Barclays

[PaddyK3502]

I apologize if this is the wrong place to post this question. I am hoping any Barclays out there can recommend a good source of info in regards to the Bacrlays. I am just starting to learn anything I can about this clan. My deceased grandmother was a Barclay and her sister recently asked me to find out what I could. I am was of the last few males from my Grandmother interested in this so I want to keep the knowledge flowing for any fututre generations. One of the problem I am having is that My great aunt says her father swore he was from Ireland. I believe this could be due to the large Irish influence in this area. Any suggestions for references is greatly appreciated. Thank you before hand.

[McMurdo]

Here is the Clan Barclay website perhaps they can help you out as well

http://www.clanbarclay.org/

[MacMillan of Rathdown]

In the 18th and 19th century there was a great to-ing and fro-ing between Ireland and Scotland by middle class Scots, a goodly number of whom were merchants. A lot of these gentlemen settled down and married while in Ireland and so it would be natural for their off spring to consider themselves "Irish". Although there are Barclays in Irerland, most would consider it a Scottish name. As McMurdo has suggested, check out the Clan Barclay website.

[sirdaniel1975]

PaddyK3502,

What these folks are mostly talking about is the Highland Clearances. Basically, highland clansmen had their lands sold out from underneath them and were transplanted to the plantations in Ulster, Ireland. Some married Irish, and some didn't. It was a particularly bad time for the Scots and the Irish. This is a topic where many of us here could go on and on forever about it, but I won't. I'll lay out some web links for you to follow.

The Highland Clearances - Has several different sources to read and study.

The History of Ulster - an out of print book available for free viewing online.

PaddyK3502, your thread question is a very common tale, in fact it's the more likely story for most folks of Scottish Ancestry who emigrated from Scotland.

Look at this 2000 census data on those who are Scots-Irish in USA.

[PaddyK3502]

I appreciate the replies. Just checked the Clan Barclay website and I will be making contact. A lot of what I'm seeing is agreeing with sirdaniel and Mac millan. The fact that the family supposedly left from Glasgow also helps confirm the Scottish background. Thanks much for the responses so far.

[gilmore]

You might take a look at this Barclay sites on Rootsweb.com: http://boards.rootsweb.com/surnames.barclay/mb.ashx

or post a query on these Barclay mailing lists:

http://bigfile.rootsweb.ancestry.com/cgi-bin/listsearch

or search the LDS (Mormon) archives here: http://www.familysearch.org/eng/default.asp

Good luck!

[MacMillan of Rathdown]

PaddyK3502,

What these folks are mostly talking about is the Highland Clearances.

Er, if you are referring to my reply, I wasn't referring to the Clearances at all. While it's true that the period 1820-1850 saw a significant program of depopulation take place in the highlands and islands, this had little or no direct impact on the burgeoning middle class that was emerging elsewhere in Scotland. It was the scions of these Scots who, as civil servants and merchants, moved to Ireland and elsewhere.

[HeathBar]

Hi Paddy,
I'm glad I searched the third page of new posts. I am the VP for Clan Barclay. Thanks to everyone for the information already given. Barclays have come to the US many different ways during different time periods. I've not been able to trace my own. Get my email from the Clan Barclay website and send me a note. I'd like to discuss it more with you.