THE McGUFFIN NAME
By Gordon McGuffin
INTRODUCTION
Marie Smibert in Etobicoke, Ontario, whose great grandmother was a McGuffin, is the person that got me started on this genealogical quest into McGuffin families and history. Marie was a school teacher, a dedicated school teacher, a thinker that constantly pondered the whys and wherefors of education and social and cultural issues. Marie never married, I think she was much to busy with her career and all these issues, AND, with all forms of the Arts, and, of course with the many facets of her family history. Not just McGuffins, but Smiberts, and Fitzgeralds and other relatives , maternal and paternal. In the past 10 years I have accumulated and documented as best I could a large number of McGuffin families in N. America- Canada and the U.S.A. Late last year(1995), I decided that it was time to try and bridge the gap from N. America to Ireland. I quickly found that this will be a very difficult task, and, that to proceed I would have to know a lot more about the early history of Ireland- more specifically Ulster. Ulster was a way stop, albeit several centuries long, for most of the McGuffins and other Scottish emigrants. Emigrants not only to America, but to Australia, New Zealand, even to India and Africa. Marie obviously recognized this need and she has done a lot of research which she was kind enough to pass on to me. So give Marie most of the credit for anything that follows. I am just glad that I survived long enough to take advantage of the computer age and get this material on the computer where, hopefully, it will be preserved for future generations to carry on the work without taking the traditional two steps back.
EARLY HISTORY * Maries work + Mine
To understand the early history one must read up on the history of Scotland. I attended a Family History seminar at the University of Calgary in the fall of 1995. One of the guest speakers was Dr. Arlene Eakle head of her own company The Genealogical Institute in Salt Lake City. Arlene is a true professional with a staff of competent researchers; she is an authority on almost every aspect of genealogy. Her talks yielded a number of Library references on this subject.
+ The Scottish Migration To Ulster in The Reign Of James 1st by M. Percival Maxwell yielded a very good insight into the subject. In the 12th century or perhaps earlier, Highland Scots from the Isles N & E of Ireland crossed the waters "from tyme to tyme" drawn by the Irish Chieftains to assist them in their battle with neighboring tribes. They were in todays terms "mercenaries" in the language of the day they were referred to as
"Galloglass". These excursions went on right up to the 16th century. Some stayed, intermarried and by the end of this period it was difficult to distinguish Scots from Irish. The principal Irish families in this period were The O'Neills who owned and controlled almost all of Tyrone, The O'Donnells and The McQuillans whose domain was Londonderry and what is now the northern part of Antrim. This event could not be classed as a migration and the effect on population was minimal. The fact that one of the tribes was O'Donnell underscores the early beginnings of this event, the MacDonnells were the traditional Lords of The Isles through most of this period.
The Scottish penetration of the east coast of Ulster (Antrim & Down) assumed more significant proportions after Norman families became established there in the 12th century. They made their way across the relatively short body of water from what is now Wales. In the 14th century Margery Bisset, a descendant of one of these families, and heiress to 2/3 of "The Glynns of Antrim" married John Mor MacDonnell the then Lord Of The Isles. In so doing the Scots obtained a foothold in Ulster that could claim some right by English law. In 1490 the Scottish King asserted authority over The Lordship i.e. the Lord Of The Isles, and Scotland became more interested in Ulster. One should bear in mind that events on the British Isle itself were positioning more and more, England vs Scotland, and that England was already recognizing the importance of Ireland- albeit at this point their interest was primarily the southern portion of Ireland. The "English Pale" was established in lands N & S of Dublin along the E coast in 1515, and expanded throughout this century and the next under Queen Elizabeth and James 1st. As a matter of general interest, inhabitants in "The Pale" were forbidden to use Irish names and were to adopt new names. The new names could be related to color, trades, geographical features, inanimate objects etc.. So lots of Irish names became Greens, Browns, Whites, Blacks, Millers, Coopers, Weavers, Smiths, Harpers, Brooks, etc.
