MacDonald alias MacNeils in Boleskine OPRs what does this mean?

[GordonSandison]

I am looking at the OPRs for Boleskine, in particular a series of births between 1793 & 1811. The mother is listed as Betty McDonald (or occasionally McDugal or McDowal). The father is consistently recorded as "Donald MacDonald alias MacNeil". I also found another birth listed in the same date range in the same parish with the father listed as "John MacDonald alias MacNeil".
Does anyone know what this McDonald alias MacNeil would mean?
My initial thought was that perhaps Donald was illegitimate and these were the names of his parents but when I found John McDonald alias McNeil this seemed less likely.

If anyone out there can shed some light on this it would be greatly appreciated.
Thanks
Gordon

[teaurn]

Hi GordonSandison,

Welcome to Rootschat

When you found John Mcdonald what made you think his name was less likely to do with his parents.

Could you please provide a little more detail about what you know

Teaurn

[Skoosh]

Gordon, they're still possibly using their patronymic here, Donald son of Donald son of Neil, although its a bit late, possibly they had little use for the surname if they had one.  Many people can still recite their "sloinneaidh", patronymic, but this is of no use in a formal situation, a tenancy for example, when a surname was needed for the rent book....Skoosh.

[GordonSandison]

Hi Teaurn,

All I really know is that Donald MacDonald alias MacNeil was a butcher in Bunoich, Boleskine who had 6 children baptised between 05/05/1793 & 22/07/1811.
I initially thought the alias may have been due to illegitimacy and that MacDonald and MacNeil were the surnames of both of Donalds parents. The discovery of John, I felt, made this less likely as one "accident" with no marriage is pretty common but two would surely usually indicate a longer term relationship and result in a marriage (unless of course John & Donald were twins!). 

Thanks
Gordon

[GordonSandison]

Hi Skoosh,

Thanks for the reply. I've just gone and done a bit of digging around on patronymics in Scotland as I had not come across them on any of the other branches of the family who are all from similar areas (or the north of Scotland) and many of which I've tracked back to 1700 or so. It's definitely a possibility and I did find this interesting article

http://freepages.family.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~johnmc46lc/PART%201HIDDEN%20FAMILIES.html

which is more to do with RC families in upper Banffshire but it does explain that many aliases were in the form "family name" alias "patronymic" which would suggest that Donald & John McDonald may have been sons of Neil McDonald.

I'll get back to the IGI and see if I can find any results that match that theory.

Oh one question - is sloinneaidh gaelic for patronymic? Google drew a blank on it!
Thanks again
Gordon

[Skoosh]

Gordon, my Gaelic dictionary gives, "act or mode of tracing ones pedigree" the  link you give is interesting as a Laird of Grant had been encouraging his tenants to take the Grant surname, very awkward when half the district has the same name. Surnames ware a late arrival in the Highlands, the folk knew very well who they were without one and a patronymic might go back centuries and told much more about a family than a surname. If people were cotters perhaps and never appeared on a Rental there would be no pressure from a factor to adopt one. Sons of a family would need one if joining the army or if their status rose on attaining a lease. Donald Macdonald's being a butcher (another innovation) in a country district, would surely by 1800 have had a surname to go with it! slainte...Skoosh.

[pfwgrant]

Hi Gordon: is this your family? I am also descended from these Macdonell/ Macdonald alias McNeills.  I thought that the "alias McNeill" is a hereditary patronymic i.e. denoting a descent from a particular Macdonell or Macdonald ancestor.  However I haven't been able to find a recognised branch of the Glengarry Macdonells or perhaps Keppoch Macdonalds who used this hereditary patronymic, so perhaps my theory is incorrect!  Would like to compare notes with you and learn of your descent.    Kind regards, Peter Grant (London UK / Dunedin New Zealand)

[Skoosh]

Gordon, I think that they're Macdonalds but ,there being so many in the parish, they have distinguished themselves as Macneil, this could be from a very recent Neil Macdonald ancestor, The presence of the Fort would have encouraged a variety of trades to service the Military, a butcher being one.....Skoosh.

[GordonSandison]

Hi Gordon: is this your family? I am also descended from these Macdonell/ Macdonald alias McNeills.  I thought that the "alias McNeill" is a hereditary patronymic i.e. denoting a descent from a particular Macdonell or Macdonald ancestor.  However I haven't been able to find a recognised branch of the Glengarry Macdonells or perhaps Keppoch Macdonalds who used this hereditary patronymic, so perhaps my theory is incorrect!  Would like to compare notes with you and learn of your descent.    Kind regards, Peter Grant (London UK / Dunedin New Zealand)

Hi Peter,

I'm not totally sure if Donald MacDonald alias MacNiel was my Great x4 Grandfather!
 
I do know that my Great x3 Grandfather was a Donald MacDonald born in Boleskine c1796. Acording to his death certificate (1862 Knockbain, Ross-shire) his parents were Donald MacDonald and Margaret MacDonald. It was searching for this family that lead me to the MacDonalds alias MacNeil. There were only 4 Donald MacDonald births's in the OPRs for Boleksine in the 1790's and off these one has a father named Donald and a mother with maiden name MacDonald. This is Donald MacDonald alias MacNeil and Betty MacDonald. So it's not a certain match as the mothers maiden name is Betty rather that Margaret but it is possible that the informant on the death certificate got this detail wrong.

How are you related to the MacDonald alias Macneils?

Regards,
Gordon