McClay and McLay in the 1841 Scottish Census

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Canadian Livingstone
Posts: 2770
Joined: Wed Jul 15, 2009 9:00 pm

McClay and McLay in the 1841 Scottish Census

Post by Canadian Livingstone »

I should add that later census records reveal that some of those McLays in Lanarkshire are not of Scottish but of Irish origin having apparently arrived in Scotland in the 1800's. We were recently contacted by a McLay whose family settled in Scotland in the 1800's but was of Irish origin More on this later. regards, Donald regards,
Canadian Livingstone
Posts: 2770
Joined: Wed Jul 15, 2009 9:00 pm

McClay and McLay in the 1841 Scottish Census

Post by Canadian Livingstone »

HI Campbell, Based upon the surviving records, muster rolls etc at the time of the rebellion of 1745 it is understood that Appin Regiment under the Appin Stewart recruited Western Argyll Macleas that lived mostly in the Appin and Ballachulish area of Western Argyll. There could have been other Macleas, Macleays McLays etc that fought in another Jacobite regiment at the time, but unless I am wrong I dont think there very many. We have no knowledge of the the Macleays/Macleas etc.of Rosshire in North Western Scotland joining a Jacobite regiment. The Macleays in Rosshire seem to be connected to old Strathconnin Macleas who at one time lived in the Appin area. I have not seen any recording indicating the other Maclea branch presumingly the Lindsaig Bute group joined a Jacobite regiment. There may not in fact have been many of them after the decline of the Lindsaig Maclea family. I dont know for sure. I cant speak for whatever decendants remained in the Bute area and in the lowland counties in 1745, but all that is known is that old Lindsaig McLeas were closely aligned to one of the Campbell families and I would think it unlikely they would rise up against the interests of the Campbell family. We have not any evidence that Macleas in the lowlands were Jacobite sympathisers but some of highland origin living in the lowlands certainly could have been. The Macleas or Maconleas as they were once called that later became known as highland Livingstone were themselves a relatively small group of soldiers in the Appin Regiment which numbered only about 300 or so. There were roughly 19 area clans that participated in the Appin Regiment. The highland Macleas who later became highland Livingstons in the 1750's were actually known by their fellow area clansman to have devoted to the Jacobite cause. Donald Livingstone 1728-1816 a hotel keeper in Savary, Morven became a legend in Western Argyll for having rescued the Stewart of Appin regiment marker from the field of battle at Culloden and having escaped the wrath of the Red Coats searching for Jacobites in flight, he eventually made his way back to Western Argyll and returned the banner to the Appin Stewart family. The Royal Navy put all the farms along the Morven coast to the torch and sometime probably in 1746 the British destroyed the estate of Baron Maconlea of Bachuil on the Island of Lismore. There is little doubt that the highland Macleas/Maconleas were Jacobites and had been prior to 1745. I might add so were Lowland aristocratic Livingstons of Callendar in the Rebellion of 1715 and they paid a heavy price by being subsequently attainted and exiled. For reasons not entirely understood the highland Macleas adopted the name Livingstone throughout Argyllshire beginnning apparently as early as the 1750's. regards, Donald
Roberta Ann
Posts: 602
Joined: Thu Jul 16, 2009 12:56 pm

McClay and McLay in the 1841 Scottish Census

Post by Roberta Ann »

Hello Kyle and Campbell;
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