Huguenot Links - Follas

[OTTO]

I'm trying to trace my Northern Ireland family name (Follas) and there have been indications (not to mention family mythology) that it may originate with the Huguenots - possibly from La Rochelle. 
I know the general history of the Huguenots' flight from France to various parts of Europe, Britain and Canada, BUT has anyone done any specific research into their settlement in Northern Ireland. 
Follis (with an 'i') is an unusual name in NI but spelt with an 'a' it is even more unusual.... although they may have the same origins.
Any comments and help appreciated.
Hilary

BIRTHS

Record Type Civil Birth
Date of Birth 17 Aug 1870
Name Jane FOLLAS
Gender F
Fathers Name William FOLLAS
Mothers Maiden Name Margaret SWINDLE
Civil District  Belfast
Sub District Belfast No 10
County Antrim
 

Record Type Civil Birth
Date of Birth 11 Oct 1871
Name Margaret FOLLAS
Gender F
Fathers Name William FOLLAS
Mothers Maiden Name Margaret SWINDLE
Civil District  Belfast
Sub District Belfast No 10
County Antrim


Date of Birth 20 Dec 1872
Name John FOLLAS
Gender M
Fathers Name William FOLLAS
Mothers Maiden Name Margaret SWINDLE
Civil District  Belfast
Sub District Belfast No 10
County Antrim

Date of Birth 21 Apr 1875
Name William FOLLAS
Gender M
Fathers Name John FOLLAS
Mothers Maiden Name Ann TURKINGTON
Civil District  Belfast
Sub District Belfast No 3
County Antrim

MARRIAGES

 1846 richard  BURNS 
 margaret  FOLLAS 
 Lurgan Armagh       
 
1846 thomas  FOLLAS 
 elizabeth  MCDOWELL 
 Lurgan Armagh       
 
1848 william  BAIRD 
 anne  FOLLAS 
 Lurgan Armagh       
 
1854 john  KERR 
 jane eliza  FOLLAS 
 Banbridge Down       
 
1874 john  CAMPBELL 
 isabella  FOLLAS 
 Belfast Antrim       
 
1874 john  FOLLAS 
 anna  TURKINGTON 
 Lurgan Armagh       
 
1880 william  FOLLAS 
 rebecca  FINLAY 
 Belfast Antrim       
 
1895 james  MULLAN 
 margaret  FOLLAS 
 Belfast Antrim       
 
1898 francis  DAWSON 
 jane  FOLLAS 
 Belfast Antrim       
 
1900 george  LAVERTY 
 ellen  FOLLAS 
 Belfast Antrim





1901 CENSUS

1901 Edward Follis 27 Enniskillen Town Enniskillen Fermanagh       
 
1901 Frederick R. Follis 20 Roosky Devenish Fermanagh       
 
1901 Maggie Follis 13 Derrygonnelly Inishmacsaint Fermanagh       
 
1901 Maggie E. Follis 46 Bohevny Cleenish Fermanagh       
 
1901 Margaret Follis 60 Roosky Devenish Fermanagh       
 
1901 Margaret Jane Follis  Minran Inishmacsaint Fermanagh       
 
1901 Gabriel Follis  Minran Inishmacsaint Fermanagh


BIRTHS
Birth Year  Name/s Gender Fathers Forenames Mothers Forenames Civil District  County

1866 Mary Ann FOLLIS F George Elizabeth Lurgan Armagh       
 
1869 Christiana FOLLIS F Gabriel Mary Jane Enniskillen Fermanagh       
 
1870 Sarah FOLLIS F George Eliza Lurgan Armagh       
 
1872 Francis George FOLLIS M George Eliza Lurgan Armagh       
 
1874 James FOLLIS M Moses Margaret Belfast Antrim       
 
1875 Lucinda FOLLIS F William Sarah Jane Lisnaskea Fermanagh       
 
1875 James FOLLIS M  Martha Belfast Antrim

MARRIAGES

Year of Marriage Groom Bride Civil District County
 1857 george  FOLLIS 
 elizabeth  NEWELL 
 Belfast Antrim       
 
