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Ferdinand family

Tyrone

My great X 4 grandfather was Lewis Laurence Ferdinand. He died in 1902 in Galway. On the 1901 census he gives his birthplace as Co. Tyrone. I have not found a birth or baptismal certificate for him. I estimate he was born about 1822.
According to the William Smith O'Brien petition, both he and his father Denis Ferdinand are recorded as coming from Drumragh parish Co. Tyrone.

I would love to be able to find out a little more about my Tyrone ancestors.

L.L. Ferdinand went on to become a teacher, a journalist and finally the editor and proprietor of the Galway Vindicator newspaper. His son Thomas settled in Mallow,Co. Cork, where many of his descendants live today.

bridpulker@goo…

4 replies

Lewis Ferdinand is shown as Roman Catholic on the 1901 census, and his 2nd marriage to Kate Webb in 1874 also appears to be Catholic*. Unfortunately records for the Catholic Parish of Drumragh Co. Tyrone only cover back to the 1840s, so not quite far enough to include a baptism of Lewis.

for reference : 1901 Census Ferdinand Household, Eyre Square, Galway

I dont see any sign of Denis on Griffith's Valuation in Drumragh, possibly already deceased by the time this took place.

* the records states "according to the rites and cermonies of the Roman Catholic Church", and the Bishop of Galway, but also has some notation about a house [?]

shanew147IrelandXO Volunteer

Thanks for that. Yes I was aware of that marriage. That would be good second marriage. We're descendants of the children from his first marriage to a named Mary Doherty. I'm interested to know where they came from. The story in the family is that they were Spanish but I've found nothing to support this. I'll keep searching. Thanks again :-)

bridpulker@goo…

Brid,

Apart from your own ancestors’ family there only appears to be 1 other person named Ferdinand anywhere in Ireland in the 1901 census. He was a fisherman from France, living on a ship docked in Crookhaven, Co  Cork, on census night. Consequently it does seem very likely that your family arrived in Ireland from somewhere else in Europe. And probably not too many generations back as there are so few of them.

Elwyn, IrelandXO Volunteer ☘IrelandXO Volunteer

Yes I'm inclined to agree with you. L.L. Ferdinand's father Denis lived in Tyrone but as he was born pre 1800 I'm guessing there are no records. It might just remain a mystery.

bridpulker@goo…

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