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Beginners => Family History Beginners Board => Topic started by: Numan on Saturday 03 April 10 10:37 BST (UK)
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The surname Bangor comes in my family in Virginia/West Virginia, USA , in the 1860's. I figure his birth year was at least 1845 or earlier. No first name is known to me, just his children in census stating 'father born' WV and another census stating 'born Ohio'.
I am at a complete standstill with him so far. Years ago, an Aunt of mine told me her Grandfather William Bangor (b.1865-67) was a 'Scot', as she told it.
William Bangor's father is the mystery man-I can't even find a marriage certificate for his mom and the mystery man. Which led me to believe she never married him, just assumed his name. later census she says she a widow.
When I research the name Bangor I get geographical matches, or none.
Any help or suggestions will be very appreciated! Thanks-Numan
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Like a great many surnames, it's almost certainly geographical in origin. There is a Bangor in Wales as well as in Ireland.
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According to the censii Bang(o)er originates Devon/Somerset.Hardly anything elsewhere.
jim
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Hi
There are a few Bangor familes in various Scottish census around the Glasgow and Midlothian areas.
Also a William Banger sailed from Glasgow on SS Osprey arriving NY on 29 April 1857.
He was 24 years old, making his birth year about 1833. He was accompanied by Henrietta Banger. I assume this was his wife.
This 'e' could be a spelling or transcribing error.
I'm not sure these dates fit too well but it does mean there could well be a Scottish connection
:)
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Good morning! Thanks for all the replies. :)
I wrote all the info down. Everything always helps. The mystery man's son is named William. hmmm..info to remember!
The man is never in the census with the children and their mother...makes me think he's jumping in and out of their lives...the civil war was going on...or maybe he was married.
I am hopeful someday I will know.
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There's a Bangour in Lanarkshire, possible origin?.......Skoosh.
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Interesting! Thanks!
is Bangour a surname or a place? actually I don't know where Lanarkshire is... oh, so much to learn, so little time! -Numan
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Lanarkshire was a county in Scotland, since divided into North and South Lanarkshire. It forms part of the Scottish Lowlands and sits between the aforementioned Glasgow, as well as Edinburgh, the captial :)
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Thank-you for the reply about Lanarkshire.
I am learning so much from all of you! :)
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There were only 10 people called Bangor in the 1881 Census, distributed as shown on this map from the "Surname Atlas" by Genmap.
Stan
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Scotlands people index shows from 1513-2006
Bangor - 8 entries
Banger - 24 entries
Bangour 0 entries
Black's Surnames of Scotland doesn't have an entry for the name at all
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Hiya...I hate to dissolusion you all but I live in Garston ,Liverpool........Bangor family from Liverpool in 1820`s...and Liverpool was one of the main places people sailed to America from...go to
http://www.lan-opc.org.uk/Search/indexp.html and on the home page press on click to search all parishes..the first BANGOR in Liverpool is a babtism of Mary Jane Bangor 23rd May 1821....at St Peters church...father John Bangor-mother Jane...Johns occupation is Mariner..ALSO they have a son William who was born in May 1832 who dies and is buried 11th Mar 1834....
.so so many sailors settled in Liverpool at that time as Liverpool was the busiest port in Europe.....so your Bangor could have been a scouser...lol.....this name is as transcribed as Bangor / Banger . Bang / and even Bung on lancs-opc.....just a little info to say that Bangor surname could be from anywhere in UK in the 1850`s...that`s only my opinion....allan :)
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Just looked on familysearch.org and the Scottish majority from Canongate,Edingburgh...allan
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Thanks for all the info and the link to that site-it was fun reading it. I don't know what a scouser is, but maybe the same as I think about our mystery Bangor. He impacted our whole family line with his fathering but managed to stay under all records radar for years! Not that I give up, tho.... ;D
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Scouser - native of Liverpool :)
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http://bangorinfo.com/history.html
Above is from a site talking about how Bangor, Maine, USA got its name.
While waiting to present the petition in Boston, Noble -- an organist and composer -- began whistling one of his favorite tunes: "Bangor," a Welsh hymn written by Tans'ur. In Welsh, "Bangor" means "high choir." In Celtic, "Bangor" means "the white choir."
Nick
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Ok, so a scouser isn't what I thought! But the real meaning is better.
I don't think our Mystery Bangor was born out of the US, but that's only because of his wife and kids stating his birthplace on censuses, as being West Virginia and/or Ohio, USA, depending on the census year.
I lived in Maine (not Bangor) for a few years, so that link to Bangor's name origin was fun. I will share this with my friends from Maine, in case they don't know of it.
Thanks for the link.
I have new avenues to explore now about our Mystery Bangor's roots. All I need now is his first name! ;D -Numan
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Your Bangor ancestors were probably from Bangor in Wales and acquired the name when people were identified from their place of domicile eg Ralph of Chester, David of Bangor etc The Scottish origin is probably a red herring. My g.g.grandmother was supposed to be Scottish but came in fact from Newcastle on Tyne. The Northumbrian accent has a Scottish resonance to people who are unfamiliar with either.