Looking for Haughan ancestors in Carrickfergus and Ahoghill
I have been researching the English branch of the Haughan family for some years and have come to a full stop.
The earliest ancestor I know off is Francis Haughan b. 1722 in Annan, Dumfriess-shire, Scotland. He moved to Bewcastle in Cumberland when he married Elizabeth Carrick in 1752. His parents were Mary and John, both of Annan although I don't know that either was born there.
Having hit a brick wall (there are no earlier Haughans either in southern Scotland or Cumberland), I have to deduce that they probably came from Ireland.
My first clue came from the history of the highwayman Naoise O'Haughan who, I believe, came from the Carrickfergus area. He was executed by the English military in 1720 which would have made him a contemporary of Francis's father John. Its not far from Carrickfergus to Annan.
I'm guessing that members of the extended Haughan family probably moved out when the situation became to hot to handle.
Of course, I have absolutely no evidence to back up this theory and had hoped someone may be missing some Haughans!
There are members of the Haughan family in Antrim, Ahoghill and Clohogue in the 1901 census as well as a few in County Down.
Finally, the name is difficult to trace in England because of its pronunciation. Its variations are many. It often appears to have been recorded as Haffan by the census administrators. As this is a million miles away from Haughan in English pronunciation, I did wonder if it might be, perhaps, have more in common with the Irish.
Should a link be possible I have great quantities of information to share on the folks in England and a handful who moved to Canada and Australia. One of the Annan Haughans was a plantation owner in Jamaica for a while - he returned to Scotland some years later with a mulatto wife.
Here's hoping!
