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Surname Bovaird,Bovard,Bovand,Boverd

Donegal

My cousin was informded by Ulster Historical Foundation, that the above surname of Bovard(and variations) maybe easier to locate in Co.Donegal, than our other surnames(McKain,Burney).being possibly from Northern Ireland.

We're looking for a Nancy Ann Bovard born cira 1815, marrying a Samuel McKain before their lst son John born(?)

cira 1830ish in what points to Co.Donegal,Ireland.They immigrated abt. 1835 to Philadelphia,Pa. the parishes in Co.Donegal listed were Aghanunshin,Conwal,Donagh,Moville Upper,Gartan,Leck,Burt and Killea..are any of these parishes Presbyterian and/or Episcopalian? We think all of the above surnames were possibly these 2 religions.

Any Bovards mention in Griffiths Valuation? We realize records sparse and do you have any suggestions ?

Thank you. Lois

IrelandXO member

3 replies

Lois,

The parishes nearly all include churches of different denominations. For Aghanunshin their early Church of Ireland records were all destroyed in the 1922 fire in Dublin, and they have nothing before 1878 (baptisms & burials) and 1845 (marriages). There doesn’t appear to have been a Presbyterian church in that parish. Conwal Church of Ireland has baptisms from 1876 and marriages from 1845, burials from 1878. Again their records look to have been burned. There’s a Methodists church there with baptisms for 1830 – 1941. No marriages (they’d have married in the Church of Ireland). 4 Presbyterian churches: Letterkenny 1st has baptisms from 1821 (with gaps)& marriages; Letterkenny 2nd also has records from 1821; Letterkenny 3rd from 1841 and Trenta from 1836. Donagh Church of Ireland lost its early records, Carndonagh Presbyterian has records from 1830. Moville Upper Church of Ireland has baptisms from 1804 and marriages from 1814, burials from 1815. Moville Presbyterian has baptisms from 1833 and marriages from 1845. Killea Church of Ireland has records from 1877. No Presbyterian church shown in the parish. Burt Church of Ireland has baptisms, marriages and burials from 1829. Burt Presbyterian has baptisms from 1833 and marriages from 1837. Gartan Church of Ireland has no early records. No Presbyterian church in the parish. Likewise Leck Church of Ireland has no early records. No Presbyterian church in that parish.

There are copies of all the above surviving records in PRONI (the public record office) in Belfast. A personal visit is required to view them.

By way of explanation, Presbyterians in Ireland don’t use the parish system and which church you attended was a matter of personal preference rather than base don geography. Nor always the nearest to where you lived.

No Bovards in Donegal in Griffiths. There are 36 Bovairds, and if you try other variants you may find a few more.

http://www.askaboutireland.ie/griffith-valuation/index.xml?action=nameSearch

Possibly also worth searching this Co Donegal site:

http://donegalgenealogy.com

I looked at the Muster Rolls for Co. Donegal c1630. There were no Bovards listed there then so it seems likely they arrived sometime after that.

Elwyn, IrelandXO Volunteer ☘IrelandXO Volunteer

Thanks so much Elwyn..have another question:

 

 

I have a Catherine Burney(and variant spellings) that came from Ireland with her husband, William McKain and son

William B.McKain to Philadelphia,Pa.  Catherine gave birth to a daughter,Catherine,enroute,family story,about

1837ish?  They settled in Philadelphia,Pa.,Cedar Ward,BUT listed as McKean! They had 4 more children in Philadelphia,Pa.

We think possibly she maybe from County Donegal,since having a McKain dna,showing eastern part of Co.Donegal

and Co.Antrim for William......I'm just asking ... Thankyou  Lois

lois223

Tuesday 28th February 2017, 06:43PM

IrelandXO member

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