Do You Have a Rare Irish Surname in your family Tree?

Do you have a rare Irish name in your family tree? In today’s letter, we are going to chat with a Green Room member who has one of those names – and have a deeper look at the specific location in Ireland where that Irish surname flourished and explore likely leads on discovering a little more.

Meet Jacqueline Footman Garden –  here is her story, some questions as well as my own comments and answers. I do hope you enjoy!

The Benefits of a Rare Irish Surname.

Jacqueline: Hi Mike, my name is Jacqueline Footman Garden from Wallingford, CT in the USA.

I am primarily interested in researching my paternal ancestors. My maiden name was Footman and records indicate my great grandfather John Footman was in Springfield, Massachusetts by 1884 because he married a Johanna Sullivan there in 1885.

My great grandfather’s parents were Michael and Ellen Footman. It seems likely that Ellen’s maiden name was Donovan. In any event, both were alive as of the 1901 census. Michael Footman was probably one of several children born to John and Joanna (Collins) Footman. The Footman family probably originally worked for the inhabitants of Castle Freke.

Mike: Very nice to meet you, Jacqueline. I live just a few miles up the road from Castle Freke and know it well. The castle had been derelict since the 1950s but has recently been restored to its former glory by the original family.

Footman is a very unusual name in the Irish context. Like so many other names of this type in Ireland, it is hyper-localised around the Castlefreke area and probably came into Ireland sometime after the 1600s. In this case, the surname was most likely introduced by an adventurer/soldier OR craftsman who came into the area and married a local Roman Catholic girl. Their children and descendants stayed in the area over the subsequent decades – before many of them began to emigrate starting at the time of the Irish famine.

Jacqueline: During his life, I questioned my father often about our Irish history. He was evasive and difficult to engage. I was born after my paternal grandfather died. I was also saddened to learn that his father died very young in his early thirties. I almost didn’t exist!

Mike: That is so often the way with Irish immigrants – many preferred to look forward and leave the past behind them. However, in this case I can see that you have take up the “Irish flag” on behalf of your parents and grandparents and are now intent on filling out your lost Irish family heritage!

Jacqueline: I am determined to confirm that my great, great grandparents were Michael and Ellen (Donovan) Footman and to find out what Ellen’s mother’s maiden name was. Michael and Ellen Footman remained in Ireland while their son John Footman went to the US.

My father was unambiguous about his family being from Cork and would mention Castlefreke and Clonakilty when pressed. His father probably also told him about the Footman family when he was growing up. The Footmans appear in Cork parish records, land records and the 1901 Census as Cork residents. A documentary about the John Footman who went to India places the Footmans in Cork in the 1820s. The trailer is on YouTube and called “The Boys From Vepery”.

Mike: How nice that one of your cousins in India has taken it on himself to track his Irish Footman ancestors! Here is the trailer for the Footman documentary – I’m sure many of our readers will be interested in viewing it.

Now, one of the things about having an unusual Irish name in such a tight location – is that it is proves very useful in establishing a timeline using available online records. This timeline can be interrogated further over time, but let’s make a start here for you – and provide an answer to one or two of your questions. We begin with what we know and work backwards:

• 1901 census: Michael Footman and Ellen Donovan Footman appear in the townland of Duneen with their granddaughter. They are both listed as 80 years of ageYou seem unsure as to whether these are the parents of YOUR John Footman. When we look at the records, I find four possible baptismal records for a John Footman in Rathbarry here. One of those listed is the son of Michael Footman and Ellen Donovan shown above. So, I suggest that we first fully investigate this family line. Now, let’s continue to work back along their timeline:

Note: All of the baptism records shown below can be found here.

• 1875 (before): John Footman immigrates to the USA.
• 1864 Baptism: Michael and Ellen’s son – Patrick.
• 1861 Baptism: Michael and Ellen’s son – Michael
• 1858 Baptism: Michael and Ellen’s daughter – Joan
• 1856 Baptism: Michael and Ellen’s daughter – Mary
• 1853 Baptism: Michael and Ellen’s son – John (your direct ancestor)
• 1852 Griffiths Valuation: Michael Footman listed in Dundeady Townland, Rathbarry.
• 1850 Baptism: Michael and Ellen’s daughter – Margaret
• 1849 Marriage: Michael Footman and Ellen Donovan married in Rathbarry.
• 1833 Tithe Applotment: Various Footman families in Rathbarry listed here.
• 1803: Earliest listed baptism of a Footman in Rathbarry. William Footman was born to Laurence Footman and Ellen McCarthy.

Some comments on the timeline above:

• Margaret was Michael and Ellen’s eldest child and daughter. Using Irish naming patterns, the name of Ellen’s mother was MOST LIKELY also Margaret.
• Also, because Michael and Ellen were married in Rathbarry – this means that Margaret was probably originally from Rathbarry (weddings take place usually in the bride’s home parish).
• Finally, using Irish naming patterns, it appears that the 2nd boy was called Michael – this is traditionally the name of the maternal grandfather. With all of this, there is just one Ellen Donovan born in Rathbarry in 1824 to a Michael and a Margaret (both Donovans) – and you can find it here.
• Now, that is a POSSIBILITY above – and needs to be verified further. Also, each of the other three possible John Footmans that I shared with you needs to be examined in a similar manner.

So, I hope you don’t mind me going into detail – but it shows how valuable it can be to layout a timeline with the facts that you already know alongside some additional possibilities.

Jacqueline: I have never been to Ireland. I want to go in 2019 to visit a colleague who teaches at Trinity College and to visit Youghal and Clonakilty.

Mike: Sounds like a great plan! Be sure to spend some time wandering around Rathbarry asking about the Footman families. You will be surprised just how strong memories of such families last in rural areas. Also, be sure to get in touch with Castle Freke and see if you can arrange a visit to this beautiful restored house!

Thank you very much to Jacqueline for sharing her story!

That’s it for this week – if you would like to share a surname or story in your Irish family tree, just leave a comment and let us know.

Slán and chat again next week, Mike and Carina.