The Spelling of Surnames in the Databases

The Spelling of Surnames in the Databases

Because sorting is a key feature of the PDF versions of the databases on this website, I had to be sure that all variant spellings of a surname were kept together in the sorting process. In order to do this I have adopted the following system.

In each database there is a column which lists the actual spelling of each of the surnames recorded in the original document. There is another column which uses standardised spellings of surnames selected by me. There is no significance in the spelling that I have chosen - I am not suggesting that this is how a particular surname should be spelt. It is simply a method of grouping together surnames in the original source which, I think, are variant spellings of the same surname.

This meant that, when sorted, the variant spellings of a surname were not scattered throughout the database. In some cases I may have got it wrong, but the fact that you can see the actual spelling used in the original document allows you to make up your own mind.

A further problem is that some early surnames are completely different from their modern equivalents.

My own surname Macafee or McAfee, appears in the 1669 Hearth Money Rolls as McDuffee (in a variety of spellings) or McPhee or M'Fee. I have grouped all of these names under the surname McAfee. As you can see I spell my name Macafee which does not appear in documents until the latter years of the nineteenth century.
Another example is the surname Alexander which appears as McCalsenor, McElsinor, etc. The name Alexander is used to group these names.
Another name is Pollock which can appear as Poake or Polke.
Another one is Connor which can appear as Knocker, O'Knocker and Nogher. I know that the name Knocker or McKnocker can be a different surname and still exists today, but I have chosen to group them all under the surname Connor.

The Spelling of Townland Names in the Databases

In the earlier historical sources many of the spellings of townlands are very different from their modern-day equivalents. In the 1669 and 1803 databases which include townlands I have used two columns for townland names. One which gives the actual spelling recorded in the original document and one which gives the modern-day spelling. Again my interpretation may be wrong. Feel free to make up your own mind.

There is another problem associated with townlands in the 1669 Hearth Money Rolls - the actual identification of modern equivalents. For example, the townland of Tullaghgore, near Seacon, is listed in 1669 but there is no mention of the townlands of Forttown, Bootown, Newbuildings North or Heagles. This is because Tullaghgore, at that time, included these townlands which were created at a later date. In some cases it is quite difficult to identify the modern-day equivalent of some of the townlands so I cannot guarantee that I am always correct.

In identifying townlands in the 1669 Hearth Money Rolls I have used my own local knowledge plus S. T. Carleton's book on The Hearth Money Rolls For County Antrim published by PRONI in 1991, plus the modern-day names in brackets on the transcripts of the Hearth Money Rolls. I have to say that I disagreed with some of the these townland names in brackets - see this example.

In the 1803 Agricultural Census database there are some townlands that I have not been able to recognise. Perhaps some of you will be able to identify them and I would be grateful if you would let me know.

Whilst there can be slight variations in the spelling of the townland names in the Tithe Records and the Griffith's Valuation, I have only used the modern -day spelling in these databases and have only included the variant spelling [in brackets] if it is significantly different.