Saturday, March 17, 2012

Surname Saturday - My Irish DNA

Happy St. Patrick's Day!  Sláinte!

Of my eight great-grandparents, three of them are of full Irish ancestry.  Using my basic math, that makes me 3/8ths Irish.  In other words, 37.5% of my DNA is probably* green.
*No scientific sources for that fact!


McBride

from County Tyrone
oldest known ancestor is Daniel McBride, born circa 1805
his son Daniel, born circa 1840, left Ireland for Birtley, County Durham, England
he married Mary Ann McAleer in Birtley
Daniel, Mary Ann, and son Joseph arrived in Illinois in 1880
Daniel had two known siblings:
Jane (c1838-1912), married Michael McCormick in Durham
Edward (c1843-1903), married Ellen Dinnery in Durham

Kerr

from unknown county in Ireland
oldest known ancestor is Joseph Kerr, born circa 1790
his son Robert, born 1829, left Ireland for Kilbirnie, Ayr, Scotland
his son Robert, born 1853, wife Sarah, and infant daughter Margaret arrived in Illinois in 1876
Robert worked in the coal mines of Braidwood, Will, Illinois

Riley

from County Westmeath
immigrant and oldest known ancestor is Thomas, born circa 1840, died 1915
arrived in Illinois as a child with unknown family members
settled in Lockport, Will, Illinois during height of I&M Canal construction
married Mary Ann McWeeney in 1865

I need help with these lines!