Page 2 of 2 FirstFirst 12
Results 11 to 19 of 19
  1. #11
    Knowledgeable and helpful
    Join Date
    May 2008
    Location
    Co. Antrim, Northern Ireland
    Posts
    627

    Default

    You ask why the name Lees would be Protestant. It is not a traditional Irish name, and would therefore be an incomers name. Most incomers were Protestant, especially in Ulster (which is where your ancestors most likely came from if involved in the Linen trade as your research suggests).

    The first batch of settlers from Britian came as a result of the Plantation of Ulster and then later various non conformist religious minorities came too. One way and another, my guess would be that your Lees ancestors originally came from England or Scotland, settled in Ireland. Then at least one of their descendants made the return journey back across the water. As other writers have said, multiple journeys to and fro were very common (and still are to this day), with rural families going back for weddings and funerals as well as to help with the potato harvest.

    Protestants with a C of E background would associate with the Church of Ireland. Those with a C of Scotland background would tend to join one of the many Presbyterian Churches in Ireland (and as with Scotland there were various schism factions within Presbyterianism eg non-subscribing Presbyterians, eahc of which maintained their own records, making research time consuming).

    Elwyn

  2. #12
    elvisrules
    Guest

    Default

    I know Lees can be English name, but I also read that it also exists as a bastardization of the Gaelic surname Mac an Leagha. I suppose I have no way of knowing...

    -elvisrules

  3. #13
    Knowledgeable and helpful
    Join Date
    May 2008
    Location
    Co. Antrim, Northern Ireland
    Posts
    627

    Default

    Mac an Leagha implies an Irish and therefore Catholic ancestry. No Catholic would normally name their child Oliver, because of the Cromwellian associations.

    I could be wrong but the combination of name and the particular trade suggests Protestant and Ulster to me.

    Elwyn

  4. #14
    Newcomer to Brit-Gen
    Join Date
    Sep 2017
    Location
    Glen Cove, New York
    Posts
    1

    Default

    I am the great granddaughter of Agnes Less of Aberdeen, Scotland. My grandmother, Nellie Lees, came over with Agnes as an adult. My great grandfather owned a large fish hatchery in Aberdeen. They were Protestant.

  5. #15

    Default

    I don't often reply to old threads, but since this one has revived and my new copy of Black's "Surnames of Scotland" has arrived (the old one having been so heavily used that it has lost pages), I'll point out that the earliest record of Lee (and variants) is English in 1177. Lees is shown as deriving from the highland gaelic Mac Gill'Iosa and its simpler form Líos.
    Mac an Leigh (also highland gaelic) modernizes to Maclae (MacLay and variants), the full original form is Mac Dhunnshleibhe - earliest records 1388 in Argyll.

  6. #16
    Newcomer to Brit-Gen
    Join Date
    Oct 2018
    Location
    Peterborough UK
    Posts
    2

    Default Margaret Lee

    Margaret Lee left Edinburgh and moved to Bridlington in Yorkshire. She had two sons one called Leslie and one called Alan. My Dad is Alan Lee. Hope this answers your question on Margaret. She died earlier this year well in to her 90s.

  7. #17
    Newcomer to Brit-Gen
    Join Date
    Oct 2018
    Location
    Peterborough UK
    Posts
    2

    Default Margaret Lee

    Margaret Lee left Edinburgh and moved to Bridlington in Yorkshire. She had two sons one called Leslie and one called Alan. My Dad is Alan Lee. Hope this answers your question on Margaret. She died earlier this year well in to her 90s.




    Quote Originally Posted by elvisrules View Post
    Here are the censuses the family appears in. In red I have highlighted the last record in which the Lees family members appears.

    1834 Dalkeith Population Listing
    Address: Amos Close, Dalkeith, Edinburghshire (901st Residence)
    Oliver Lees, Hawker
    Mrs Lees, Lodging House Keeper
    Betty Lees, 13
    Oliver Lees, 6, Benbo school
    Thomas Lees, 6mo
    -
    William McMillian, Lodger/Beggar
    Mrs McMillian, Lodger/Beggar
    Marrion McMillian, 20, Lodger/Beggar

    1841 Scottish Census
    Address: Temple Close, New Greyfriars, Edinburgh Parish, Edinburgh, Edinburghshire
    Oliver Lees, 60, Hand Loom Weaver Damask, b. Ireland
    Ann Lees, 25, b. England
    Oliver Lees, 12, b. Inside Census County
    Thomas Lees, 8, b. Inside Census County
    Margaret Lees, 2, b. Inside Census County
    -
    Bridaget Boyle, 40, Lodger, b. Ireland
    James Boyle, 4, b. Outside Census County
    Marian McMelan, 25, Lodger, b. Outside Census County
    Jane Arthurs, 50, Lodger, b. Ireland

    1851 Scottish Census
    Address: Anderson's Close No 14, Cowgate, St John's, Edinburgh, Edinburghshire
    NAME SURNAME AGE RELATION CONDITION OCCUPATION WHERE BORN
    Oliver Lees, 23, Head, Married, Mason's Labourer, b. Edinburgh Dalkeith
    Isabella Lees, 23, Wife, Married, Wife of Mason's Labourer, b. Edinburgh Dalkeith
    Oliver Lees, 1, Son, b. Edinburgh Dalkeith
    Elizabeth Lees, 1mo, Daughter, b. Edinburgh Dalkeith
    -
    Thomas Maun, 17, Lodger, Unmarried, Journeyman Baker, b. Edinburgh Parish
    Helen Waldie, 20, Lodger, Unmarried, Farm Servant, b. Edinburgh Parish
    Thomas Lees, 17 Lodger, Unmarried, Draper's Assistant, b. Edinburgh Parish
    John Murray, 29, Lodger, Married, Mason's Labourer, b. England
    Elizabeth Murray, 28, Lodger, Married, Wife of Mason's Labourer, b. Edinburgh Parish
    William Murray, 1, Lodger, b. Edinburgh Parish

    (continued in next post)

  8. #18
    Newcomer to Brit-Gen
    Join Date
    Feb 2020
    Location
    virginia
    Posts
    2

    Default

    Hi, I am a direct descendant of Alexander Lee(1846-1949 Scotland) and Isabella McMillan/MacMillan(1881-1919 Scotland) I know they were married in 1897 but thats pretty much it . I have birthplace and death locations for them but also have conflicting information that confirms its accuracy.
    I dont know anything else about these lines and cant seem to get much information regarding them or those that came before them. Im wondering if they can be connected to the names in your posts? As both passed on in Edinburgh , Im curious if there is a connection to your lines

  9. #19

    Default

    Welcome to British Genealogy.
    Scottish genealogy is normally fairly simple until you get back to 1855 because you can buy copies of birth, marriage and death certificates from Scotland’s People. I suggest that you go to our General Scottish section and look at the starter guides at the top.One of hem is all about Scotland’s People.
    For a start, their marriage certificate will give you both sets of parents, occupations, etc.

Page 2 of 2 FirstFirst 12

Bookmarks

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •  
Select a file: