The Douglas Archives

A collection of historical and genalogical records

Douglas families in Ireland

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Douglas families in Ireland

Researching members of the Douglas family in Ireland is notoriously difficult.  So many records have been destroyed, and the families often moved on to America, or elsewhere.

This group is for those tracing their ancestors in Ireland.

Members: 46
Latest Activity: Nov 4, 2024

Why did Scots use Ireland as a stepping stone to emigrate to America?

Scots emigrated to America from Ireland primarily due to a combination of factors:

1. Economic Hardships: Many Scots faced poverty and limited economic opportunities in Ireland, particularly during the 18th and 19th centuries. The decline of traditional industries and agricultural challenges pushed them to seek better prospects in America.

2. Religious Persecution: Some Scots, especially Presbyterians, faced discrimination and persecution in Ireland. Seeking religious freedom, they migrated to America where they hoped to practice their faith without oppression.

3. Land Displacement: The Highland Clearances in Scotland led to many Scots being displaced from their lands. This forced migration contributed to their movement to Ireland and subsequently to America.

4. Famine: The Great Famine in the mid-19th century prompted many to leave Ireland altogether in search of food and stability, leading some Scots to migrate to America.

5. Family and Community Ties: Established Scottish communities in America often encouraged relatives and friends to join them, creating a network of support for new immigrants.

6. Adventure and Opportunity: The promise of land, work, and a new life attracted many Scots, who were drawn by the idea of the American Dream.

These factors combined to create a significant wave of Scottish emigration from Ireland to America, particularly in the 18th and 19th centuries.

Discussion Forum

Tulach Dubhghlaise, Mound of the Dark Stream

Started by William Douglas Apr 19, 2022. 0 Replies

Here, in Scotland, we have been enjoying a celebrity pilgrimage (You…Continue

Tags: Columba, St, Iona, Donegal, Dubhghlaise

A history of the Douglas family whose Ulster roots are from Lurgan, Co. Armagh, Northern Ireland and surrounding Townlands

Started by William Douglas. Last reply by William Douglas Apr 17, 2022. 15 Replies

Two or three years ago, I was given a folder of files made up of the…Continue

Tags: Armagh, Lurgan, Ireland

william douglas 1804 1874

Started by mary ethelwood Oct 7, 2021. 0 Replies

lived in carrick on shannon prison turnkey lived 90 main street married ann tolen//chjldren william/ elen robert ann ester/ann married polceman 1869 michael deerans from galwayContinue

Charles Douglas of Dervock

Started by Richard William Maginis Douglas. Last reply by Richard William Maginis Douglas Feb 5, 2021. 11 Replies

At a dead end despite 20 years research on my 3rd G-Grandfather Rev. Charles Douglas (1743-1833) of Dervock, Co. Antrim, whose father is indicated to be a James Douglas of Dervock by the University…Continue

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Comment by William Douglas on January 26, 2016 at 21:17

Rusty,

Douglases went the Robert the Bruce to Ireland, and probably before - but certainly since. It is not far from Scotland, after all.

See also: http://www.douglashistory.co.uk/history/articles/undertakers.htm

Comment by Russell Douglas on January 26, 2016 at 18:26

Thanks William for informing me of this group.  I am a newbie and am still in the process of researching.  Can anyone enlighten me as to the why there are Douglas's in Ireland?  I had always assumed that our ancestry came from Scotland and that we were a borders clan.  Were Douglas's resettled from Scotland to Ireland after being defeated by the British?  Did they immigrate?  Were there always Irish Douglas's and my assumptions were incorrect?  Thanks for allowing me to be a part of this group and research my history.

Rusty

Comment by William Douglas on May 20, 2015 at 12:57

 Irish Catholic parish records 

Thanks to Julie for this news:
NEARLY 400,000 Irish Catholic parish records will be made publically accessible via a new genealogy resource website due to be launched this summer.People researching their Irish family tree from all corners of the globe will be able to search the records – which date from the 1740s to the 1880s – for free, thanks to a new National Gallery of Ireland initiative.http://www.irishpost.co.uk/news/significant-genealogy-project-makes...

Comment by John Douglas on September 29, 2014 at 18:22

Just saying hello, I'm part of a Douglas family from Ireland. Sadly not much is known about our history as, in honesty, I was always too young to be interested. Now I am older I am starting to get interested in the Douglas history. 

The little I do know. My Mother and siblings were born into the family of James Hill Douglas and Anne Douglas. They lived in Sydenham in East Belfast. James was a local mechanic, although not professionally trained, people would come from all over Belfast to have him work on their car. His job, from what I recall, was in the Steelworks in Belfast called Sirrocco. 

Sadly that is pretty much all I knew about this side of the family. 

Comment by William Douglas on June 25, 2014 at 7:41

I received a couple of messages overnight which did not contain email addresses for a response.

1. Lurgan ancestry: family home donard view milltown roadoutside lurgan but family may have been from kinnego townland

2. a big family of douglases lived in kinnego at lough neagh moses douglas born 1740 had alot of sons one was called john the sons married and moved on its probably the same family. moses married hillary marsden and some marsdens still live in lurgan

Can anyone tell me more?

Comment by William Douglas on November 11, 2013 at 18:19

Douglasland, Co Antrim, Northern Ireland - wonder how and when it got its name?

Comment by William Douglas on February 18, 2013 at 20:37

Another resource:

http://churchrecords.irishgenealogy.ie/churchrecords/search.jsp?nam...

Comment by William Douglas on February 12, 2013 at 13:52

Some resources:

http://derry.rootsireland.ie/
http://www.igp-web.com/IGPArchives/ire/derry/index.htm

http://www.igp-web.com/derry/index.htm
http://www.ancestryireland.com/
http://www.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~nirldy/derrymr.html

http://www.ulsterheritage.com/forrest/derrybook.htm
http://www.findmypast.com.au/search?region=australasia&sourceca...

Apparently some pay to view sites are free in a public library.

 

Comment by William Douglas on January 17, 2013 at 14:39

Freemen of the City of Cork

Douglass Alexander Goldsmith 9/11/1770
Douglass James Esquire
Douglass William Col. 97th Regt. now in Cork. (1817)

Comment by William Douglas on January 3, 2013 at 13:09

Sarah,

How the Douglases came to be in Co. Wicklow in the 18th century, I dont know, but the Scots settled in Ireland as Undertakers part of the Plantation of Ulster, and William's family may be descended from them.

Research on the Douglases in Wicklow seems thin, espcialy in and around 1779, but there are a couple of interesting threads on later members of the family:

http://boards.ancestry.com/localities.britisles.ireland.wic.general... 

http://boards.ancestry.com.au/localities.britisles.ireland.wic.gene... 

Happy hunting!

 

Members (46)

 
 
 

Making conections

The more information you can give about the people you mention, the more chance there is of someone else connecting with your family.

Dates and places of births, deaths and marriages all help to place families.

Professions also help.

'My great-grandmother mother was a Douglas from Montrose' does not give many clues to follow up! But a bit of flesh on the bones makes further research possible. But if we are told who she married, what his profession was and where the children were baptised, then we can get to work.

Maybe it is time to update the information in your profile?


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