Duncan Sinclair Darroch, born Kilian nr Inveraray, 1874

[Dougs123]

Duncan Sinclair Darroch was born 31 Jan 1874 in the farm steading called Kilian or St. Johns 4 miles west of Inveraray. His mother is given as Mary Darroch. Father is not listed. Mary Darroch is listed at French Farland as a servant with her birth place as Inveraray.

Duncan became Duncan Campbell, does anyone know if he was adopted.

[loobylooayr]

Hi there and welcome to Rootschat
Have you looked for Duncan  aged approx 6 or 7 on the 1881 Census. This should tell you who he was living with at that time.
I don't think there was any kind of formal adoption at this period. Babies would be raised by others (relatives, friends, neighbours) without any legal paperwork.
When did Duncan change his name to Campbell? Campbell could be his natural father's surname. Not unusual for children born out of wedlock to use  and be known by their father's name although it wasn't on the birth cert.
Equally his mother could have married a Mr Campbell and Duncan may have taken his stepdad's name.

Finding him on the 1881 and 1891 Censuses would be a good start 
Looby

[Dougs123]

Thanks, I can not find Duncan on 1881, 1891 census but I got him as Duncan Campbell on.1901 in Renfrew. He later married jean mcneill . On his marriage he lists his father as Archibald Campbell, however if he was given the middle name of Sinclair I would have thought the father would also be a Sinclair.

I have spent weeks trying to find Duncan on 1881, and 1891 census, trying various surnames Campbell, Darroch andSinclair with no luck.

[loobylooayr]

Hi again,
There is a boy of the name Duncan Campbell  approx.year of birth 1874 at Urquhart Invernesshire . This boy is born in Argyllshire  https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.1.1/KM66-MP1
Maybe you've ruled him out already. I don't have access to the original Census, but I think he may be with a family of Campbells 

The middle name Sinclair could be a nod to his natural father's surname but the Scots were very keen on calling their children after grandparents, so Sinclair could be a family name from Mary Darroch's side.
Have you found Mary with her family on earlier Censuses? What are their names (if you have)? Quite often grandparents reared their illegitimate grandchildren .
Looby

[loobylooayr]

This could be a longshot but ....trial and error on a free search on Scotlands People has led to me finding a marriage of a Mary Darroch to a Hugh Dawson at Inveraray in 1878.
There is a Mary Dawson on the 1881 Census at Lochgilphead, Argyll https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.1.1/KMKG-RBX

there is also a Duncan Dawson   https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.1.1/KMKG-RBF 

Could this be your boy using his stepfather's surname??

Looby

[MonicaL]

Looby, just filling in with what you found from 1881:

Hugh Dawson 33 fisherman, b. Ardrishaig, Argyll
Mary Dawson 31 b. Kilean G, Argyll
Duncan Dawson 6 b. Kilean G, Argyll
John McNeil 16 nephew b. Glasgow
Hugh Dawson 63 father, formerly fisherman b. Lochgilphd G, Argyll
Maria Dawson 60 mother b. Kilbrandon G, Argyll

Address: Thomsons Land 4th Floor, Lochgilphead, South Knapdale

Good find I think for a possible marriage for Duncan's mother very likely 

Monica

[loobylooayr]

Yes that's looking quite positive for Duncan (born Darroch) living with his mother and stepfather in 1881.
Could be that Duncan's natural father was an Archibald Campbell and that for some reason he decided at some point in his life to revert to using his surname. Proving his parentage would not be easy. Kirk Session records perhaps??

Think I've found Mary Darroch/Dawson's death in 1923 in Lochgilphead aged 78. That would give Dougs123 her parents names - I've a suspicion her father was a Duncan Darroch hence her son's first name. Still haven't fathomed out where the Sinclair came from

Looby

[MonicaL]

That should all help Looby 

1891, and there are some possibilities for Duncan such as:

Duncan Campell, 17, farm servant b. Inverary at Dalchenna Farm.

Monica

[Dougs123]

Please confirn , Killian G. Is Killian Glasary. If so, I do not now how you found this but this is fantastic.So

Duncan Sinclair Darroch > Duncan Dawson > Duncan Campbell