www.clanlivingstone.info

Please help me find my roots. Does anyone have information about how and when the Livingstone settled the United States? California. Thanks, GEL

This is a very big question, Gerald! Highland Livingstones left Scotland after the "clearances" by the British after numerous long-standing border wars, by the early 1800's. Many other Scottish highland clans left for greener pastures at this time: some went to work in the new woolen mills in and around Glasgow (the Industrial Revolution was well underway), and others migrated en masse to eastern Canada, predominantly Prince Edward Island and Nova Scotia. Many got involved in fur-trapping and initiatives such as the Hudson Bay Company, and rival companies. Some of these families stayed on and gradually migrated across into Ontario, western Canada, and the Great Lakes of the USA, while others seemed to have migrated south to Boston, New York, and then on down. Livingstones and other highlanders were involved in the US civil war. Dr David Livingstone lost a young son who went off to seek adventure and was killed in the US civil war. The "rebel yell" is supposed to be a Scottish highland yell; perhaps the Young Bachuil could elaborate? The Livingstone who signed the Declaration of Independence in Boston in 1776 is likely a lowland aristocrat, one of the Lords Livingstone of Callendar, a very wealthy Scottish family with links to English nobility, and very ancient links to the highland Livingstones(really MacLeas) who took their name due to a mutual respect. There you go...now you have to find out if you're a lowlander or a highlander! Check out the info on the Livingstone DNA project elsewhere on this site and find out!

Yes -- two quick things! 1.

It happened many times over. In some cases, people have got lots of dates and data, and in other cases we don't. You should keep in mind that even back in Scotland there were many Livingstone families. It is generally considered that they all had at least one thing in common out of two: 1. An association with the clan MacLea based upon the Isle of Lismore. The most famous such families are those of Doctor Livingstone and the chiefs of the clan (which might in fact be one family but we have not proven it yet!) 2. An association with the the town or city of Livingston in West Lothian, quite close to Edinburgh. For more advice tell us what you already know about your Livingstones! Regards Andrew

Hi Keith, A large number of Livingstones orginating from New York State are descended from the Lowland Livingstone family. Oddly enough I am descended from the Highland Maconlea-Livingstones on my father's side and the New York State Livingstons on my Mothers. These Lowland Livingstone who actually lived for a time a refugees in Holland, before settling in America certainly have made their historic mark on early New York State and during the Revolution. That is not to say that some highland Livingstons did not end up in America. Some of highland Livingston relatives ended up settling in Canada and then Michigan and from there who knows where at this point. It is still somewhat speculative as to what the connection our highland Livingstone family from Isle of Lismore and neighbouring Morvern had with the Lowland Livingstone family. That 18th century Maclea account suggests there was ancient tie with the aristocratic Livingstones but that has not been proven. The only tangible fact we have is that Sir James Livingstone of the lowland family was briefly living on the Isle of Lismore in the 1640's having received a large grant from King Charles. So it is almost certain this Lowland LIvingston and our Maconlea chief at the time on the Island made contact and had discussion regarding their families, the turmoil in Scotland and the Maconlea support for the Royalist cause. The MacLea 18th century info speaks of an incident of contact during the civil war between a MacLea soldier and the Lowland Livingstone family, but not before. regards Donald

Hi Donald I agree that most US Livingstons seem to believe they descend from lowlanders, but my growing impression coming from work in the DNA project, is that many (not all of course) have simply assumed this, because when they start looking around for what is known about their surname they come accross these Livingstons playing their role in early US history. A similar but opposite situation seems to happen in Commonwealth countries, where Livingstones tend to assume a connection to Dr Livingstone, who they then learn was a highlander. I think many families which started with some working assumptions, have probably ended up a few generations later thinking that something is known for sure, which was not. So there might be more highlanders out there in the US! Perhaps the largest group of Scottish descended Americans can trace their tree back to neither the lowland nor the highland, but rather to Ireland, where it is often quite difficult to work out what part of Scotland a family was from. Best Regards Andrew

Hi Andrew, Indeed, it is not an easy task to sort out whether one is of highland Livingstone origin or lowland Livingstone origin. In the context of Dutchess and Albany County, New York its a good guess that many of the Livingtons living in the vicinity today are connected to the Livingston family who were wealthy landowners and politicians in the area. When my Clinck ancestor settled with his older brother in colonial Dutchess County, New York in the late 1750's a few years after settling in America, this Livingston family of lowland origin were in possession of Livingston Manor a hugh tract of land granted to them. I believe this was originally a lowland Livingston family that fled to Holland and then settled in America, which had been forced to seek sanctuary in Holland having fallen out of favour with Charles II if I recall correctly. There could very well have been subsequent settlement of Livingstons in these two counties that are not this Livingston family, but a significant number would connect to old Livingston family from the colonial period. Later imigration in 1700's and 1800's in New York State and elsewhere brought highland Livingstons and Northern Irish of Scottish descent. My father's highland Livingstone has been discussed at length previously. My Mother's great-great-great grandfather was a William Livingston who came up from New York State in early 1830's and settled in Upper Canada. He and his son-in-law Peter Moray, although originating in one of the Counties of New York State bordering the St. Lawrence River, quite a distance from Albany County, likely were born in Albany County. Unfortunately I have not pursued William's roots much beyond this. regards Donald Clink

Hi Gerald - While tracking down my own branch of the Livingstone family tree, I discovered that hundreds of Livingstones and Livingstons were already living in California by the time of the 1920 census. Luckily, I already knew how and when my Father and my Great Uncle had separately arrived here from Massachusetts, and before that, Prince Edward Island. As suggested above, you need to start first with the people you know, and steadily work your way back. Look up Social Security and census records, government birth and death records, and don't neglect church records from towns you find your ancestors may have lived in. In my experience, it's very likely you'll find some connections in either Mass. or Illinois, and Nova Scotia. Good Luck!