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Scotland (Counties as in 1851-1901) => Scotland => Wigtownshire => Topic started by: Auchencrieff on Tuesday 17 September 24 11:27 BST (UK)

Title: McHarg
Post by: Auchencrieff on Tuesday 17 September 24 11:27 BST (UK)
In 1855 Alexander McHarg appeared to have committed a crime in Wigtownshire. Can anyone shed some light on this. Much appreciated
Title: Re: McHarg
Post by: Comberton on Tuesday 17 September 24 11:53 BST (UK)
You can order a copy of the original for £5 from Scottish Indexes.
https://www.scottishindexes.com/prisontranscript.aspx?prisonid=240101619

Links to the site on FindMyPast and Ancestry.
Title: Re: McHarg
Post by: Auchencrieff on Tuesday 17 September 24 12:12 BST (UK)
Many thanks. It appears you need to pay with PayPal which I don’t have.
Title: Re: McHarg
Post by: manukarik on Tuesday 17 September 24 12:37 BST (UK)
It must be a myth - I'd always been led to believe the McHargs were originally Grahams. After being caught for cattle rustling they were ousted from the clan and shifted the order of the name and added a "c" to become McHarg. But on searching I can find no evidence of that!
Title: Re: McHarg
Post by: Elwyn Soutter on Tuesday 17 September 24 13:30 BST (UK)
It must be a myth - I'd always been led to believe the McHargs were originally Grahams. After being caught for cattle rustling they were ousted from the clan and shifted the order of the name and added a "c" to become McHarg. But on searching I can find no evidence of that!


That same story is prevalent in Ulster where there are plenty of McHargs and Grahams.  In Ulster most of the Grahams were from the Scottish Borders and, along with many others in that area, were moved to Ireland in the early 1600s by James I because of their Border Reiving tendencies. That much is true. Some are supposed to have objected and reversed their names in protest but I don’t think there’s any evidence to support that.

MacLysaght’s “The Surnames of Ireland” says McHarg is a Co. Tyrone name and a variation of Maharg. See McIlhagga.” McIlhagga is described as: “A Scottish name found in Counties Antrim & Derry. McElhargy, McIlhargy & Maharg are all variants of it.”