My Grandchildren's Ancestry

Compiled by Gordon Wilkinson 

Principal Family Names of Interest:

DAVIS, GROSSER, HANSEL, KENNEDY, McBEATH, McCULLOUGH, MILLAR, MILNE, MORROW, O'HARA, WILKINSON & WINCHESTER.

    What started out as a project to record the living memory of my Wilkinson family has lead to a much expanded search of related family lines. Naturally the lineages are important, but what interests me more are the migration routes and the reasons for moving from one's birthplace. In the latter I haven't been very successful, but the former has taken me (both virtually and actually) to many parts of the globe.

    An intriguing feature I have uncovered, is the number of marriages which occur between like ancestors. It's not unexpected that partners chose those with similar cultural background, of course. Rather, what I mean is, a particular line or lines may have migrated independently, and after some generations, descendants link up, completely unaware (at least initially) that their forebears came from similar geographical areas and cultural backgrounds.

    My own great-grandparents, for example, came from near Dungannon in the Blackwater region around the cross-border town of Moy in County Tyrone and Armagh, Ireland. The grand-families lived barely 10 km apart in the 19th century, yet had no connection with each other. The next generation of both moved to Belfast and it was their children who later met up and in the 20th century became my parents. Coincidences like these have surfaced from time to time in my journey through family history.

    It's a fascinating history with origins (principally, but not exclusively) in Ireland, Scotland, England, Wales, Northern Europe and Scandinavia. Some lines I can only trace back to the early 19th and late 18th centuries before hitting the proverbial 'brick wall', yet others go back to the 8thC. The diaspora includes the British Isles, but now spreads to the 'New World' of Australia, New Zealand, Canada and USA.

    I am indebted to relatives, friends and even strangers, who have contributed to these pages and helped provide information for the various family lines. Once one gets a reputation as "Family Historian" it's difficult to lose. Marriages bring in additional family names other than one's own, and these lineages can be just as interesting as patronymic ones.

BARRY, BEAMISH, BOYLE, BLENEY, BLUNDELL, BROWN, CONINGSBY, COX, CLEMSON, DAVIES/DAVIS/DAVIE/DAVYS, DE LA BERE, DETTMAN, FRENCH, FRIEND, FOULKE, GONDOLF, GROOMBRIDGE, GROSSER, HANSEL, HAWTHORNE, HEWSON, HOBSON, KENNEDY, LODDER, McBEATH/McBETH, McCULLOCH/McULLOUGH/McCULLOUGH, McKAY, McMURTRIE, MAYNARD, MILLER/MILLAR, MILNE, MINIFIE, MORROW, O'HARA, O'SULLIVAN, O'LEARY, PEACOCK, PERCY, PURCELL, RICHARDSON, RIVERS, RUDDELL, SCHEIBEL, SCUDAMORE, SHERMAN, STANNARD, STRUTHURS/STOTHERS, TRAVERS, WHITE, WILKINSON, WINCHESTER, WRIGHT, ZIMMER.

    If you have any ancestral information that you think may relate to the above, then I would appreciate your contacting me, Gordon Wilkinson.

    The spelling of family names has not always been consistent in the uncovered documents, so care must be taken. I have also adopted certain conventions to simplify my own record-keeping and searchs. An example of this is in the use of the anglicised term 'of' for the French 'de' as for example "of Normandy" in place of "de Normandie". Transcription also provides opportunities for mistakes, even in certified documents and census returns, as for example, in writing "Harrow" instead of "O'Hara", "Shayble for Scheibel" and "Murray" for "Morrow". Literacy was not wide-spread in the past and strong accents could be misunderstood by those recording the names.

    The main Family Trees I've been working on are:

Wilkinson-Morrow-McBeath-Millar-Kennedy
Milne-Davis-Winchester

        The full version of the various ancestry trees is ~ 2 Gb and not available on-line.

