Origins of Protestant Families arounf Ballymena and Portglenone

[Leigh P]

Could someone please explain the orgin of the protestant families around Portglenone and Ballymena? Where did they come from and when?

Names I'm interested in are Swan(n), Gault and Miller/Millar.

Thankyou,

Leigh

[Elwyn Soutter]

Starting around 1610 there was a huge influx into Ulster of people from Scotland and a much smaller influx from England, in a process called the Plantation of Ulster. There are plenty of web sites which will give you some background on this. Essentially it was a process encouraged by the then King (James 1 of England/James 6th of Scotland) to subdue Ireland, change the culture and also occupy vacant land left by the flight of the Earls. County Antrim (which covers Portglenone and Ballymena) took particularly high numbers of Scottish settlers. One estimate reckons that at least 100,000 Scots settled in Ulster as a result of the Plantation. They tended to come from the lowlands of Scotland rather than the Highlands, for a variety of reasons eg they were assumed to be more compliant and law abiding than Highlanders and they tended to have a better command of English (Highlanders in the 1600s would mostly speak Gaelic). Leases in Ireland tended to be more generous or flexible and this was one of the factors used an inducements to encourage settlers in Ulster.

A clue as to your ancestors likely background is their religion. A high percentage of Scots were presbyterians, and would attend Presbyterian churches in Ireland. Protestant English settlers were more likely to attend Church of Ireland churches (which is essentially the C of E in Ireland) or, later, one of the other Protestant churches.


Elwyn

[Leigh P]

Thankyou Elwyn,

My Antrim ancestors were Presbyterian so that would make them likely of Scottish heritage from what you have told me.

Thanks again,

Leigh

[Bhoy]

As regards the names you posted: Gault is strongly suggestive of a Scots background, Miller/Millar fairly so and Swann not so; but, none of these is conclusive on its own.

[Leigh P]

Thanks Bhoy. I have seen mention of Scottish Swans, mainly around Edinburgh.But did think Gault to be of Scottish origin.

Regards

Leigh

[Skoosh]

Leigh, these are all Scottish surnames. Antrim & Down were not in fact part of the official Plantation of Ulster
www.hamiltonmontgomery1606.com
some interesting stuff.     Skoosh.

[Leigh P]

Thanks Skoosh,

I've just read about the Hamilton and Montgomery settlements of Down and Antrim. Very interesting, I didn't know anything about it until now. So ti would appear my ancestors were originally from Scotland.

My great great grandfather was Alexander Swan of Carmagrim, near Portglenone and great great grandmother was Margaret Gault of Ahoghill.They emigrated to Australia in 1856.

Regards

Leigh

Leigh

[Skoosh]

Leigh, they could be from as near as Galloway, the landowners of the Townland they lived on might give a clue to their origin. The Adair's for example were Galloway lairds who crossed to Antrim and would have taken their tenants (or younger sons) with them.    Skoosh.

[MaggieTag]

Leigh,

There is a lot of info on the plantation on line, however Counties Antrim and Down were not included in this official Govt scheme. These counties had previously seen an influx of Presbyterians from Scotland fleeing religious persecution and I think it would be fair to say that Antrim & Down were "privately planted" by these families. A few generations later many of these Ulster Scots folk again upped sticks for better lives in North America and were some of the earliest Irish settlers in the new world. Again there is a lot online about the early Ulster Scots in America. All very interesting stuff!

Margaret