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Scotland (Counties as in 1851-1901) => Scotland => Topic started by: ROAN1949 on Friday 26 January 07 23:59 GMT (UK)
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Just a very broad-based question: Does anyone know if ROAN is a fairly common name in Scotland? At one time I thought one of my ancestors was a Scottish drover, driving cattle from Scotland down to London, with some sort of connection in Liverpool (where most of my family are from.) I think I was following the wrong Roans but there could be a link.
Thanks,
Tony Roan
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Hi Tony
It doesn't appear to be. I've just checked the births/baptisms on Scotlands People:
Roan:
1553-1854 - 107
1855-1906 - 122
I didn't use soundex :)
It might be worth thinking Rowan -
Same time periods with Rowan:
1167
1733
Gadget
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Thanks Gadget,
There is a bit of confusion with Roan/Rowan in our family. My father, who had about 15 brothers and sisters, all shown as Roan on their birth certificates, was registered as Rowan. They all had the same father. But it turned out that their father could have been a William Rowan! I suppose in those days, 1880s or there abouts, and before, when a lot of them couldn't read or write ( and maybe a deaf registrar!) there were bound to be spelling mistakes. Fascinating subject this family history, isn't it?
Thanks again,
Tony Roan
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there is 45 roan's on the 1841 census, most born scotland but a few born ireland
Joe
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Thanks I'll have a look. I might find something.
Ta,
TR
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The surname profiler has an interesting distribution in 1881:
http://www.rootschat.com/links/0167/
Gadget
http://www.spatial-literacy.org/UCLnames/
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Thanks again Gadget. What a fascinating site. Can learn a lot from that, especially if the surname isn't too common.
Tony,
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Did you look at the 1998 distribution. It looks like they are now mostly in Scotland.
It is a super site - I forgot about it in relation to your query until this morning :)
However, it does only show where most of them are/were rather than whether it is common or not. i still think it is quite uncommon but that would mean getting a total of all Roans and dividing that into the number of Scots - you fancy doing some sums on a wet Saturday afternoon ;D
Gadget
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I'm going to get a reputation for being a bit thick (no change there, then,) but what is Soundex?
Bearing in mind this question comes from someone who has worked in I.T. for the last 20 years!
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It's where an algorthm is used to find names that sound similar - they aren't always that bright mind :)
See:
http://www.scotlandspeople.gov.uk/content/help/index.aspx?r=551&562
or
http://www.scotlandspeople.gov.uk/content/help/index.aspx?r=551&662
Gadget
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Hi
Have been off-site for a few days and just noticed your post.
The name Roan is still fairly common in Kirkcudbrightshire and is quite distinct from Rowan and other variations.
Some of the Roans migrated up to Ayrshire and changed the family name to Rowan for some unknown reason, possibly because the Registrar was more familiar with the Irish name Rowan as they moved over from Ireland.
There is a Loch Roan and several place names where 'roan' is part of the name.
the earliest we have located my wife's family name is from the Will of a Samuel Rowan or Roan in Stroanfreggan near Carsphairn in 1780.
If you search on site for Richard Jamieson you will find another Roan - Janet (or Jessie) marrying him in 1862.
We have a William Roan m Catherin Wright in in Carroch Toll bar in 1841.
If any of these names rings a bell PM me.
Russell