1630 Muster Rolls for North Antrim

During the early seventeenth century when British colonists were settling in Ulster under the Plantation of Ulster, landed estates were required to muster tenants for defence when areas were under threat from the native Irish. North Antrim (baronies of Cary, Dunluce and Kilconway) was owned by the MacDonnells whose chief had become the Earl of Antrim. Although the Antrim estate was not part of the official Plantation, the Earl was required to muster tenants for defence. The date of the Muster Roll for his estate was 1630 (PRONI Ref. No. D/1759/3C/3).

The list of  names in the muster roll refer to adult males only. Many of the names are unrecognisable and the spelling of names can be somewhat haphazard. In the tables that I created from the original list, I have chosen to group names that I recognise under a common spelling thus making it easier to sort the surnames. You may not agree with my common spelling - feel free to make your own interpretation. I have asterisked any names which make no sense to me - they make sense to you.

Note that the men listed in the Muster Rolls were regarded as British Tenants i.e. they would be loyal to the crown. However you will notice that the the three baronies were regarded as different kinds of areas. Cary was regarded as Native Lands i.e. an area set aside mainly for Highland Scots. Dunluce an area set aside mainly for English and Lowland Scots. Kilconway an area set aside for servitors. Servitors were soldiers and officials who were rewarded with land for their efforts against the Native Irish. Servitors were allowed to rent lands to the native Irish - theoretically the others were not.

The Muster Rolls do not really reflect these differences because they only list British tenants. The Hearth Money Rolls for 1669 give a better picture of the differences between the baronies e.g. Highland Scots are more dominant in the Barony of Cary and Irish more prominent in Kilconway.

Note that I have provided you with two different tables below - one where the primary sort is by surname and the other where the primary sort is by barony..
 

1630 Muster Rolls sorted by Surname and Barony	>>>
1630 Muster Rolls sorted by Barony and surname	>>>