    The main families' movements (abridged):

Wilkinson: York (Yorkshire, England) > Dungannon (Tyrone, Ireland) > Belfast (Down, Ireland) > Melbourne (Victoria, Australia) > Adelaide (South Australia)

Morrow: Timulkenny (Armagh, Ireland) > Glasgow (Lanarkshire, Scotland) > Belfast (Down, Ireland) > Geelong (Victoria, Australia)

McBeath: Cumber (Londonderry, Ireland) > Belfast (Down, Ireland)// Polk (Nebraska, USA) > Denver (Colorado, USA)

Milne: Drumoak (Aberdeenshire, Scotland) > Sydney (New South Wales, Australia)

Davis: Shrewsbury (Shropshire, England) >Cork (Cork, Ireland) > London (Middlesex, England) > Christchurch (Canterbury, NZ) > Newcastle (New South Wales, Australia)

Winchester: Keston (Kent, England) > Sydney (New South Wales, Australia)

Surnames in the Family

    Besides the primary family names of interest, other surnames appear in my ancestry database of around 8000 people. Most of these are listed below, generally getting only a brief mention in the full (off-line) version:

ABERNETHY, ACLAND, ADAMS, ALDWORTH, ALLEN, AMUNDSON, APSLEY, ASHE, ATKINS, AUSTIN,

BACH, BADHAM, BAILEY, BAIRD, BAKER, BAMFORD, BAOUER, BARBER, BARNES, BARRINGTON, BARRY, BARTER, BARTHOLD, BARTLETT, BARTUSCH, BATT, BAYLEY, BEAMISH, BEARD, BECKINSALE, BEDINGFELD, BELL, BELLOT, BENNETT, BENSON, BERNARD, BETHUNE, BEVERSHAM, BIGGS, BINGHAM, BIRCH, BLACK, BLAKE, BLASCHKE, BLENNERHASSETT, BLUNDELL, BORROWES, BOULCOTT, BOURKE, BOURNE, BOWER, BOWYER, BOYCE, BOYLE, BRADBURY, BRADSHAW, BRAGG, BRANDENBURGH, BRENNAN, BRENTON, BRINTON, BROCKET, BROOKE, BROWN, BRUCE, BUNTER, BURGESS, BURTON, BUTTERFIELD,

CADE, CADOGAN, CAHILL, CALVER, CALVERT, CAMPBELL, CANDY, CAPET, CAREY, CARLILE, CARLSON, CAROLINGS, CARPENTER, CASHMAN, CASSAN, CAVENDISH, CECERE, CECIL, CHAMBERS, CHANT, CHICHESTER, CHILLINGWORTH, CHOLMONDELEY, CHRISTMAS, CHURCHILL, CLARK, CLARKE, CLAYTON, CLEMSON, CLLEUGH, CLIFFORD, CLOTWORTHY, COE, COGAN, COLE, COLLIER, COLLINS, COLMAN, COLTHURST, CONDON, CONNOLLY, COTTAM, COURTHORPE, COX, COXE, COYLE, CRABB, CRAWFORD, CREASE, CREPON, CROAKE, CROFTON, CROFTS, CROKER, CROOKE, CROSBY, CROSSLEY, CROTALL, CROUCH, CRUMP, CULPEPPER, CUNNINGHAM, CUSACK,

DAGWELL, DALMS, DALY, DARCY, DAVID, DAVIES, DAVIS, DAVYS, DAVIES-YELVERTON, DAWSON, DE BARRY, DE CONTEVILLE, DE DAGSBOURG, DE MAINE, DE QUEROUAILLE, DE SALIS, DEANE, DENNISON, DENNY, DETTMAN, DICK, DIETRICH, DIGBY, DODWELL, DONNAN, DORAN, DORKING, DORMAN-POTTER, DOWNES, DOWNIE, DRUMMOND, DUFF, DUMEERESQUE, DUNNE, DUROSE,

EALES, ELLARD, ELLISON, ELTIS, ERWIN, EVANS, EVELEIGH, EVELINE, EYRE,

FARQUHAR, FARRA, FARRELL, FARTHING, FELIX, FENTON, FERRAR, FISCHER, FISH, FITZGERALD, FITZROY, FITSIMONS, FLEMING, FOOTE, FOOTT, FORBES, FOSCRARINI, FOULKE, FOWLER, FOX, FRANCIS, FRANKLIN, FREEING, FREEMAN, FREKE, FRENCH, FREYBURG, FRIEND, FURRAL,

