Scots-Irish

[macwilkin]

If you are interested in educating yoursel on the Scots-Irish, there is a great book available at Barnes and Noble and some of the other bookstores, The title is "The Scotch Irish" by James Leyburn.

Cajun Scot suggested this book to me some time ago, I bought it, read it and really enjoyed the book. It a great history of the "Ulster Scots" and the Plantations in Northern Ireland. The Ulster Scots lived in Northern Ireland but were actually of Scot's descent.

Cajun Scot can you give the entire title of this book? I am at work and don't have access to my reference bookshelf at the moment.

"The Scotch-Irish: A social history" by James Leyburn. For a book written in the 1960's, it holds up very well. A good starting point.

T.

[Raptor]

I'll stick in a comment from my wife, as she's not a member in her own right:
My wife is a Johnston, & fiercely proud of the fact. She wears the tartan & clan regalia with pride, & woe betide anyone who belittles either! However, when asked if she's Scottish, she replies in the following order: "I'm an Ulsterwoman, then I'm an Irishwoman, then I'm of Scots descent". Her family migrated to Ireland during "the 42", & her belief is that 400 years in Ireland makes her Irish. For what it's worth, her lot are outside the normal migration pattern, as she's a Caskabene (sp?) Johnston rather than an Annandale, thus a highlander.

[beloitpiper]

Originally, my ancestor's last name was O'Longaigh, but when they came to the US, they encountered a lot of Irish persecution. SO, in an effort to be more W.A.S.P.-y, they changed their name to "Long", the English spelling.

[davedove]

Originally, my ancestor's last name was O'Longaigh, but when they came to the US, they encountered a lot of Irish persecution. SO, in an effort to be more W.A.S.P.-y, they changed their name to "Long", the English spelling.

That sort of thing happened a lot. You also have the legendary situation where the official processing the immigrants decided the name was to difficult to write. "From now on your name is Long." I don't know how much truth there are to those stories, but they are interesting.

[Big Paul]

I've seen a few explanations of the history of the Scots-Irish...my most direct ancestor that came to the "colonies" lived in Londonderry and emigrated to the Americas.
Best
AA

My family line came from The Moray region in Scotland, then to Londonderry Ire., then to Cumberland Co. Pennsylvania, then Kentucky. The family was Protestant until my Grandfather let my Grandmother ,who was Irish Catholic, raise the family Catholic.

I'm descended from Ulster-Scots, Scotch-Irish, English & German. In general, I'm a mutt, an American Mutt!

[David Dalglish]

Too complicated--The way I see this is, whatever country you were born in that is you nationallity, If you have Parents from different countries, you can then say that I was born in (say) Ireland & had a Scottish father or mother, you are then--Irish with Scottish decent, not Scot/Irish you cant be both.

[macwilkin]

Too complicated--The way I see this is, whatever country you were born in that is you nationallity, If you have Parents from different countries, you can then say that I was born in (say) Ireland & had a Scottish father or mother, you are then--Irish with Scottish decent, not Scot/Irish you cant be both.

David,

The term "Scots-Irish" generally refers to Lowland Scots who settled in Ulster (Northern Ireland) during the Plantation of Ulster (1600's) and then later immigrated to the US, Canada, etc.

Today, in Northern Ireland, the term "Ulster-Scots" is preferred, because in general, the Scots Protestants did not intermarry with their Irish Catholic neighbours.

At one time, the Scots-Irish in America were simply known as "Irish", until the immigration of the Southern Irish during the 1840's -- the term was used to designate the Ulster Irish from the newcomers, although there references to the term being used earlier than the 19th century.

Regards,

Todd

[Arlen]

As far as the whole Mc and Mac thing, it is similar to the idea that Lowlanders capitalise and highlanders don't. (IE MacDonald vs Macdonald.)
They are both just anglocized ways of spelling Gaelic names. Whether they be Scots, Irish, Manx, Breton... whatever
Yes, that's right, you get Manx and Breton names which begin with Mc or Mac.
It doesn't mean Scots or Irish, it just means son of somebody who probably a while back spoke Gaelic.
Similarly, Nic means daughter of. So the name Nicolson/Nicholson etc is Daughter of Olsen. A mix of Viking and Gaelic.
And similar to that you will get names that are Scots or Irish but have a Norman or German root.

I will admit, the Mc or Mac prefix to a name does tend to be more common in Scottish names, but it isn't solely Scottish or Irish.

[macwilkin]

As far as the whole Mc and Mac thing, it is similar to the idea that Lowlanders capitalise and highlanders don't. (IE MacDonald vs Macdonald.)

The late author Norman Maclean mentions this in A river runs throught it; when Norman's bother Paul changes his last name to MacLean, Norman's father says sadly, "Now everyone will think we're Lowlanders!"

Arlen, have you ever seen the movie or read the story? You would love it -- a Scottish-American family that fly-fishes!

Regards,

Todd

[Kiltedmusiclover]

The late author Norman Maclean mentions this in A river runs throught it; when Norman's bother Paul changes his last name to MacLean, Norman's father says sadly, "Now everyone will think we're Lowlanders!"

Arlen, have you ever seen the movie or read the story? You would love it -- a Scottish-American family that fly-fishes!

Regards,

Todd

I just picked up a DVD to replace my well worn VHS copy.
It is a good story with the outstanding natural beauty of
Montana as the star.