The Origins of the McCreights, History and Genealogy Scotland, Ireland, South Carolina and North Carolina: Revision 1

This book deals with the history and genealogies of the McCreights in Scotland, Ireland, South Carolina, and North Carolina, who are descended from William McCreight, who was born in Scotland in 1645. One-hundred and four other surnames are mentioned and indexed that may be of interest to others. Also others may find the procedures and methods useful in their own research.After this book was published in 2016, more information was found in the Public Records Office of Northern Ireland. In addition, several DNA studies were completed. This required revisions and five new chapters. A Y-DNA study showed that the McCreight surname originated about a thousand years ago on the shores of Loch Rayan in South-West Scotland. Other Y-DNA and mitochondrial-DNA studies traced the immigration of the McCreight male and female ancestors into Europe and later to Scotland. Another Y-DNA study showed that the McCreights are related to my maternal grandmother (surname Killian) through a male Y-DNA line through a common ancestor in the prehistoric period before surnames existed.Archival information showed a family of only thirteen McCreights immigrated to South Carolina in 1772. A great many more remained in Ireland, and their descendants still live there. A new chapter was added for McCreights who remained in Ireland. Earlier land leases were found that show William McCreight (born in 1645) emigrated from Scotland to Ireland thirty years earlier than other land leases indicated. Archival files also showed that some sources used were not correct, requiring corrections in the book.An entry in the McCreight Family Bible says William McCreight was born in 1645 in Scotland near Glasgow. However, no records have survived to prove this. Nevertheless, Y-DNA evidence proves the McCreight surname originated in Scotland about 650 years before William was born. Records from a generation later, in Lanark County near Glasgow show William McCreight (born about 1728) and Agnes Anderson had eight children between 1748 and 1764.In about 1650, English absentee-landlords began sending large numbers of Scots to re-settle Ulster, Ireland. William McCreight (born in 1645), leased land in Gilford, County Down, Ireland from Sir John Magill in 1665. He had a son named William (born in 1680), who had five known sons and one daughter.Records show David McCreight (born in 1709), son of William (born in 1680), married Mary Harper on the 20th of July 1732 in Callybackey, County Antrim, Ireland. They had one daughter and three sons between 1734 and 1746. David named two other sons in his will, but no baptismal records were found. They were apparently born before church records survived in County Antrim.The marriage record of David's son William (born in 1734) to Agnes Smith in 1759 was found in the same parish. They had two sons baptized between 1761 and 1764. Two more sons and two daughters appeared in William's will, but no baptismal records were found in Ireland.A source in the 2016 edition of this book said the English landlords raise the rents to the point that the land could not support them. The Reverend William Martin leased five ships to take his entire congregation to South Carolina. According to new records found, this source was incorrect in several respects. The McCreights were in fact not economic immigrants. They arrived in South Carolina with a considerable sum of cash. Also Reverend Martin did not take his entire congregation. Far more McCreights remained in Ireland than the thirteen McCreights who immigrated. If the rents were raised to the point where the land could not support them, why did the McCreights continually renew these leases in Ireland for three hundred years into the 20th century? The remainder of this revised edition deals with the descendants of David McCreight and Mary Harper in South Carolina, North Carolina, Virginia and Maryland.