1869 william  FOLLIS 
 margaret  SWINDLE 
 Belfast Down       
 
1873 george  FOLLIS 
 margaret  BELL 
 Lurgan Armagh       
 
1873 william  VAUGHAN 
 mary  FOLLIS 
 Lurgan Armagh       
 
1882 robert  GRAHAM 
 charlotte  FOLLIS 
 Lurgan Armagh       
 
1882 john  FOLLIS 
 lizzie  HAMILTON 
 Belfast Antrim       
 
1885 george  FOLLIS 
 jane eliza  JENNINGS 
 Lurgan Down       
 
1891 henry  CUNNINGHAM 
 margaret  FOLLIS 
 Lurgan Armagh       
 
1892 david  ARCHER 
 margaret  FOLLIS 
 Lurgan Armagh       
 
1896 george  FOLLIS 
 margaret  PARKS 
 Lurgan Armagh       
 
1896 richard  FOLLIS 
 sarah  TATE 
 Lurgan Armagh       
 
1896 james  FOLLIS 
 mary anne  SMITH 
 Belfast Antrim       
 
1898 william  MCCULLOUGH 
 jane  FOLLIS 
 Belfast Antrim       
 
1901 joshua  FOLLIS 
 sarah jane  CAMPBELL 
 Lurgan Armagh       
 
1905 thomas edward  FOLLIS 
 sarah  MORROW 
 Enniskillen Fermanagh       
 
1906 samuel  GLASS 
 margaret  FOLLIS 
 Lurgan Armagh       
 
1907 william  FOLLIS 
 sarah  CORDNER 
 Lurgan Armagh       
 
1908 john  FOLLIS 
 emma  PATTERSON 
 Lurgan Armagh     
   
 1913 edward  EVANS 
 mary sylvia  FOLLIS 
 Belfast Antrim       
 
1915 alexander  HOWE 
 kate  FOLLIS 
 Enniskillen Fermanagh       
 
1916 william  ROBINSON 
 margaret  FOLLIS 
 Lurgan Armagh

1909 robert  BENTLEY 
 eliza  FOLLIS 
 Lurgan Armagh       
 
1912 william john  CHISHOLM 
 margaret  FOLLIS 
 Belfast Antrim


Good luck
OTTO

[halfkiwi]

Hi Otto,
and very many thanks for your efforts.   Some of them I recognise right away as my great-aunts & great-uncles (4 of each);  and I will sift through the rest to see where they fit into my family.

Again, many thanks,
Hilary

[Christopher]

Hi Hilary,

Have a look at the website of Stan Follis ... it mentions Fallis and Follis families ... http://freepages.genealogy.rootsweb.com/~sfollis/follis/follis_families.html

Christopher 

[halfkiwi]

Hi Christopher,

Thanks for that link .... I'll start wading through it tomorrow.  I've not heard of a family member who emigrated to America early on, but my grandfather, Abraham Lunn Follas, was a engineer in the British merchant navy;  the story goes that he went to USA at some stage and won a massive lottery - and, of course, went through it quickly!  BUT, as you know, family history lies a lot, so I'm not holding my breath on that one.  All I really know about him is that he handed my mother over to HIS mother to raise when his wife died after childbirth and then apparently went back to sea. 

Meantime, I think I've found the death registration of my g-grandmother on my father's side of the family.  I always assumed they came from the London area - Tottenham until a search showed that G-gran Hardy first pops up in the 1871 Census as Mary Hardy (widow plus 5 children) all from Co. Clare.  I just recently found what I think is the right notice and am now waiting (impatiently) for the certificate to arrive in the mail. 

If its right, I MAY get some more info about Mary Hardy or her husband.  At present I don't even know his christian name.   However, there's a lot of ifs and buts in this - even for an optimist like me!
Thanks for your continuing help.  I'm slowly working my way through it all but its taken a bit longer than anticipated due to work, family illness etc.  I'll get there in the end.

Cheers,  Hilary.

[Nantucket]

1892 david  ARCHER 
 margaret  FOLLIS 
 Lurgan Armagh       

Which you have mentioned are ancestors of mine I wanted to know any other information you may have on them , also to note david archer married before he married maragret Follis , and I wanted to know who he married before this? I hope you could help.?

thanks David

[halfkiwi]

Hi David,
The Archer/Follis marriage was one of many sent to me as possible connections - unfortunately, I've not been able to find any connection or mention of an Archer in the family (so far).  If I do, I'll certainly let you know.
Meanwhile, have you looked at the NEW Mormon website which they are running as a pilot, as it has info on the bmd registrations for Ireland.  You'll find it at

   http://pilot.familysearch.org/recordsearch/start.html#p=home

It's worth a look. 
Cheers, and good luck,
Hilary

[Chis34]

Hi
Just discovered this site and the information on the Follis name.
I'm researching my family through the Chisholm's and Margaret Seaton Follis is (was) my grandmother.
She married William John Chisholm on 6th September 1912 at Carnmoney and died on 24th August 1971. She is buried in Knockbreda graveyard.
 
If anyone has any further information on the direct line of Follis's or Chisholm's I would be delighted to hear from you.

David

[Chis34]

Thank-you to all who replied especially by PM
I hope to reply individually but am unable to send PM until I have posted at least three times (here's no 2)
Have found the Follis family in the 1911 cencus and it ties up with family history (and heresay).
The possible Huguenot connection is interesting!
Thanks and I'll get back to you asap.

[Nantucket]

I am looking for a Richard Follis of Northern Ireland , he was born around 1830.He married a Charlotte Thompson. Apparently they were in the 1901 census, I would love for someone to look-up the 1901 census for them. They would have been in their 70s and living in Co Armagh.

Cheers David