www.clanlivingstone.info

Thanks for posting this, Craig!

Craig! Thanks for the instructions!

Kyle, Already arranged to have my cousin, James McClay , tested. He is part of the McWho group. Craig

Ah, sorry for being unaware! Well, our families are not closely related paternally, then... Either way, I have little doubt that as with the Lismore McLeas, the Lindsaig McLeas were possibly more than one single Y-chromosome... K=

Hi Craig, I concede that there are very few landowners named McLea in the old Argyll rolls, but remember these rolls didnt include hundreds of Macdunlea later Maconlea tenants that existed throughout Mull, Movern, Isle of Lismore, Appin etc during the period in which those rolls were done. It is a different story when you look at the 1779 Argyll Census which lists numerous Livingstons Tenants at Movern, Mull and other places. These Livingstons had only several years earlier changedn their names from Maconlea or McLea. It is not because of any massive migration that McLeas do not show up in the 1779 Argyll Census or for that matter years later in the 1841 Movern and Mull Census records. It is simply because the Highland Maconleas (McLeas) under the leadership of the then Baron of Bachuil Duncan Maconlea all changed their name to Livingstone. It is also amazing to me that so many Maconlea/McLeas sometime between 1750 and 1770 dropped their ancient gaelic name for the lowland family name of Livingston, but the evidence is clear that it happened. I am curious just how far the Baron's influence extended during this name change by examing some of the early records.Obviously the McLeas of Lindsaig and other more distant MacLeas from Western Argyll were not likely to make the name change. regards Donald (Livingstone) Clink

Hi Donald, I totally agree with your observation that the Valuation Rolls, which only list landowners, cannot and should be used to indicate that Mcleas were no longer in Argyll in the 18th century. According to a research paper entitled "Who Owned Argyll in the Eighteenth Century? Continuity and Change from Clanship to Clearance" , landowners were a very small percentage of the Argyllshire population. For example, in 1751, the population of Argyll was around 66,000, with landowners only accounting from 0.5% of the total (307).

Hi Craig, Yes Kyle mentioned to me about McLeas from Bute from I believe he is connected. I think I must get out my Atlas of Scotland and get a better sense of Argyll and the neighbouring areas. From the 18th century records it would be an interesting project to try and determine where the McLea-Livingstones predominate and where their McLea cousins that were not involved in the name change or under the Baron of Bachuil's influence continued to predominate. At least I would like to get a better sense of this than I do at present. The Young Bachuil has referred to ancient clergy lands from the Isle of lismore to Appin that were at one time the domain of the Baron, but for certain the Macdunlees the precursors to the Maconleas and MacLea clansmen of Western Argyll

Hi Craig, The 1841 Census for the Island of Bute I think reinforces your argument and that of Kyle McLea's that Bute was home to a large number of McLeas. McLeas which the later Census record of 1841 confirms did not change their to Livingstone like many of their neighbours in Argyllshire. In 1841 there were recorded on the Island 21 McLeas, 81 McKinlays and significantly only 5 Livingstons and 5 Livestons. At same time in Western Argyll there are likely next to no McLEas listed I suspect and numerous Livingstones. regards Donald (Livingstone) Clink