By the mid 1500's the Scots had fairly well established their hold on parts of Antrim and were expanding south. In 1558 the Archbishop of Armagh (SW neighbor of Down) reported that "20 years ago Down was as English as any part of The Pale but now is under Irishmen and Scots". By this time the Tudor monarchs in England had consolidated their power at home and began to expand their authority in Ireland (see above). These two expansions inevitably led to conflict, more fuel for the conflicts growing at home. The events from about 1550, during Elizabeth's rule, until the early part of the 1600's, well into James 1st rule, were turbulent, to say the least. Percival said it very well- "from 1550 until the end of Elizabeth's reign at the end of the century, politics in N. Ireland resembled an intricate dance in which partners changed with bewildering frequency."
I will attempt to summarize some of these "bewildering" events:
- Early in this period the English passed an act requiring land owners whose land derived from Irish Law to surrender those rights in return for rights under English Law.
- England attempted by outright conquest to increase and consolidate its position.
Neither of these moves were effective in Ulster because Scotland did not recognize the English monarchy and the military ventures were rather half hearted.
-In 1556 Lord Fitzwalter (later Earl of Sussex) arrived in Ireland as the English Deputy. He passed an act forbidding any contact with the Scots and making it an act of treason to intermarry with them. He also lead several expeditions against "The Islanders" both in the Isles and against the settlements in Antrim. The expeditions had no lasting effect. The populace basically melted into the country and then returned when "the smoke cleared". The Archbishop of Armagh suggested to Fitzwalter that a more lasting solution could be effected if somehow the Irish could be turned against the Scots. e.g. The O'Neills, O'Donnells, McQillans against the MacDonnells.
-In 1560-61 Elizabeth, who in hindsight appears to have recognize the wisdom of the Archbishops suggestion, granted an indenture to James MacDonnell Lord of the Isles for "Captainship" of "the lands in the north". These lands known in those days as "The Route" were in northern Antrim and mostly in Londonderry. At the same time she made James' younger brother Sorley Boy MacDonnell an English subject and stipulated that he could rule these lands and pay rent. By so doing Elizabeth recognized MacDonnell control over that part of Antrim outside the "Glynns"- the original Bisset inheritance. Not so obvious(it seems to me) was the fact that she had created a thin wedge between the brothers MacDonnell.
-The main reason for this seeming toleration of the Scots was the fact that the Irish Chieftain Shane O'Neill had staged a revolt in an effort to obtain independence from English rule. At that time the O'Neills controlled most of what is now Tyrone and Londonderry Counties. Shane, and the
O'Neills were forced into submission in 1563 and the English tolerance ended. Shane proposed to the English a joint foray against the Scots in Antrim. The English agreed wholeheartedly and after a sudden attack the Scots were defeated. The Lord of the Isles James MacDonnell died of wounds and his brother Sorley Boy was captured. Soon after this event Shane, apparently a little giddy from his success against the Scots, decided to have another go at the English. His raids against the English Pale prompted swift retaliation and things went badly for him. Unbelievably and obviously in desperation, Shane went to the Scots in 1567 with "hat in hand" asking for support against the English. It was much too soon after his murderous attack against the Scots. They rejected his pleas and killed him, and set Sorley Boy MacDonnell free.
-The main participants in the "intricate dance" now in full swing were the English and Scottish governments, the O'Neills, O'Donnells, McQuillans, and the MacDonnells. After the events of 1567 the MacDonnells started to drift apart. The two factions were headed by: Angus MacDonnell, successor to James as Chief of the Clandonald south (Lord of the Isles) which controlled Islay and Kintyre and had rights to "The Glynns" in Antrim, and, Sorley Boy who aspired to ownership of "The Route" (N. Antrim & part of Londonderry). Now the intrigue, plot and counter plot, treachery, heightened. Here are some of the main features:
-Angus became preoccupied in a bitter feud with the MacLeans of Duart over part of Islay and with the Scottish Crown who decided to assert authority over "The Isles". Enter, the Campbell clan who were grabbing everything in sight. They took advantage of Angus' weakened condition and Archibald Campbell, 7th Earl Of Argyll, ousted the MacDonnells from Islay.- Marriage alliances furthered the turmoil. Agnes Campbell, daughter of the Earl Of Argyll, was the wife of James MacDonnell (who was killed in the Irish-English attack in 1563) and Angus MacDonnell, Lord of the Isles) was her son. In the 1561-67 period Catherine MacLean (Angus' enemies) lived with Shane O'Neill and bore him two sons. By 1589 with help from the MacLean clan these men laid claim to the O'Neill kingdom. In 1569, six years after James' death, Agnes (Campbell) MacDonnell married Shane O'Neills successor Terlough Luineach bringing with her as a dowry, 1000 mercenaries. At about the same time Agnes' daughter married the Chief of the O'Donnells who controlled most of Londonderry. The dance is definitely up tempo now. These marriages were almost certainly "of convenience".