GABBETT, GALWAY, GANDY, GARBUTT, GARDNER, GASH, GAYEN, GEARY, GEORGE, GERRARD, GIBBS, GIERSCH, GILLMAN, GLASGOW, GOBELL, GODDARD, GODWINSON, GONDOLF, GOODALL, GOODFELLOW, GOODWIN, GOODWYN, GORDON, GORING, GOULDING, GRAHAM, GRAY, GREGG, GRISSELL, GROOMBRIDGE, GROSSER, GRUBB, GUINESS, GWILLYM,

HALL, HAM, HAMILTON, HANCOCK, HANNA, HANSEL, HARDING, HARE, HARGAN, HARMAN, HARNETT, HARPER, HARRIS, HARRISON, HARROLD, HARRY, HARTNETT, HARTON, HAWKER, HAWORTH, HAWTHORNE, HEAPY, HEATON, HEDGES-WHITE, HENSLEY, HERBERT, HERLEVE, HERRICK, HEWITT, HEWSON, HICKES, HICKMAN, HILL, HITCHCOCK, HOBSON, HODGSON, HOLBROKE, HOLLES, HOTSTON, HOWARD, HUBERT, HUGHES, HULL, HULSE, HUNT, HYDE, HYLE,

IRELAND, ISAAC,

JACKSON, JACOB, JAMES, JAMESON, JANER, JEFFREYS, JENERY, JENSEN, JOHNMAN, JONES,

KASSEBAUM, KEATINGE, KELLY, KENNEDY, KENNY-HEBER, KEOGH, KERKHOF, KEWLEY,KILLEGREW, KILLEN, KINDER, KING, KINK, KITCHING, KLEIHS, KNIBB, KNIGHT, KNOWLES, KUNKLER, KYLE,

LAIRD, LANDER, LANE, LANGDOWN, LANGE, LAW, LAWLESS, LAWRENCE, LEADER, LEBRUN, LEE, LEIGH, LEIGH-WHITE, LENNOX, LEPINSKI, LEWIS, LIGHT, LINDSAY, LIVESAY, LLOYD, LOADER, LODDER, LONGFIELD, LOVELOCK, LOWREY, LUCAS, LUKE, LUNN, LYTTLETON,

MACAULEY, MACE, MACKIE, MACPHERSON, MAGEE, MALDEN, MANSERGE, MARKWELL, MARRINER, MARSHALL, MARTIN, MARTON, MASZER, MATTHEW, MATTNER, MAULE, MAUSELL, MAW, MAY, MAYHEW, MAYO, McALINN, McANDREW, McBEATH, McBETH, McCARTHY, McCLURE, McCOLL, McCOSKERIE, McCRAE, McCRAE-MOORE, McCULLAGH, McCULLOCH, McULLOUGH, McDERMOTT, McDONALD, McGRAVESTON, McGRAGH, McHUGH, McILLROY, McINERNEY, McKAY, McLENNON, McLEOD, McNEILL, McSHERRY, MEADE, MELOY, MERRIGAN, MICHAEL, MIDGELEY, MILLAR, MILLER, MILNE, MINIFIE, MOLL, MOLLOY, MONTAGU, MOORE, MORGAN, MORRIS, MORRISON, MORROW, MOUAT, MOUNTFORT, MOWBREY, MOWETT, MUDGE, MUIRHEAD, MULHALL, MULROY, MUNN, MURPHY, MURRAY,

NAIRN, NASH, NAYLOR, NEILSON, NELSON, NEPEAN, NESBITT, NEWENHAM, NEWTON, NICHITA, NICHOLSON, NOEL, NORGROVE, NORMANDY, NOWAK, NUGENT,

O'BRIEN, O'BRYEN, O'CALLAGHAN, O'CONNELL, O'CONNOR, O'HARA, O'LEARY, O'SULLIVAN, OGILVIE, OLDEN, OLDHAM, OLSEN, OSBALDESTON, OSBORNE,

PALMER, PARKER, PARTON, PATERSON, PATIENCE, PATISHALL, PATRICK, PEACOCK, PEARCE, PEARSON, PEEL, PENDER, PENNINGTON, PEPPER, PERKINS, PERRIER, PERRY, PETRE, PETRIE, PEYTON, PHILLIPS, PICKERING, PIERCE, PIERCY, PIERS, PINNINGTON, PITT, PLUMMER, POLLEY, POLLOCK, PONSONBY, POTTER, POWER, PRICE, PRIOR, PRITCHARD, PULLMAN, PURCELL, PUXLEY, PYNE,

