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Seeking information on Monroe or Munroe family in County Down

I have traced my family to Dromore Parish, County Down by baptismal and christening documents in the Church of Ireland.  My direct ancestor is John Monroe (the surname is often recorded as Munroe) b 30 Jun 1800 Dromore Parish, County Down, and d aft 1881 in New Brunswick, Canada.  He married a Martha Hull b 15 Nov 1810 Dromore Parish, County Down.  They had 9 children: 3 children were born in Ireland; John A M b 1828 d 1870 Canada, Robert b 1830 d 1892 Canada, Archibald  b 1833 d Canada.  6 children born and died in New Brunswick, Canada; George b 1840 d 1895, James b 1842 d 1928, Eliza b 1846 d 1920, Mary Ann b 1848 d 1915, and David Munroe b 1850 d 1942.  John Monroe/Munroe b 1800 Dromore Parish his father was William Monroe/Munroe b 1752 d 1823 Dromore Parish County Down and his wife was Elizabeth Lilburne b 1759 d 1820 Dromore Parish, County Down.

I am looking for any information that would help me find more information back further than 1752.  Deep Y-DNA testing indicates I am unusual because I have so much Norse DNA in me and my family probably came from the Black Isle in Scotland 800 years ago.  They are thought to have emigrated to the County Down area about 1650.  I have a 3rd cousin Jean Throne author of The Donegal Woman but I could not make a connection with Donegal.  Any help or suggestions appreciated.

torino71

2 replies

The following baptisms for children of William and Elizabeth were found at RootsIreland. 

Source Surname First Name Year County  

Church Baptism Monro Jane 1788 Co. Down

Church Baptism Monroe Samuel 1790 Co. Down

Church Baptism Monroe Samuel 1792 Co. Down

Church Baptism Monroe William 1795 Co. Down

Church Baptism Monroe Maryanne 1798 Co. Down

Church Baptism Monroe John 1800 Co. Down

Church Baptism Monroe Robert 1803 Co. Down

glanvil3@aol.com

There are no Monroe/Munroe households in Co. Down or anywhere else in Ulster in the Muster Rolls (c 1630). That indicates the family had not arrived in Ireland at that period, which tends to confirm your belief of an arrival c 1650.

You may struggle to find any record of them between 1650 and the mid 1700s as there are so few records in Ireland for that period. Likewise it’ll be a struggle tracing them in Scotland pre 1650 (other than perhaps by DNA) as there are very few earlier records there either.

Elwyn, IrelandXO Volunteer ☘IrelandXO Volunteer

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