Death Record Question

[harvester86]

I was reviewing a death record and became perplexed as to what I saw, and I was hoping you could help me out. I saw that the name of the deceased was listed as "Alexander McIntosh or Crerar" and the father was listed as "Donald McIntosh or Crerar" Why does it say "or Crerar". And furthermore what does the MS mean as listed next to the mother in the image?

[bleckie]

Hi Harvester
MS next to mothers name = Maiden Surname
Yours Aye
BruceL

[Ruskie]

Um, that's unusual. As the mother's maiden surname is McIntosh, I would have said that Alexander may have been illegitimate, however they ALL have McIntosh or Crerar as a surname so that theory doesn't fit. I'll be interested to see what other suggestions you get. What does it say on Alexander's birth cert?

[Romilly]

Interesting to note that the Scottish Poet, Duncan MacGregor Crerar (or MacIntosh) also had these names...

Was there a link perhaps?

See:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Duncan_MacGregor_Crerar

Romilly.

[Gadget]

Hi

I'm not all that up on Clan histories but wonder if this has a bearing:

Surnames regarded as septs (sub-branch) of the Mackintosh clan include Ayson, Crerar,

http://www.rampantscotland.com/clans/blclanmacintosh.htm

So that the family were originally Crerar but changed to McIntosh at some point.  I came across this with two other  Scots surnames a while back


Gadget

[Cambron]

From names of Breadalbane

CRERAR, alias Mclntosh.  G. Mcachrerar. Rev. Allan Sinclair of Kenmore tells that the Crerars, who were numerous around Kenmore and Acharn, were descended from a Mclntosh of Monivaird who came over the hills to escape from justice. He took refuge from his pursuers in the mill of Acharn. In order to conceal him the miller shook meal over him, and placed the sieve in his hands, and told him to carry on sifting the meal. The pursuers arrived, entered the mill, but failed to identify the fugitive. He settled down at Acharn, and was ever after known as An Criaihrear, "The Sifter." 1541, John McAchrerar had half of Balinlagan; 1579, Donald, Remon ; 1644, Patrick, Carnbane; Gillechreist, Ardtalnaig;  John Dow, Ten-Shilling Land; Donald, Tullich (Ardtalnaig). The last named was the only man to possess a gun on Muster Roll of 1644. 1769, John, Morenish; Donald, Edramuckie; Donald, Balnasuim (Lawers); John, Ardeonaig; Alexander, Claggan;  Donald, Tomflower; Patrick, Callelochan; Patrick, Balnasuim (Kenmore).

[Ruskie]

That's interesting and seems to make sense, however why would anyone make a point of noting this alias on a death certificate in 1874?

[MonicaL]

My MacDonald ancestors from the Moidart area were originally MacIsaac. They used either surname from the 1841 census (Roman Catholic, hard to trace before then  ) to census or BMD registrations through to the late 1870s. Their surname 'MacIsaac or MacDonald' was recorded that way on a number of registrations. By the 1880s, the use of MacIsaac fell away.

Monica 

[Cambron]

The birth certificate for Alexander uses McIntosh but interestingly there is another Alexander McIntosh on the same page and the father is given as John Crerar crossed out and overwritten with McIntosh.
Both families use McIntosh in later censuses.

Who was the death witness/informant?

In my own tree my people stopped using their patronimic alias along with the clan name around 1800 having had both in use from at least 1610.