McCollough/McNeir

[Steve Ashton]

One of the most common misunderstandings is that Tartans about families or surname. Tartan was originally regional and only later were they given names. They have names simply because we have to call them something.

There is also the misconception that if you are of Scottish descent that you are somehow automatically part of a Clan. The truth is that the vast majority of Scots are not part of the Clan system which was from the Highlands or NW part of the country.

So, regardless of surname, you follow the paper trail of your family back to a place. It is the place that is what makes the determination.

It is also common to assume that you can do a genealogy via looking at your surname. But if you really think about it and go back just 5 generations you will find that you have 32 grandparents with 32 different names, perhaps from 32 different places.

A genealogy is literally a paper chase. You collect an unbroken trail of documents. If at any time there is a break in the paper trail you do not yet have a genealogy.
The world's largest genealogy research facility is in Salt Lake, UT. Perhaps contact them with the paper that you currently have. They may be able to point you in the right direction.