Searching for our Ancestors
Tobermory is the picturesque, colorful capital of the Isle of Mull in Scotland's Inner Hebrides, founded in 1788 as a fishing port.
Calgary Art in Nature woodland sculpture walk has been created over the last thirty years by artist and owner of Calgary Arts, Matthew Reade and his wife Julia.
As I have traced my ancestors back to Mull, the one that left and came to Glasgow was my great great granfather Niel MacLean, I am fascinated with the island. Clan Maclean has deep roots on the Isle of Mull, with Duart Castle serving as their ancestral seat for over 700 years. Located on the Sound of Mull, the castle was restored in the early 20th century by Sir Fitzroy Maclean and remains the home of the Clan Chief, Sir Lachlan Maclean. The clan descends from Gillean of the Battle-Axe (13th century) and gained significant land on Mull through marriage to the MacDonalds.The Clan Maclaine of Lochbuie is a separate, related branch that also inhabited the southern end of Mull. The clan holds gatherings at Duart Castle, which is open to visitors.
The Clan lands were and still are on the West Coast of Scotland 
and the islands of Mull, Coll, Tiree and Jura. The Chieftains of the Clan Maclean also have lands on Morvern, Ardgour, Drimnin and at Dochgarroch on the mainland.
People living on these lands may have been related to the Clan or may have taken the name of Maclean for protection.
The spelling of Maclean is not important (McLean, MacClane, Maclain etc) and there are other families who are also part of the Maclean family. The Rankins, for example, are a sept of the clan and traditionally provide a piper for the Chief. Some other family names associated with the Macleans are Beath, Beaton, Black, Dewart, Macbeth, MacCormick, MacFadyen, Macvey, Patten and Paton.
The first recorded mention of the Macleans of Duart is in a papal dispensation of 1367 which allowed their Chief Lachlan Lubanach Maclean to marry the daughter of the Lord of the Isles, Mary Macdonald.
For me, the premier site on Mull for genealogical work is Mull Families. The amount of work that has gone into this site is collossal. This specialist website has been created to assist researchers whose ancestors have a connection with the Isles of Mull, Tiree and Coll, Argyllshire, Scotland. As well as a large database of names (127,800+), there are family pics, reports, headstones, documents, Census, member comments, and many other features. If you are researching Mull, Tiree or Coll, this website is a MUST.
Another site which is hugely useful for genealogy research 
on Mull is MullGenealogy. This site contains a Location Index, a Surname Index (which is hugely
helpful to understand the surnames on Mull, which, believe me, take alot of understanding!), Burial Index, Images and Census data.
One of the things I found most helpful on the site was indeed the surname index. I was getting very confused with some surnames and people, thinking I had looked up the wrong name. I hadn't. They use diffrent names at different times. I could find no particular pattern to this (did they use them just for official documents etc.), but I found no paticular pattern. They seem just to be interchangebale. From their page on Naming Conventions and Alternative Surnames I discovered that McDougall was interchangeable with McLucas (and variations on that spelling). This allowed me to track certain McDougall relatives that I could not find before. It was invaluable.
On Mull itself you have the Ross of Mull Historical Centre. From their site, "The Ross of Mull Historical Centre (RoMHC) was established in 1997 to help make these connections for both the local communities and visitors to the area who are seeking information on the culture and family ties from the past. RoMHC is the hub for an archive about the people, the history and the natural environment of the Ross of Mull, gathered through research, projects and events. Visit us in Bunessan for a warm welcome and insight into a fascinating area of the Highlands of Scotland"
There are many abandoned villages and settlements on Mull 
and it's associated islands. I always wondered why so many of my family seemed to emigrate to America. Were the oppotunities so great? Well it doesn't appear so.
The Highland Clearances took place from about 1750 to 1860 and continue to arouse emotions in Scotland and its diaspora worldwide. People were moved from land that had been inhabited by generations before them, often with brute force, changing the way of life and landscape irrevocably. The episode
influences politics and policy to this day.
Exploring the abandoned villages on these islands gives a unique insight into both the social and cultural changes that shaped Mull and it's surrounding islands over time. It gives a sense of the communities destroyed by no fault of thier own, basically for the greed of others and by those who didn't understand the centuries old way of life.
Finally whilst over in Mull looking for your ancestoral past, it is very much worth your while considering the Mull and Iona Art Trail as in the photo at the top.The Arts Trail map, with over 60 venues, helps you find the art that interests you most, whether in paint, print, textiles, ceramic, wood, glass, bookmaking, photography, film, poetry, music or theatre. The Arts Trail venues are located throughout the islands with a backdrop of beautiful beaches, wild mountain landscapes and picturesque villages.
Be sure to spend some time visiting Tobermory, which is a lively hub of all sorts of arts and crafts, with Mull Theatre and An Tobar Art Centre at its creative heart. At the very opposite end of Mull, the outstanding beauty of the Isle of Iona is a magnet for artists with a variety of studios and shops selling beautiful arts and crafts made on the island.
Whatever you decide to do be assured that you will be taking in some of the best scenery in the world and meeting some of the nicest people our lands can provide.
I make every effort to document my research. If you have something you would like to add or discuss, please do not hesitate to contact me.
