Many of my ancestors were said to be of Scotch-Irish origin and immigrated to the United States between 1700-1800. The McKEE family who claim they were Scot were in South Carolina by 1740. The DIXON family also settled in South Carolina early. The GAMBLE and KENNEDY couple came from Monaghan County, Ireland by 1800 to Pennsylvania? Were they originally Scot? The DIMOND family were in Pennsylvania by mid 1700's. I cannot find any Irish records and these families seem to have come through Ireland at least for a time. How can I find my way back to Scotland if I cannot find Irish records? Any help on any of these families appreciated. Thank you.

I have no information on the origin of my Gamble ancestors
before they arrived in Pennsylvania in the early 1800's from
Monaghan County, Ireland. My question was since some of my ancestors reportedly arrived in the US via Ireland but supposedly originating out of Scotland then was this too the same route the Gambles took? Apparently not if you say the Gamble name originated in Leicestershire, England. Thank you
for your response.

It is well known that the Gamble name originated in Leicestershire England. How and when did it get to Scotland? It has been associated with Saltcoats. Is this correct? Answers to these questions would help me to know where or how to go about my research.

My Gamble ancestors definitly originated in Leicestershire England. They seem to have moved through Scotland and to Northern Ireland. From there they imigraged to Maine and Virginia and Tennessee. Some emigrated directly from England to Pennsylvania. Any suggestions about how to trace this Line would be appreciated.

The only way I know how to trace a lineage is to start with your earliest known ancestor and trace it back generation by generation. I have been able to trace most of my family branches in the United States fairly easily with the help of census records, land records, wills, marriage records, Bible records, military records, etc. Before the 1770's in the United States, very few records can be found. Sometimes it is just a matter of luck to find information. I hired a researcher in Ireland on one occasion. I was much disappointed in the result so I cannot say I recommend that route. I did notice a book on the Maine Gamble family for sale on the web site of Higginson Books. These genealogy books are reasonably priced. You might want to check it out. Other then that, I have done very little research outside of the U.S. so I cannot be of much help to you. Good Luck

Do you have dates for the movement of your Gamble ancestors
from England to Scotland and Ireland. I have traced "our"
Gambles as far back as Ireland (late 1700's - early 1800's)
but apparently like yours, the trail seems to have been
Scotland - Ireland - Scotland, then U.S. to New York, Ontar-
io and then Minnesota. There apparently were relatives left
behind and some who came ahead - primarily from Scotland -
but haven't definitely connected names. Family letters from
GGM Mary Ann Neill Gamble to her parents back in Ontario in-
dicate relatives in Pa. Today (figuratively speaking) there
are 10 or 12 known Gamble families in Dundee. I've always
been certain (although at first just a hunch) that the Gamble name is not Irish in origin, although as children we
always thought of ourselves as "Irish". From some reading
I've done I think the Scotland-Ireland movement had to do
with the land settlements in Ireland - it would fit into the
time line.
Let me know what you may connect from this, if anything, and
I'll try to get more positive dates. The one I have for
certain is my GGF who was born at 'Coot's Hill' Co. Cavan,
Ireland in August of 1834. He went to Scotland with his
family (members unknown) when he was about 8; met and mar-
ried Mary Ann Neill (father William - Ontario death records
indicate his age as 86 and death occurred in August, 1895;
he was born in Armagh); they had one child, Elizabeth, in
Dundee, in 1863 and the second, Alexander, in Albany, NY,in
1865. So - somewhere between the two children they came to
the US. Mary Ann's parents came with them. They were in
Albany for 6/7 years before going on to Beaverton, Ontario.
Have not found any records of citizenship/application, etc
for them. (Family rumor has it that they were asked to work
for the Union Army weaving cloth, as both Alex and his fath-
er-in-law were noted in several places to be 'weavers'.
This time period was one of, if not the great times of the
weaving industry in the Dundee area (from internet friends
in Scotland) so that part might be logical. Haven't figured
yet how to trace, if at all possible, their employment with
"the government", particularly since they weren't citizens.
Probably what happened was that they were able to get work
when they got here, given the times and situation, and since
they were apparently accomplished in their field, were hir-
ed.
Have not yet 'tackled' the GRO in Scotland or Ireland for
more definitive information on birth certificates, etc. Mary
Ann and Alexander are the only two children in both families
that we have definite information on; I'm sure there were
more and, as mentioned, it could be that some did come before them to the U.S. (The above mentioned letters did not
indicate anything other than names, no dates nor specifics,
unfortunately.)

I think we may have corresponded once before (I don't
keep track of all my messages, unfortunately!), but perhaps
this gives enough info to find something positive. I'd
really like to find out if there are more Gambles in the U.
S. that we may be related to - no matter how many times re-
moved!! I've already had a couple surprisees when tracking
greatuncles who seemed to move around quite a bit!!

Barbara Gamble Kennedy

Looking for: Gambles & Neills (or Neals, Niels, etc)

Hi,

i am researching my great great great grandfather, Samuel Gamble, of kilrush County clare,

he had a son david s gamble, came to ny then new haven,around 1860

any info would be great. thanks



Scott W Baker

In one of the books on Scottish Clan report that the MacKee and McKee is a large sept of the MacKay Clan. A sept is a subgroup of a Scottish Clan.
Terry McKee

Hello
My McKee family came from Ireland and went to Scotland
My ggg grand mother was Eliza Mckee she married a David clarke
Kind regards Jean