spelling of irish sunames

I've a person in my tree who's surname I'm not sure of ,these are some of the names that I've found him and his family in England he states he came from South Tullcarn on one of the census

Patrick McNallo 1870 marriage

Patrick McKennela in 1871

Patrick McNally in 1881

Patrick McNallo in 1891

Thomas McAllanny (One of his children in 1891)

Thomas McNello in 1901 and 1911 (now married
McNalls ,

I'm wondering if it was originally McNeil as I've found a birth that could possibly be his .I vaguely remember reading a article on the origins of names and how they changed over the years as but now can't find the article

 

Even South Tullcarn sounds a bit odd! I can't find anywhere of that name in Ireland. Does your ancestor not say what county it was in? McNally's a regular surname so perhaps that's the correct one. I just found this McNally but there are several other websites, too. Perhaps you've seen them.

 

sorry missed the Y out of tullycarn I think it 's in Co Down and no he only gives Ireland as his birth place apart from one census that he says Tullycarn I've been going along with McNally being the correct name but by 1914 when the sons gets married it becomes McNello and the children of those marriages are know by McNello but a daughter gives her name as McNeilly

I know I've the right family each time as they are either living in the same house or have a relative lodging with them .I think I'm just going to have to live with not knowing

 

Interesting indeed. I'm afraid I don't have any more bright ideas right now but I'll get back to you if I do. Perhaps some other forum member will come up with something. I should have guessed it was Tullycarn.

 

You are very fortunate to have found your Irish family in England. My husband's family stayed firmly in Ireland. And the spelling of their surname has varied from Phair, Phare, Phayer, Phaer, etc. etc. The other side of the family are SMITHS! Grrrrrr....

 

yes I've been fortunate in finding one branch in Ireland back to 1820 mainly by church records but others are either too common a surname (Shaw and McKenna Brazil Keegan Mahon ) and just a rough idea of the area not to mention the elusive McNally just waiting now for Wednesday 8th July

 

You are indeed very lucky going back to 1820. The last proven date for anything happening to my Dohertys is 1841 - death of my great-great grandfather. We don't know when he was born or who his parents were - only guesses. And we know even less about my great-great-grandmother - no birth, no death, only name. No marriage for them either. . Poor Marjorie, you do have a problem! At least I have a well established name.

 

That can be a real disincentive, but only for the direct male line backwards. The wives are unlikely to have also been Smiths and perhaps some of them had very uncommon names. Once away from the Smith line, your expectation for unusual surnames of family members should be similar to most other researchers. Good luck.

Of course, the more census references that you can get recorded in LC, the greater your chances of finding someone who has already made some discoveries with the Smith/Jones/Williams branches. Progress might be slow at the moment but there will come a time when matches start 'flooding' in, and those with the most entries will get the most benefit.

 

The trouble with Ireland is that so many records were destroyed. Not even Lost Cousins can get them back.

 

I have met with that problem - one of my forefathers, surname Wright and his future wife, surname Tait, emigrated from Ireland to Scotland prior to 1825 - I only know their fathers & mothers names because their fathers and close family came with them, and they are listed on their Scottish death certificates. But I have no idea what part of Ireland they come from and attempting to find any information is extremely difficult (as everyone knows). Plus, I think the "Tait" was spelt differently in Ireland!