to view original records. The records in Snizort are limited compared to some parishes. Births 1807 – 1854 Marriages 1809 – 1854 Deaths none before 1855 when statutory registration began. I do not see any records for those on the 1841 census below, which you mention. There are some possible marriages, which I have added, if they are correct they may give more information.

1841 Census Snizort (Ages rounded down to nearest 5)
             (On freereg & Scotland’s People – I do not see the family in 1851)
MCKINNON   Charles   M   50   Publican   Inverness-shire   
MCKINNON   Mary   F   45      Inverness-shire   
MCKINNON   Ann   F   20       Inverness-shire   
                May have married John or Malcolm 1846 Snizort
MCKINNON Farquhar   M   15      Inverness-shire   
                MARRIED MARY MCRAE 24/03/1846 STRATH
MCKINNON Duncan   M   10   Born 1827 – 1831 –    Inverness-shire   
                 2 possible marriages 1857
MCKINNON John   M   10      Inverness-shire   
                Several possible marriages in County
MCKINNON Dond   M   2      Inverness-shire   
                Several possible marriages in County
MCLEOD   Margt   F   17   Female Servant   Inverness-shire   

Colin

[SherryMcK]

Yes the marriage certificate I have and all the information is linked to my family tree on family search (as.much as I have found). The birth certificate I have was also from family search. Duncan birth certificate says 1826 and says born  in Mauritius. I have written to the Mauritian genealogy department but had no response. I was contacted by an ancestor from New Zealand who is also looking for  Charles and Mary McKinnon information as she believes the 1841 census (which I have attached) is correct and indeed they were all born in the Snizort parish.   

I will follow all the leads you have given look again properly at the Scottish genealogy website.
I see a Duncan McKinnon was married to a Anne Nicholson too so maybe that was his first marriage in Scotland. Not sure if that is the same person. Duncan must have left Scotland to South Africa between 1850 and 1860 ?
Regards Sher

[jorose]

There is not a birth certificate that I can see on familysearch. There is an estate record that says he was born Mauritius, this information was provided at the time of his death.
https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:71DB-ZYW2
The informant did not know who his parents were (the informant was one of his sons).

Mauritius was a British colony at the time of his birth so quite possible that he was born there to a Scottish family, perhaps military?

There is also his marriage from 1862 that shows he was a bachelor (i.e. not previously married)
https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:8TNL-8ZN2

I do not see any reason to believe that the Snizort family are correct. Could well be a different set of McKinnons entirely. Do you have any records from South Africa that refer to him as being born in Scotland? Or does your New Zealand relative have some other information that would link them such as an obituary for Ann that shows her having a brother in South Africa?

[SherryMcK]

Hi yes I do apologise it is not a birth certificate.  Thank you for the information. It is aways hard to put the puzzle pieces together. Will just keep trying. The relative in New Zeland has correspondence between then families but no real documents.
Sher

[jorose]

Letters between family can be an excellent source - has your potential NZ cousin been able to transcribe them for you? You'd want to look for any possible reference for other relatives - they might mention the anniversary of a parent's death, the location of another sibling, etc.

It would probably be good to focus for a bit on Ann - did she marry before or after coming to NZ? Did she come straight to NZ or via Australia? Did the rest of the family emigrate? Finding her path might lead to you her brother.

[SherryMcK]

Hi yes she has names of Donald Campbell married to Duncan sister Ann McKinnon. Living at Skirinish Isle of Skye And the mother as Catherine Campbell but I can't find any in my search in Scotland. I did however see links to some Duncan McKinnon trees in family search and have written to them.