Scottish and Irish Diaspora - Populating Canada

[Sammac]

My dad's family followed the same route to the US, coming from Scotland, France, Ireland and England they went to Canada, and then most ended up in the US. My grandmother once told me that when my greatgrandfather came over from Skye, all 4 of his brothers came over at the same time.

[Riverkilt]

Aye, my ancestors emmigrated from Skye to Nova Scotia. Most kin made it on down to the states. But I've a cousin who went back to Canada and an uncle who married a Canadian lady. Aunt Peggy has a sign in her living room that says "A Canadian is someone who knows how to make love in a canoe." Great spirit.

For all the Scottish blood each of my four grandparents has Irish ancestry too. But as far as I know they came direct from Ireland to the U.S.

Most cool the connection. Have connected with many distant cousins too doing genealogy and Facebook. It is SCARY, how much we are alike. Wouldn't amaze us how related livestock is alike, but it does when its us humans and kin.

And I still have my "Canada is looking better and better every day" tank top.

[dfmacliam]

It's interesting how that works out.. All of my mothers family are in either England, Ireland, Australia, or Spain... We were the only ones who came this way..

[Frank McGrath]

You are truly lucky that you communicate with your cousins. All of my McGrath cousins are either dead or so strung out on drugs and there will not be another generation other than my son and my brothers two boys. On the other hand, my mother's siblings (9) have given me at least 15 cousins, most in the Mid Atlantic region. The next generation has exploded and some of those have their own kids. So the Moore Clan is well established. I can trace my Father's family back 5 generations without leaving Wash. DC. Heaven only knows (and a good geneologist) just where my roots are.

[NewEnglander]

I've been working on my genealogy for several years now. Thanks to the internet (I used ancestry.com) I've found out a huge amount of information about the MacPhersons and even discovered a distant cousin who is also researching the family tree. My forefathers came over from Scotland to Ontario, but despite the INCREDIBLE census records from Canada, I can't find out where in Scotland Archibald MacPherson came from. I hope to fill in the holes in the tree sometime and would also love to have a family reunion with the Canadian branch of the clan.

[macwilkin]

I just found a series of books on the history of the Scots in Canada by Lucille Campey. She has one book that gives a general overview, An Unstoppable Force: The Scottish Exodus to Canada, but also has a number of other titles focusing on specific regions -- Upper & Lower Canada, New Brunswick, etc. I've been looking at them on Google Books, and they look quite good.

I also recommend Matthew Shaw's Great Scots! How the Scots Created Canada by Matthew Shaw:

http://www.hrtlandbooks.com/books/greatscots.htm

Regards,

Todd

[MacBean]

The general dictum is that Highlanders went to Canada rather than the USA, esp. Nova Scotia after the Revolutionary War because Highlanders tended to side with the Loyalists, thus found the new USA an unwelcoming place. Once the trend was set, I suspect it then became easier and easier as immigration across the Commonwealth was facilitated. Our Chief came to the US via Canada, and likewise there are plenty of MacBeans in Australia (also Commonwealth).

That said, Bean is a very common name in the USA. My own family sided with the Patriots as they were not living in a Highlander community. In each emmigration and change, there has to be an interesting story to be told.

As my family here in Scotland has disappeared, the Canadian relatives have assumed much greater importance in my life. It is remarkable how the family has thrived and multiplied in Canada while they have withered away in Scotland, is it something in the Canadian water?

Do you know why your uncles left Alex? If you take a plant out of its native home and plant it in a new, but similar country, it often does remarkably well, unaccompanied by the familiar problems that have plagued it at home.

[cessna152towser]

Do you know why your uncles left Alex?

I wish I knew what was in their minds at the time.
Emigration to the Commonwealth Countries from Scotland was fashionable until we joined the European Community, now it is more difficult for a Scot to be accepted as an immigrant by Canada or Australia though there is an automatic right of residence in France or Spain for example.
The four brothers all went to Canada. Their sister went too, she married in Canada but then died in childbirth. After the father died the mother emigrated to Canada to live with one of the sons.
With hindsight if I could have foreseen how my family situation would work out in later years I would definitely have emigrated to Canada when I was younger.
Now I am over 55 so I can no longer gain any points for youthful age. Neither of my qualifications as a Lawyer (Scots Law) and as a Professional Driver (driving on the left hand side of the road) would be of use in Canada so I gain no points for essential skills.
Now my only prospect of emigrating to Canada would be to marry a Canadian citizen.
Scotland will always be my home but Canada is where the family live and the Maple Leaf will always be very special to me.

[McMurdo]

Alex
My Parents and Grandparents came to Canada in the 1950's, it was because at the time there were no prospects in Scotland. Some of my Aunt's and Uncles stayed, and so no I have relations I've never met who are still over there. I just thought I'd give you my folks reasoning for coming. My Dad told me long ago that my Grandfather gave him the choice of either Australia or Canada, he chose Canada.

[Dixiecat]

Now my only prospect of emigrating to Canada would be to marry a Canadian citizen

How YOU doin?