Scotch-Irish-L Archives
Archiver > Scotch-Irish > 2002-03 > 1015608828
From: <>
Subject: Re: [Scotch-Irish] 1770s from Scotland
Date: Fri, 8 Mar 2002 09:36:34 -0800
Hi Alec,
>
>I am trying to find out about ancestors surname (Ward) how moved to Ulster
>Ireland from Glasgow in the 1770
The way you find out about the name is you use a book by Bell
called "Book of Ulster Surnames". It's at Borders or a bookstore
nearby as well as the local library. You can browse the bookstore
and use it free too <grin>. WARD he says is common all over Ireland
but most numerous in Ulster. It is very common in Donegal and Monaghan.
It's one of the thirty commonest names in England and Wales, but
he says the majority of them in Ulster are of Irish stock.
Comes from Mac an Bhaird "son of the bard, one of two famous poet
septs. One in Galway and one in Donegal. A branch were poets to
the O'Neills in Tyrone.
The Scottish form of the anme is Mac a Bhaird and was anglicized to
MacWard, but doesn't seem, he says, to have become Ward. They
became Bairds instead. He says Wards in Bangor and Castleward
are English.
Your other two surnames are very common Irish surnames. You should
check with any other Irish list for info on them. We specialize in
Ulster Scots here and since we don't focus on Irish we do a poor
job of them. I am definitely stupid when it comes to them. Only
interested when its MY Irish surnames <grin>.
This list is shared by descendents of United Irishmen and Loyalists,
so we avoid triumphalizing in order to avoid offending folk. Of course
one has to wonder what folk who lost the battle have to triumphalize
about but then I recall your surnames are Irish and they are very
good at turning embarrassing defeats into balladry and that you
appear to be descended from poets.
Just like the United Irish who left southern Donegal and settled
in Donegal Twp, Butler Co, PA in 1795, and who -- Presbyterian and
Catholic, signed a petition to get a priest for the Catholics
thereafter, here we try to not offend our brothers and cousins.
If you really do care to recognise the United Irish spirit, you
won't triumphalize here.
So, can't tell you your folk came from Scotland. Perhaps England
or Wales.
Linda Merle
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