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Author
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Topic: Last Name Confusion
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LadyCasey
Member
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posted 01-20-2004 01:49 PM
  
I'm sort of confused about my last name and heritage...alright my last name is McCormick right.
Well, my grandfather (who is full of tales and adventures I wonder if he gets confused with all of it) told me many years back that we are related to Mary queen of scot from long ago...so I was like cool that's awsome.
But many years later our heritage came up again and he told me that our last name is Irish because of the ending "mick" but I said what about the beginning "MC" that is scottish and he said yes but if we were actually scottish the ending would be "mack" so...The conversation ended and we talked about other things, but then after we left his house I remembered what he told me so long ago about being related to mary queen of scot and I got really confused...so If any one here is good at recognizing or picking apart names can you tell me whether you think i'm irish or scottish it would be great to actually know. Thanks! Casey "If nothing more, and nothing less, always beleive in something" |
Peter
Member
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posted 01-20-2004 02:42 PM
Hi LadyCasey,
first off .. I've a bone to pick with you.
Nothing serious .. but us poor old Grandads (and Grandmothers) are not that scatterbrained you know.
Okay .. I admit we may stretccccccch the truth a wee bit sometimes. More so when I've had a glass of red wine I might add. But, more likely than not, there is a gram of truth in there. Power to your Grandad I say.
Get back to you on your name shortly. That's if someone doesn't beat me to it.
Hey ... and stick with those dreams. |
LadyCasey
Member
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posted 01-20-2004 02:52 PM
Hehe...sorry. Did not mean to suggest that old men are scatter brained...I actually am probably elderly peoples biggest fan...I love stories, tales, adventures, life, love, advise, etc etc
I would rather sit with an old person full of knowledge and good times than someone my age anyday...(you will find I have a lack of friends my age because of this) |
Peter
Member
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posted 01-21-2004 03:15 PM
Re;
the surname Mac or Mc.
Straight from the book I have in front of me;" Names begiining with Mac- or Mc- are derived from the Gaelic word meaning 'son of'. It is popularly supposed that the choice of the particular form, Mac- or Mc-, determines whether a family came from Scotland or Ireland but this is not so. " A quick look at one data base gave me;
235 names in Irland
243 names in Scotland
219 " in England
86 " in Wales Most of the English placings are from the 19th century. As any Irish or Scottish names were still rare before the 18thC.
As to Mary Queen of Scots ... my wife is interested in this period. And a 'very' quick look brought up nothing regarding your name.
I fear that to find the truth or untruth of this would take many years of research.
Nicer to believe your Grandad. |
LadyCasey
Member
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posted 01-21-2004 06:12 PM
Thank you very much!! That helps a little...I plan on pressing my grandfather for more information regarding our heritage for I am determined to figure some if not most of it out. It is very interesting to me and for some reason most of my family avoids the subject...which of course makes it all the more interesting...I wonder if it just their lack of knowledge that hinders them from speaking about it more but hopefully I will find out. |
Peter
Member
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posted 01-22-2004 03:13 PM
I think you have it one.
We all like to give hints of our past histories.
But when it comes to firm facts older folk tend to laugh it off. Mainly because they don't really know.
I've researched my family history for years. And the great bonus is, it never goes away. And I have found the information access highway gets better with passing years.
You can have a blitz for some months, then it may be a year or so before you come back to it.
Things always turn up from distant relatives that you hardly know.
When I see long lost cousins etc; I normally say "You don't have any old family pictures at all ?"
Surprising what turns up.
Everyone wants to know.
But they always want some other muggins to do the donkey work.
Just keep it going.
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LadyCasey
Member
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posted 01-23-2004 10:09 AM
Sounds good, I gave notice at my work the other day (not leaving for three months) cause i've been there four years!! (I know that isn't alot to alot of you) But! Its a pet store and there is only so long you can pick up after animals and do all that dirty work...soo...With college coming up, I decided to quit and then take several months off. The only downfall to my quitting is that i'm quitting my grooming job as well, which I could of actually turned into a career if I wanted to, but I just don't want to come home smelling like wet dirty dog everyday anymore either!
So, in this time i'm hopeing to do some traveling...some to relatives (who will hopefully give me something to our heritage!) and maybe just maybe to see a castle or two! But that may be far fetched for me right now since I'm 17 and my parents don't have the same engrossing desire to seek out castles as I do.  |
LadyCasey
Member
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posted 03-09-2004 11:50 AM
So i've kept up on my research, though I haven't quit yet, 20 more days!!! (Can't wait to pry those relatives) But I have made a phone call or two, my grandfather, (the seemingly confused one) thinks we may have a family tree hidden somewhere in his attic! (One can only hope!) My mother produced her family tree, but that is the wrong side of the family that i'm researching, (was neat to look at though) Well, to the point, while my grandfather is searching for that family tree I was wondering, in a town about 20 minutes from where I live, they have a place where you can pay to have your geneology traced, now do they trace the origin of your name or do they somehow trace your actual family? Either would help but the latter of course would be much nicer, seems to me that would be a bit impossible though. Has anyone ever done this? Any comments on the thoughtOh and thankyou everyone for keeping up with my questions, I'm always seeking knowledge, therefore, I'm always seeking questions!! Casey |
duncan
Senior Member
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posted 03-09-2004 01:05 PM
Some where around here was a topic with this and other links I made some time ago, o'well here it is again,
http://www.ancestry.com/?rc=locale%7E&us=0 It's a very good place to start.
Contrary to poplar believe it's possible to trace a family tree in the UK well past the 500ad mark.
I know full well because we've done it on 2 (two) occasions so far. With your last name I'd be looking into Scotland.
First start with your closest relatives and work you way back ward, that often gives you an idea of where they came from and when, or even how they arrived which leads to other facts that help in the search.
Your most likely find out which family member or census taker changed what to fit their wants or spelling difficulty's.
No joke, it's no different today with the census takers, their still misspelling names.
This is not a weekend fun job unless you know who your people are for several generations back. Note: In My Opinion,
your the best person to do the research instead of people that are payed to look. Often times most of them do not go deep enough. Wish you the best
Duncan [This message has been edited by duncan (edited 03-09-2004).] |
Peter
Member
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posted 03-10-2004 03:31 PM
As Duncan rightly says,
It aint no weekend fun job.
It does take dedication, time and money. And sometimes luck in getting that vital piece of information that others may have missed. So if you send your $50/£50 whatever to someone in town. You are only going to get that value of research. And, most likely a nice piece of paper & a shield to stick on your wall.
It is obvious that others in your family have thought likewhise. Don't make the mistake of discarding the female side of things. You may find more interesting and firm links there than on the male side.
Best of luck whatever.
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