Macleas and McKinlays in Argyll,Bute and Ross 1841

[Canadian Livingstone]

Here are the Parish locations of Macleas, Mcleas, Macleays,Maclays,McLay McKinlay,McKinley in Argyll,Bute,and Ross and Cromarty Counties in 1841 Scotland

Possible descendants of former Appin Macleas that settled at Contin,Ross County after being displaced by Appin Stewarts long ago. There is a tradition that these Macleays that settled at Contin were closely associated with Clan Mackenzie in the area.
``Macleay`` Ross and Cromarty Counties : Dingwall, Urquhart, Lochbroom Circa 1841
``Maclay`` Ross and Cromarty Counties: Rosskeen,Nigg, Kiltearn
``McLay`` Ross and Cromarty Counties: Urquhart,Lochbroom, Stornoway,Killearnan,Edderton,Lochcarron, Rosskeen
``MacLea`` Ross and Cromarty Counties: Applecross,Lochcarron, Lochs,Avoch,Alness,Fodderly,Kincardine,Stornoway
None in Argyll in 1841 Scottish Census with spellling Maclea,Macleay,Maclay or Mclay. Despite our highland Maclea Livingstones having been referred to by some historians as Macleays this spelling was not commonly found in Western Argyll record or used by our highland Western Argyll Macleas who later became highland Livingstones. Maconlea was commonly used in the 18th century by highland Macleas in Western Argyll but largely replaced by Maclea as the 18th century progressed prior to the Livingstone name change but by the end of the 1700's had by and large disappeared in Argyll with the Macleas in Western Argyll changing their name to Livingstone. Maconlea seemed to have disappeared in useage in Argyll before 1800 with few exceptions and was not found anywhere at all in the 1841 Scottish census

Possible Descendants of McLeas of Lindsaig The last Baron Mclea of Lindsaig was buried at Kilfinan in Eastern Argyll and some of these Mcleas settled at Rothesay, Bute and Campbelltown at Kintyre in Southern Argyll apparently.
``Maclea`` Argyll None listed in Argyll in 1841 Census Macleas in Western Argyll under Baron Maconlea or Maclea of Bachuil became highland Livingstones probably beginning in the mid 1700`s
Bute Rothesay 3
``McLea`` Argyll: Dunoon and Kilmun 2, Lochgilphead 1
Bute: Rothesay 18

These McKinlays of Bute and nearby Kintyre may infact be some descendants of the Lindsaig Mcleas but it has not been proven. Rev. Duncan Maclea's historic account from 1743 states that the brother of the last Baron Maclea of Lindsaig had two sons Archibald and Donald Maclea or McLea that settled at Campbelltown,Kintyre and Rothesay, Bute. Could some of their descendants spelled their name McKinlay? Strangely in the LDS collection I found a record of a Mckinlay even at Kilfinan, Argyll where the last Baron McLea of Lindsaig was buried.
``Mckinlay`` Argyll: Lochgilphead, Kilcalmonell, and Kintyre area Campbelltown,Saddell, Kilean and Kilchenzie,Dunoon and Kilmun parishes {lots of them}
Bute: Rothesay, 63 Kingarth, 7 Kilmory 1 and Cumbrae 2
``McKinley`` Argyll: Salen Mull 1, and Kintyre area Campbelltown 4, Saddell 7, Dunoon and Kilmun 3
Bute: Rothesay 1
We only found one Mckinley in Western Argyll at Salen Parish a few miles south of Tobermory living with a MckInnon family near the Bay of Aros. Interestingly we have a Mackinley/Mackinlay forum participant whose Mckinlay/Mckinley ancestor was married to a McKinnon and who settled in Prince Edward Island in 1802. I do not think there were ever many McKinlays or McKinleys in the Mull area or for that matter Western Argyll area of the old highland Macleas that were to become Livingstones and the fact that there was only one as early as 1841 suggests to me that there were possibly never very many Mckinlays or Macleas who went by that spelling in ancestral homeland of the Western Argyll Macleas that became Livingstons. Nevertheless is interesting to learn about this one family that lived apparently in the Bay of Aros area in Salen Parish, Mull.

Whatever the origins of the Southern/eastern Argll and Bute Mckinlays there were families that went by the name McLea and great deal more that went by the name Mckinlay in the 1600's,1700's and 1800's in Rothesay, Bute. Whether they were infact connected is what I am trying to prove. Mcleas and McKinlays could be found in most of the same parishes in Argyll and Bute though the McLeas are interestingly quite small in number in the 1841 compared to the McKinlays.

[amarach]

In the 2nd to last paragraph of your above post, you talk about a Mckinley in western Argyll from salen parish who was living with a Mckinnon family from the Bay of Aros and about a Mackinley who married a Mckinnon and settled in PEI in 1802 .If this is the same Mackinley his name was Donald McIannlaich changed to Mackinley when the family reached PEI.Donald b. 1788 was the son of Dugal McIannlaich born aros 1767 his mother was Mary Levingston, Donalds father Dugal is presumed to have died on the Isle of mull and his wife Catharine Campbell McIannlaich took the three children Donald ,Catharine and John to Pei aroun 1802. They sailed from Oban. They eventually bought a home stead and named it Obanlea it is still farmed by descendants of Donald. I am Karl Mckinley a descendant of the younger son John.I would like to know where you got the information about the Mckinley living with the Mckinnon family at Aros Bay. This could tie in with Donald going to live with the Mckinnons possibly because of his father having died. Donald eventually married Mary Mckinnon b. 1792 Mull. they had 10 children. Could this be the same person you talk about in your aboue post. Karl mcKinley

[Canadian Livingstone]

Hi Karl,

My sense is that were not many McKinleys in northern Mull or anywhere in western Argyll for that matter and by 1841 there was only one an Elizabeth McKinley living in Salen Parish in the residence of a John McKinnon. IF there were any other families or family members they must have left before 1841. Because there were probably so few of them I would suspect that this Elizabeth McKinley could have been a great neice or some relation of your ancestor Donald McKinlay. Especially given that I found this McKinley lving in a McKinnon residence in Salen Parish which near the Bay of Aros and you know of a Mckinnon family connection through Donald's wife. You mentioned Aros earlier I believe in connection with your Mull MckInleys.

