family castle

[Suzanne K Livingstone]

hi all.

[Andrew Lancaster4]

Could this be Callendar? Dunipace? The lowland Livingston family had many famous estates I think. Regards Andrew

[Suzanne K Livingstone]

Thanks for the suggestions Andrew.

[Bachuil]

Suzanne,

[Andrew Lancaster4]

The lowland Livingstons around Edinburgh had the surname first. They take it from the town, named Livingston, which is near Edinburgh. It is said that the family who founded that city were the same powerful Livingston family who later had all the castles and titles in that region of Scotland. A New York branch became very important in American politics later and until recently there was still a representative in government. However I don't know of any modern continuation of this aristocratic family's titles in Scotland. This website here centres around the clan Livingstone. These highland families used to use surnames like Maclea, but switched over to the name Livingstone, probably for some sort of political reason. It is reported that lowland and highland Livingston(e)s felt that they had a connection at least as late as the 18th century. The only way we can imagine a real blood connection is if the original Living who named the town had some connection to the clan MacLea, which in those times seems to have been called as the Clan Dunleavy. We have sometimes wondered whether the Living in the Livingston and the Leavy and Dunleavy could be connected. Regards Andrew

[Suzanne K Livingstone]

Thank you both Niall and Andrew for the additional information.

[Andrew Lancaster4]

Dear Suzanne One of the participants on this forum is an Australian Livingstone with roots in the Edinburgh region, and a reputed connection to Dr Livingstone. How far back can you trace so far? Keep us up to date on this forum, and I'd suggest also posting on the Rootsweb and Genealogy Livingston and Livinstone forums (4 different forums). You may find people who know your family already. It is possible that Dr Livingstone had relatives in Edinburgh because, as in his own family, many people from the highlands moved to the big cities in the late 18th century and early 19th century. However I should warn that I think about half the families in our DNA project believe they are related to Dr Livingstone, including mine, and we do not all have the same male line DNA signature as each other, so... By the way, have you any interest in the DNA project? See http://users.skynet.be/lancaster/Discus ... Maclea.htm Best Regards Andrew

[Suzanne K Livingstone]

Unfortunately we've haven't been able to trace our family very far yet, just to my great grand father who was born in Ontario.

[Canadian Livingstone]

I am not certain just how many of the highland Livingstones that settled in Ontario, Canada in the 19th century are closely related to Dr. David Livingston. The only one I know of for certain is Dr. David's older brother John Livingstone who was born March 15, 1811 at Blantyre, Lanark Scotland and settled in Ontario,Canada in the 1840's? Sometime before 1860 in any event. Later records show at Listowel in North Perth County, Ontario where he apparently died. He married Sarah MacKenzie June 24th 1835 in Lanark, Scotland and he died Sept. 6, 1899 at Listowel. His known children were Neil b. 1835, Harriet b. 1837 d. 1840/1841 born in Glasgow, Scotland and the other born in Lanark County, Ontario: Janette b. 1839, Harriet b. 1841 David b. 1843, Agnes b. 1845, Henry b. 1847, Sarah b. 1849, John b. 1852, Charles b. 1853, Robert b. 1857.

Sons Henry and Charles moved to the States, but some descendants of John and Sarah's other children might still live in Ontario. I have not had the time to check this out yet. Any of these names ring any bells? More than a few people researching their Livingston roots suspect they are related somehow to Dr. Livingston. One of our cousins was convinced our Livingston family was related to him, but I havent found any evidence of our connection to his immediate family. My great-great-great grandfather Miles Livingston a native of Movern and Dr. Livingston's father Neil of Ulva possibly share the same MacLea/Livingstone ancestor on the nearby Island of Lismore, but one cannot be too certain of these things. My ancestor Miles Livingston dropped the e at the end of his name I believe sometime after he arrived in Canada in 1812. Some early record keepers however continued to record him as Miles Livingstone I noticed. I think Dr. Livingston or his father dropped the e also early on, but I forget the details about that.

[Andrew Lancaster4]

It is my impression that very few Scottish Livingston(e) families were consistent about whether to spell with an e or not, until after the time of Dr Livingston(e). (I thought he used the e normally?) Other spellings which appear mixed with the two more common ones of today were Leviston and Liveston - both less common now. Regards Andrew