Customer Reviews

The Book of Ulster Surnames

5 star:		(3)
4 star:		(0)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

This book is about average, with quite a few small discrepancies. The author confuses locations of many Anglo-Scottish Border Clans. For example, he makes no mention of the fact that the Grahams were more numerous on the English side of the Border than the Scottish. He does the same with many other English Riding Clans.

Some of his surname histories are quite confusing. He mentions the use of the surname Scott as a personal name in England, which has nothing to do with the surname Scott in Ireland. He gives histories of many names, but does not directly say how or if these histories apply these surnames as they appear in Ireland. He may mention the appearance of surnames in other countries, but doesn't say the surname in question came from that country.

It's a fair book, it may or may not help you out.

This book is the right arm for folks attempting to do genealogical research in Ulster. It only covers the top names and it generally uses the "definitive" resources for these names, though in some cases he does include local information. Those wishing additional information on Scottish, Irish, or English names needs to use his bibliography to start researching those in greater detail. The most important aspect of this book is that he shows that often a surname in Ulster can be of Scottish, Irish, or English background. Ie genealogical research is required to determine family origin. You won't learn it by looking it up in a book. However if you think the family is Scottish and find it in a Scottish surname book, you may be misled entirely because the name is also Irish. Or English.

For less common names, buy the CD with Griffiths Index and look it up yerself. This is very easy. You can also other all Irish CDs, for those who object to going to a library. Often the experts who write these books used indexes like Griffiths in composing their books. These resources are now available to us. IGI can be a bit misleading for surnames in Ireland because it doesn't have enough Irish sources to provide an objective look. Griffiths and the Tithe Applotment indexes are generally used.

Linda Merle (Admin - Scotch Irish list on rootsweb)

>>>I agree with the previous reviewer. A while back I ordered this book via Borders with the hope of finding information about the Ulster surnames in my family within: Faloon, Spence, Philpott, Morrow, Dixon & Quail. Of these only Morrow and Dixon were listed. With the exception of Faloon, I believe the rest hail from Scotland during the 17th century. Mr. Bell has left out MANY Ulster surnames which he has deemed 'unimportant' due to the fact of their lesser preponderance in Ulster. Many Americans with rare English or Scottish sounding names who are in fact Scotch-Irish in ancestry and are looking for info. about their surnames in Ulster will be disappointed in this book. Unless you have a name that is widespread and common in Ulster you're regretfully out of luck. Maybe all of us with rare Ulster surnames should get together and compose a book of surnames for people with rare Scotch-Irish family names! {Actually there is an advantage to having a rare Ulster surname--it makes it MUCH easier when researching in Northern Ireland.} --Nathan D. England

I bought this book several years ago in Northern Ireland. Although I'd already been interested in Irish surnames, I found this book very interesting. It lists many common Ulster surnames mentioning whether they are of Irish, Scottish, Norman or English origin, the meaning and the history. It doesn't exclude the possible minor origin in Ulster, so you're not likely to get disappointed after you found your own surname in the book. If you're interested in either Irish surnames or Scottish surnames, this book will never be boring at least.

I really like this book because it helped me with finding my family roots and that I have both Irsh and Scotish blood in me.