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Beginners => Family History Beginners Board => Topic started by: teadealer on Sunday 27 July 08 10:05 BST (UK)

Title: Family name
Post by: teadealer on Sunday 27 July 08 10:05 BST (UK)

Hi everbody
The name Kilgour has often puzzled me as to why I had it as a christian name,my father also had it as a christian name,and when I asked he said it was an old family name.
So when I started to research the family tree I did find that my G.G.Gmother's maiden name was Kilgour from Fife,some have a middle name like John james etc.but mine seemed strange to have a surname as a middle name.
Anyhow I will stop gabbling on and get to the point Where does the name originate from and would those who have the Kilgour is there any connection.

Thanks all
Peter

Title: Re: Family name
Post by: RJ_Paton on Sunday 27 July 08 10:11 BST (UK)

According to Black's Surnames of Scotland the name Kilgour (kylgour, kilgor) originated in Kilgour in Fife and was most prevalent in Fife and Aberdeenshire with several prominent citizens of Aberdeen bearing the name in the 16th & 17 centuries.

There is also a tradition in some parts of Scotland for a surname to become a forename and often is used to demonstrate a link to that lineage although I note that you sign yourself "Peter" - If Kilgour is a middle name then again this is very common and again was used to continue a link with a branch of the family (for whatever reason) or to show respect to an individual.

Title: Re: Family name
Post by: teadealer on Sunday 27 July 08 10:37 BST (UK)

Thanks falkryn
Thanks for the explaintion,my maternal ancestors came from Kirkcaldy.My cousin has carried on the tradition and his son has the middle name of Kilgour.
It was justa long shot to see if there was any distant relatives.

Thanks
Peter

Title: Re: Family name
Post by: diddymiller on Sunday 27 July 08 14:45 BST (UK)

just as an example my grandfather was called:

David Cook Aitkin Young

Cook & Aitkin are both names carried through from ancestors in Fife.

Diddy (not a middle name but a family nickname!!)

Title: Re: Family name
Post by: justmej on Sunday 27 July 08 22:35 BST (UK)

Hi Peter

I have the surname of Kilgour appearing in my tree, way back - Mary Kilgour born 1809, daughter of James Kilgour born 1780, although both appear to have been born in Cramlington, Northumberland.

As for surnames being used as middle names, following on from the Kilgour line, the surname Patterson was given as a middle name, to various males in our family, until fairly recently.

justmej

Title: Re: Family name
Post by: teadealer on Monday 28 July 08 16:19 BST (UK)

Hi Justmej
An interesting subject these middle names,I have a few in my tree-----------Kilgour
                    Graham
                     Loch
                     Knight
                     Baronet
                     Smith
                     Braid
                     Brown
These are all of my Scottish Side

I shall have to delve into these again

Cheers
Peter

Title: Re: Family name
Post by: RJ_Paton on Monday 28 July 08 18:14 BST (UK)

Have a look at

International Genealogical Index -  Middle name Kilgour in Fife (http://freepages.genealogy.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~hughwallis/IGIScotland/Fife/K/Kilgour.htm#Title)

Title: Re: Family name
Post by: justmej on Monday 28 July 08 21:11 BST (UK)

Quote from: teadealer on Monday 28 July 08 16:19 BST (UK)

An interesting subject these middle names,I have a few in my tree-----------Kilgour
                    Graham
                     Loch
                     Knight
                     Baronet
                     Smith
                     Braid
                     Brown
These are all of my Scottish Side

Interesting!  From another line, my late brother had the name Knight as one of his middle names, which we never knew where it came from.  I found the person he was named after (I think!), who appears to have died shorly before my brother's birth, in Scotland.  I have not found any family connection to this name, so can only think he must have been a very close family friend, but Smiths - any amount of them and as this name has a close connection, they are certainly my nightmare and drive me mad!!  Keep giving them a 'rest'and then try again, every now and then.  ;D

justmej

Title: Re: Family name
Post by: bobkilgour on Friday 11 December 09 11:57 GMT (UK)

I am a Kilgour who is researching the male line of the family from Fife.
Apparently Falkland in Fife where the Kings of Scotland were crowned in ancient times used to be called Kilgour. In fact a small hamlet of a few houses nearby is still shown on my road map as Kilgour. There is just a farm there now, but there was an ancient churchyard at one time.
Apparently around the 500ad 'kill' meant Hill in viking and 'gour' meant goat. The place Kilgour meant hill of Goats and is on the slopes of the Lomond Hills in Fife.
I have traced my male line back to arond 1728 and all the family appear to stayed in roughly the same place give or take 20 miles until we moved to England for the coal mining in 1965. Most people in Fife through to mid victorian period were in the linen weaving and the Kilgours were no exception. Then they went into the mines where they stayed until my dad retired in the 1980's.
If that is any help as to the origins of the name, there you have it.