McKinlays actually were located in signficant numbers actually in the 1841 census in the Kintyre area of Southern Argyll County where they were located in large numbers in Campbeltown Parish and some of the neighbouring parishes at Kintyre. I am hoping that we can locate a Kintyre McKinlay and see if would be willing to participate in the Maclea Livingstone DNA project and see how the test results compare with Macleas and McKinleys such as yourself. There stil are lots of Kintyre McKinlays at Kintyre I noticed.

regards,

Donald

[Canadian Livingstone]

Hi All,

Despite assertions beginning in the 19th century among some clan historians that highland Livingstons were once known as Macantledh or Macanleigh one would be hardpressed to find a single Macleigh or McLeigh in Argyllshire or for that matter anywhere else in Scotland in 1841. I managed to find one McLeigh in the 1841 Scottish census residing in Stirlingshire. Having been stated however in a number of clan histories over the years that highland Livingstones were once known as Macanleigh it is exceedingly difficult to change that. Though the late Robert Livingston is not here to concur with me on this, I am confident that in his research of the old Argyll records he did not find at least to my knowledge one of our clansman referred to as Macanleigh which some historian long ago intrepreted as meaning son of the doctor and connected the highland macleas to a physician. That is not to say that our Clan Macleas in more ancient times did not possess within its ranks those who practiced some form of medicine. And it should be noted that the old highland Baron Maconleas of Bachuil did have in their possession the staff of St. Molaug which we know was held sacred by the local people and was believed in more ancient times by those on Lismore and at Appin and neighbouring Morvern to cure illnesses or protect one from sickness.

Fortunately some of the old surviving records have helped to preserve the names and interesting spellilng variations of our ancestors or their kin in Argyll. Here are a few {minus the Macanleigh} that Rob and I stumbled across a few years back from a time before our people became known as highland clan Livingstone. Here are some of the interesting names and spelling variations that appear in these early records of our people beginning with Dunslef,Dunslaif, Dunslave or Dunslea rooted in the more ancient gaelic Dhunsliebhe connected to our clans more distant past:

1502 John M'Ewin V'Dunslef, 1518 Duncan Brec McDunlave, 1557 John McDunslaif, 1588 Donald McOllea, 1613 Donald M'onlief, 1623 John Oig McDonald Roy V'Dunlaiff, 1628 Arthur Dunslea,1633 Donald Roy M'Onley, 1643 Donald McOnley, 1649 Dunsla M'ein Vconlea, Iain M'onlea, 1656 Dunislea Mconlea, 1669 Dounslea Mconlea, 1686 Duncan M'onlea,Duncan M'Dunslea, Neil McDimslea, 1692 Duncan, Neil and Donald McOnley, 1694 John Mconlea the older and younger,1730 Mconlea and Mclea, 1746 Macleas of Appin Regiment, 1751 Duncan Macinlea of Bachuil,



Donald

[Canadian Livingstone]

Hi All,

Now having found Macleas Macleays, McLays etc. in the 1841 Scottish census in certain parishes in Argyll, Bute, and Ross and Cromarty, can I prove that the spellings are not just the inclination of the census taker and that they are the preference of the families. I have been asked this before and so I will check the subsequent census records to verify whether we have identifed family groups with spelling preferences. Reverend Duncan Maclea's brief history of the Macleas in Scotland circa 1743 and Walter Maclays 1997 well researched study of Macleas and Macleays including some excellent info for those searching the origins of the Ross and Cromarty Macleays are reccomended reading for anyone wishing better understand the origins and history of the various Maclea/Macleay branches in Scotland.

regards,

Donald

[Canadian Livingstone]

Hello again karl,

I am not certain whether or not you have access to a detaliled map of the Scottish highlands so I should mention to you that Salen Parish Aros Bay area in Mull in the County of Argyll I believe is a few miles south/south east of the port of Tobermory which would certainly be on most maps of Scotland to be sure. As I mentioned in another posting a detailed map of Scotland such as a detailed ordinance survey map is very helpful for finding some of the smaller villages.

regards,

Donald

[Kyle MacLea]

Reverend Duncan Maclea's brief history of the Macleas in Scotland circa 1743 and Walter Maclays 1997 well researched study of Macleas and Macleays including some excellent info for those searching the origins of the Ross and Cromarty Macleays are reccomended reading for anyone wishing better understand the origins and history of the various Maclea/Macleay branches in Scotland.

Hi Donald.... Not sure if I'm remembering where the Walter Maclay bit comes from? Could you refresh my memory?

Kyle=

[Canadian Livingstone]

Hi Kyle,

This I think was my earlier effort at locating Macleays in Ross and Cromarty in the Scottish Census records. See Monday September 14 2009 posting.

regards,

Donald