INFORMATION

CONTENTS		CENSUS RECORDS - Legibility, Accuracy
		LISTINGS - Abbreviations, Omissions
		NAMES - McDiarmid, Naming Convention
		PLACES - Parishes, Islay
		USEFUL LINKS - Further Genealogical Information

CENSUS RECORDS

Legibility	Handwriting	l	Individual styles vary widely in legibility.
	Time	l	On some records, the ink has faded over time.
	Treatment	l	Ink blots, entries scored through, etc..
	Reproduction	l	Photographic transfer to microfilm can be a source of further degradation.
			Note: Wherever accuracy is in doubt, the fact is noted.
Accuracy	Spelling	l	Forenames, surnames and place names were recorded in a variety of spellings. The spelling used varies with the enumerator's phonetic interpretation of the spoken word. For example, in three consecutive censuses my great grandfather's surname was spelt McDiarmid, McDermid, and McDermaid.
			All McDiarmids born on Islay would have spoken Gaelic as a first (and perhaps only) language. To complicate the matter of pronunciation still further, the Gaelic spoken on Islay was a unique dialect lying somewhere between Scots and Irish Gaelic.
			The forenames and surnames in these listings are spelt as in the records. The only exceptions are:
			1 -		Where a contraction of a forename was used, the full forename has been substituted.
			2 -		Where poor legibility exists, the best approximation of the spelling is given and the suffix (?) added.
			To aid location, place names have been standardised to match the spelling given on current Ordinance Survey (OS) maps. The exceptions to this are:
			1 -		Where poor legibility makes accurate identification difficult, the best approximation of the spelling is given and the suffix (?) added.
			2 -		Where a recorded place name has no unmistakable OS equivalent, the original spelling is used and the suggested location given in parentheses.
			3 -		Where the place named no longer exists and/or is not shown on current OS maps, but its location is known, the name is enclosed in brackets, e.g. [Kilarrow].
	Ages	l	In the 1841 Census, ages were recorded as follows:
			1 -		People aged over 15 years had their age rounded down to the nearest 5, e.g. 37 was recorded as 35, 54 as 50, etc.. Happily, this rule was not always adhered to. In some cases the exact age given was recorded.
			2 -		Where the age given was 15 years or less, the exact age is shown.
			In all other census returns the ages recorded were exactly as given. However, ages should not be regarded as accurate. A study of the records will show that the recorded ages of some individuals did not vary by 10 years between sequential census returns.

	Top of page		Next Topic

LISTINGS

Abbreviations	Name	l	(N.K.) = Not Known
	Rel	l	Rel = Relation to Head of Family Appr'ce = Apprentice Bro = Brother D'n'Law = Daughter-in-law Daur = Daughter G/Daur = Granddaughter G/Son = Grandson M'n'Law = Mother-in-law Serv't = Servant Sis'n'Law = Sister-in-law
	C	l	C = Condition M = Married U = Unmarried W = Widow or Widower
	Age	l	d = days m = months
	Occupation	l	Ag. Lab. = Agricultural Labourer Form. = Formerly Gen. Serv. = General Servant
	Born	l	All parishes outwith the County of Argyll have a suffix to identify the county in which they were located: (Dun) = Dunbarton (Inv) = Inverness (Lan) = Lanark (Per) = Perth (Ren) = Renfrew (Ros) = Ross & Cromarty
Omissions	People	l	In all households listed, any member who had a surname other than McDiarmid (or a variant), and who had no known genealogical link to the McDiarmid/s named, has been omitted. The exceptions are the 1841 census returns where, as a relationship to the head of the household is not given, all names are listed.

	Top of page		Next Topic

NAMES

McDiarmid	Dhiarmaid	l	The surname McDiarmid derives from Dhiarmaid, the name of a legendary Celtic hero. Mac Dhiarmaid is the Gaelic for son of Diarmid.
			There are many Anglicized variations of this Gaelic surname. In these census returns alone there are six variants:
				McDiarmid, McDermid, McDearmid, McDairmid, McDermaid, McDiarmaid.
			Mc is the widely used contraction of Mac.
Naming  Convention	Forenames	l	The choice of forename for a child usually conformed to the traditional pattern:
				First son named after paternal grandfather
				First daughter named after maternal grandmother
				Second son named after maternal grandfather
				Second daughter named after paternal grandmother
			Whilst this convention was not always adhered to, it is useful to bear in mind when searching for genealogical links.

	Top of page		Next Topic

PLACES

Parishes	Number	l	The number of parishes into which Islay was subdivided has varied over the years. During the period 1841-1891 the number ranged from four to six. Four parishes were constant throughout: Kilarrow, Kilchoman, Kildalton & Kilmeny. For registration purposes the Portnahaven area was occasionally separated from the parish of Kilchoman; as was the Oa from the parish of Kildalton. Where this occurs, the returns for Portnaven and Kilchoman are combined in these listings, as are those for the Oa and Kildalton.
	Names	l	The names of the churches on which the parishes were based usually began with the letters Kil. Kil is from the Gaelic cill for a cell or church, hence Kilarrow, Kilchoman, etc..
	Kilarrow	l	The entire population of the village of Kilarrow was removed to the new planned village of Bowmore in the mid 18th century as part of the then Laird's plans to landscape the grounds of Islay house. Bowmore's church became the new parish church. Nothing remains of the village of Kilarrow. Of its church only the graveyard remains.
Islay	History	l	An excellent reference source is the book Islay, Jura and Colonsay - An Historical Guide by David H. Caldwell.
	Snippets	l	Two miles northwest of Ballygrant there is a hill called Cnoc Dhiarmaid, which is the Gaelic for Diarmid's Hill.
	OS Map	l	The Ordinance Survey Landranger Series map which covers Islay is number 60.

	Top of page		Next Topic

USEFUL LINKS

General Register Office	l	The General Register Office for Scotland allows online searches of extant Old Parish Registers and the registers of births, marriages and deaths from 1855 to a cut-off year which varies according to record category. Some census data is also available. There is a reasonable charge for this service.
Family Search	l	A free online search facility provided by The Church of Jesus Christ of the Latter-Day Saints. The information available has been submitted by individual researchers. The Mormons also hold copies of OPRs and statutory records including census returns which may be obtained for viewing at one of their local churches. A small charge is made where postage is involved.
Steve's World of Genealogy	l	A wealth of genealogical information relating to Islay. Also provides an opportunity to exchange knowledge with others researching their Islay roots.

	Top of page