-In 1569, after Shane was killed, the English passed an act forfeiting his lands and during the 1570's several attempts were made to colonize Ulster. The MacDonnells however maintained practical control of Antrim until 1586. In that year, and for the next two years, Sir John Perrot, the English Lord Deputy, tried unsuccessfully to remove them by force. Just when it looked like the dance was at its wildest - more intrigue, treachery and murder.
- In May 1586 Angus had his right to The Glynns confirmed. In June Sorley Boy was granted the "best" half of "The Route". Leaving the other half to the McQuillans (the original owners). In 1590 Sorley Boy died and was succeeded by his son James. In 1593 James (Sorleys son) seized the other half of "The Route". In 1589 the Earl Of Tyrone (in O'Neill country) murdered one of Shanes sons (a MacLean), in 1593 Turlough Luineach resigned the "O'Neillship" in favor of the Earl Of Tyrone. The Earl asked Angus for help in his struggles with the English. Angus did send some aid but not much because he was "looking over his shoulder" at the MacLeans back in Islay who also hated The Earl because of the murder of Catherines son. Angus expected help from The Earl in return.
-By 1596 James (Sorleys son ) controlled both "The Route" and "The Glynns".
-In 1596 James VI th of Scotland launched an expedition against Angus MacDonnell the then Chief of The Clandonald and Lord of The Isles. The campaign was successful, partly because Angus was preoccupied with his feud with the MacLeans of Duart (see above), and partly because of treachery by his cousin James MacDonnell- Sorley Boy's son. James ignored Angus' request for help and threw his lot in with King James VI against his cousin, presumable to achieve some favor. James did not have to physically participate in the conquest as Angus submitted in November 1596. King James the VI made James MacDonnell a knight for this treachery - Sir James Of Knockrinsay. Somehow, Sir James and Angus managed to get a letter of support from James VI for their claim to the Irish lands. Angus must not have been aware of Sir James treachery.
-In 1597 Sir John Chichester, Lord Deputy, attempted to negotiate with James but was killed in a fight. In 1601 James died suddenly , probably from poison administered by an English agent.
-In 1601 Randall MacDonnell (James' son), succeeded James and cooperated with Tyrone. The letter of support from James VI proved to be useless because Tyrone and Randall submitted to the English Deputy, Lord Mountjoy. At last the feverish tempo of "the dance" slowed down. Elizabeths reign came to an end AND King James Of Scotland succeeded her as King Of England. A whole new ball game. Randall MacDonnell was left in a very favorable position, largely because of his fathers aid to James VI (now James 1st of England & Scotland) against Angus. Randall occupied huge areas of County Antrim and in addition found himself in good standing with the house of Stuart in Scotland.
This period in history, while very important as a means to establish some context, was to pale in significance to the migrations which followed under James' rule. The "Islanders" were primarily soldiers and settlement was a secondary theme. The migration of Lowlanders during James' rule was really a planned settlement. The Islanders were Catholics, whereas the majority of the Lowlanders were Protestants.
