White, Mckenzie surname puzzle

[janetel]

My sister and I are researching our White relatives from the Irvine and Dreghorn area of Ayrshire. We have found John White and his wife Ann McIntyre in the 1841 census and we have their marriage certificate, but cannot go back further. This couple had four children: Hugh, Peter, John and Ann born between 1841 and 1854 presumably in Irvine. But no birth records for any of them. When Hugh White married in 1863 it was under the name McKenzie, his father is also listed as McKenzie at this time. Hugh's childrens births are all listed as McKenzie and then around 1874 the name reverted back to White. We have no idea why. During most of this time the Hugh White/McKenzie family lived in Perceton Row, Dreghorn.

Has anyone got ideas on the name changes, or any information on this family?

[joette]

Perhaps they had a Stepfather & took on his name? He then died & they reverted back to their own names?
Have you looked at the 1851/61 Censuses?This should give an idea of what names they were using & whether both parents were still around.

[janetel]

Interesting idea and I had tossed that around a bit. If this is what happened then the stepfather was also called John. A possibility as it was a common name. In the 1851 and 1861 census the family is still called White and living in Irvine. By the time the eldest son is married for the first time in 1863, 2nd time in 1867, the name is McKenzie. John Mckenzie is listed as the living father on both marriage certificates. Same occupation: coal miner.
Thanks for the thoughts, worth following up

[janetel]

We have found from Ann McIntyre's death certificate that her mother was an Ann McKenzie born in Ireland. So the mystery of why McKenzie was chosen for the name change is solved but not why...

[Julie Tyrell]

Have you found Hugh's birth cert?? Maybe he was an illegimate child of Ann and that is why he was Mackenzie and when his mother married John White he took the White name.

Just a thought!
Julie

[janetel]

We don't have Hugh's birth certificate or those of his three younger siblings. But we do know that the whole family, children and parents changed to Mckenzie around 1862. Some of the family at least changed back to White in the late 1870's. I was thinking that the name change may have arisen from trying to avoid debt. The family was not well off and the mother, Ann, died in the poorhouse in Irvine. But during this time some of the family did not move residence, so that seems to rule the debt idea out.