RADFORD, RAMSAY, RATHKE, RAYMOND, READ, REAL, REDFORD,REID, REIS, RICH, RICHARDSON, RITCHIE, RIVERS, ROBERTS, ROBERTSON, ROBINSON, ROGERS, ROOSE-JONES, ROSE, ROWE, ROZELLS, RUSHWORTH, RUSELL,

St VALERY, SALE, SAMPSON, SAUNDERS, SAVAGE, SCHEIBEL, SCHMIDT, SCROEDER, SCOULAR, SCUDAMORE, SEABURG, SEYMOUR, SHANNON, SHELSWELL, SHELSWELL-WHITE, SHERMAN, SHERWOOD, SHIRLEY, SHOOSMITH, SIBBALD, SINGLETON, SKINER, SLATER, SMITH, SOMERVILLE, SPENCER, SPENSER, SPIERS, SPRAT, St LEGER, STAGG, STANHOPE, STANNARD, STANOWSKY, STEPHENS, STEPHENSON, STEVENS, STEWART, STIRLING, STOKES, STORY, STOUGHTON, STRONG, STROTHERS, STUDDERT, STUKELEY, STYMAN, SULLIVAN, SUMNER, SUTCLIFFE, SUTTON, SWAYNE, SYNGE,

TALBOT, TANSLEY, TAYLOR, TEAPE-DAVIS, THOMAS, THOMPSON, THORPE, THWAITES, TICHBORNE, TIDSWELL, TOWNSEND, TRAVERS, TRESIZE, TRICKET, TRIGG, TROUNSON, TROUP, TUCKEY, TUDOR, TUBERVILLE, TURNER, TWISS,

USHER, USSHER,

VAN DER LAAN, VANDELEUR, VAUGHAN, VERLING, VERNON,

WALCOTT, WALDREN, WALE, WALLER, WALSH, WALTON, WARD, WATKINS, WEARE, WEBB, WELLINGS, WELLS, WENDELL, WEST, WESTROP, WHITE, WILD, WILKINSON, WILLIAM, WILLIAMS, WILLIAMSON, WILSON, WINCHESTER, WODEHOUSE, WOGISCH, WOOD, WOODLEY, WOUTERS, WRIGHT, WYNDHAM,

YARROW, YATES, YEATES, YELVERTON,

ZIMMER.

Famous Names

    Occasionally one comes across a famous (or infamous) person in chasing family heritage. So, by exercising bragging rights, a selection is given here (in no particular order).

  • Robert BOYLE (1627-1691) occurs in the Davis family antecedents. He was an Anglo-Irish natural philosopher, physicist, inventor and founder of modern chemistry.
  • Henry (Harry) Playfair MOUAT (1880-1952), NZ surveyor who laid out the boundaries of Australia's Capital Territory. He had the highest and most rugged section of the job, covering the western and southern mountains including the ACT’s highest peak. Linked by marriage through his wife Iris Winchester.
  • HM Queen Elizabeth Angela Marguerite BOWES-LYON (1900-2002), the Queen mother, and my wife, Nereda Patricia MILNE, have common ancestors in Roger BOYLE (Robert's brother) and Jane PATISHALL.
  • King William I (The Conqueror) of Normandy (1024-1087), is 30th great-grandfather of Nereda Patricia MILNE.
  • Rowland Robert Teape DAVIS (1807-1879), labour reformer, hotel-keeper and politician. Pioneer settler of New Zealand and member for Lyttleton of the first NZ Legislative Assembly.
  • Alexander Martin MILNE JP (1857-1911), coppersmith, inventor, businessman, politician and Mayor of Balmain (NSW, Australia) 1895-6,1901.
  • William McBeth (1837-1924), farmer and respected pioneer settler of Polk County, Nebraska (US) who served with General Sherman for the Union army in the US Civil War.
  • Andrew Barton (Banjo) PATERSON (1864-1941), Australian (bush) poet, journalist and author, is linked to Jessica Anne MILNE, by marriage, having common descendants, but not by blood line. 
  • William James FARRER (1845-1906), so-called father of the Australian wheat industry, married Henrietta Sarah Sophia Fane De SALIS (1848-1929) and thus became linked to the WINCHESTER line.

Updated: 16 February, 2019

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