With James as King of England and Scotland, colonization of Ulster became a priority, more so for the Scots, since the English were now heavily occupied with their new lands in the Americas. i.e. Jamestown Virginia and Guiana in the south. Supplying settlers for all these "colonial" lands became difficult. Ireland, the country, had great appeal to the citizens of England and Scotland, but they viewed the Irish people with utter disgust. Wars had decimated the population. In most parts waste, decay, pestilence, and famine had taken a heavy toll. Emigration away from these horrible conditions further reduced the population. By 1610 it was estimated that the Ulster population was between 25-40,000 people. This was before the Irish debacle at Kinsale (revolt) and the devastating campaigns waged by the English in the north. When the six "escheated" (forfeited to England because there were no legal heirs) counties were ready for "plantation" (excluding Monaghan, Down, & Antrim) the English estimated the Irish need occupy only 1/3 of the lands while the other 2/3 could support 40,000 settlers. Early attempts to colonize the Isle of Lewis and the Mull of Kintyre failed miserably because of terrible weather on the Island, and because of fierce opposition from the local inhabitants.
As mentioned above a majority of the settlers sent to Ulster were Protestant. King James' policies had a lot to do with this fact. I will attempt to summarize some of these.
In the early 1600's James set up a border council to control the lowland border country between England and Scotland. These lands were overpopulated and a number of unemployed, or underemployed persons had taken to renegade activities, theft, revolutionary actions, assaults, and general idleness. Control measures exercised by the border councils included executions, banishment, and transport to the colonies. The later two were viewed as a good way to meet the crying need for settlers in the colonies.
James being Catholic resulted in a frequent rise and fall of the Presbyterian (Protestant) influence in Scotland, and in particular in the border regions. While he permitted Presbyteries to exist he increased authority of Catholic Bishops and tried to change the form of worship in the Presbyterian churches. In 1616 he indicated his desire to the Bishops to see people kneel during communion as was the custom in England. It took 5 years but an act was finally passed to accomplish this. Further attempts to change the form of worship met with stubborn, underground opposition. Resistance provided more fodder for the border councils and as a consequence most of the people transported were Protestant AND many lowlanders volunteered as settlers to escape the religious persecution and hard economic times. The depth of their feelings was to be felt later in that century when William Of Orange lead the Protestant reformation, and for many centuries after, right up to the present time.
That may be enough historical background to allow us to get back to our family name with some understanding.
In the Library reference British Family Names- 1903 * There is reference to Duffy which derives from the Norse name Dufan . There is also McGoohen or McGushen (Gaelic and Celtic) meaning son and flower (gugan). The Old Norse Gufi or Gufa (Gaelic) is also found. There is also Mahafee and a reference to the Irish McGaffee. Our early history is believed to relate to the McFie clan, and the book cites Maccaffee and directs the reader to McFie-> MacFie-> MacPhee->Macphie->Macaffee->Machaffie->McDuffie.
In the library reference Clans, Septs, and Regiments of the Scottish Highlands * one finds that the MacDuffies and Macphies are the most ancient inhabitants of the Isle of Colonsay, and that their genealogy which is preserved in the manuscript of 1450, demonstrates their connection to the MacGregors. Macfie of Colonsay was the Hereditary Keeper of the Records of the Isles in the old days when there was a Lord Of The Isles. +This goes back to the 12th century or earlier and the title traditionally is ascribed to The Clandonald. *When this title was forfeited the Macfies followed the MacDonnells of Islay (another of the Isles). The Macfies appear to have retained possession of Colonsay until the middle of the 17th century when they were dispersed. It seems likely that some of them found there way to Ulster either directly or from Lochaber, the Mull of Kintyre and the Clyde estuary.
*In Blacks Surnames of Scotland Marie found MacGuffie and Maccuffee. There was Col. John M'Guffie killed at the battle of Flodden in 1513. There was a M'Guffie in Wigtown and a M'Kuffie and a M'Caffee in the Kirkcudbright area. One must remember that these places are not that far from Newry and the "Guff" sound is interesting. The author of McGuffeys "Readers" was the son of Alex born in Scotland. It was also suggested that McGuffin or M'Guffie etc could be a weakened form of Macguffog. (I have seen that name in census records also).
*In Surnames of Ireland by Matheson, McGaffin and McGuffin occur together with McGuffin given as a variation of McGaffin. Maybe ?
In Surnames of Ireland by Mac Lysaght, McGuffin is given as a variant of MacGiffen a name which is fairly numerous in Counties Antrim, Derry, and Tyrone.
