My Wilson family came from Scotland and were Scottish Travelers they were spooners they made hornspoons and sold them. I have alot of Wilson's who left Scotland and went to Canada. If any one has any info on the gypsys i would be very interested.

Hi there,

I'm searching for more info on my Grandmother's side. We don't really know much, but what we know is that my Grandmother's Grandmother (who they called Black Nini) was from Romany Gypsy. They were originally from Spain, but travelled to the Hebrides(Scotland), and married into non Gypsy family. Surnames were Marshall. Not sure what the Gypsy surname was. We also know that my Great Great Granmother's family owned a Gypsy Fun Fair. But not sure which one or if they still have the fun fair :/
Good Luck in finding more info x

One line of my family is also Wilson Scotch/Irish travellers, are you in the US. My family travelled from missiouri to Florida, mainly found in Alabama, Tenn, Kentucky. I have a few pix but I have not been able to trace very far back, just to Bowling green KY around 1880, my gr grandfather was Alex Wilson he had a bro John. They were horse traders and fortune tellers

Yes, My Wilsons were in Pennsylvania. When we did our DNA we are full Celtic from Scotland, Ireland, Welsh. Our DNA match is with a Coffey family from Nebraska and Kentucky we are not sure how we would connect to them. In Scotland I know our Wilsons and Baillie's were Horsetraders, and Spooners. I would like to see some of your pics.

My Scottish Traveller families came from Scotland to (London, Fergus, Toronto, and other) Ontario, Canada and the US (early areas were Michigan, Illinois, Wisconsin, Texas and Kansas). I believe there is an association with a Wilson family in Fergus, Ontario, but I can't be sure they were travellers. My families were Todd, Drummond, and Anderson. My families were hawkers, basket makers, stoneware merchants, potters and such in England and Scotland. In Canada a horse trader and tinsmiths. In the US mostly Drummond and Anderson's who were tinsmiths. Always looking for more connections. My family was mostly in the Northumberland, England and lowlands of Scotland. I think my traveller family was likely "jacks of all trades" and they did the work that needed to be done to make a living.

Lines of the Coffey, Baillie, and Wilson families are also found in Indiana. In the 1800s they commonly went between the "Bowling Green" area and Highland, Co. Ohio.

However, an odd element is that, at least in Indiana (some in Kentucky)...Wilsons are very intermarried with families that come from the "East Indian" Weaver family.

I cannot speak for the Coffey family personally but I have always assumed they were somehow Romany related simply because I run into the name so often...and I only have Romany, East Indians, and Jews in my family (and rather well intermixed at that).

oh...very few Baillies lasted with the original spelling. The more common American Bailey spelling is how you will find them.

Hi,

In regard to your Baillie line, google the Yeltholme gypsies,Scotland. Baillie is one of the predominant surnames in the towns gypsy community.

Regarding the Wilson line, I have no known connection, but may have an idea for some further research. In my locality a number of 'travelling' Wilson's have settled in both the Stokesley and Guisborough areas of North Yorkshire, the former being my old work place and the latter, my home town.

I am researching Drummond,Todd and Anderson lines, as is my very distant cousin, Tom, which are proving to be a giant jigsaw puzzle and frustrating. Let me know how you get on.

Kim.

p.s my email is different from this one it's my dad's mine is kimwhaley1066@aol.com