The John and Mary Brannan Family of Huddersfield, Yorkshire, England: An Analysis of their Migration from Sligo, Ireland to Huddersfield England
The Connaught Counties of Galway, Roscommon, Mayo and Sligo are heavily represented in the Huddersfield England Census Records when the county names are given as a place of birth. The amazing research compiled on the Irish in England by great authors like Donald Macraid, Roger Swift, Donald E Jordan Junior, Sheridan Gilley, Kevin O'Connor, John Belchem, Frank Boyce and L. W. Brady among others seems to support repeated migration trails from certain counties in Ireland to certain places in England.
My objective in this research is to analyze the Brannan (Brennan) Families in Huddersfield England Census records over the years to see migration pattern trends from certain counties, possible Civil Parishes in Ireland and even with families of the surname itself. I hope to eventually connect them to the Brannans that I am identifying in the Catholic Church Records in both County Mayo and County Roscommon Ireland. This will most definitely be a work in progress and all findings I speculate on would have to be proven for accuracy with GRO of England marriage records, church baptismal records and death records among other genealogical records. Please use this information with that caveat in mind so that nothing is assumed and no stones are left unturned to assure it's your family and the connection is accurate.
Analysis of Findings: The 1851 census for this family listed them as lodgers with the John Burke Family from County Sligo, Ireland. John and Mary Brenam are listed as being from "do" ditto referring to County Sligo listed for the individuals above them in the record. This would most certainly have to be verified to be sure it applies to them as well.
There is another John and Mary(Sarah) Brennan family next door to them on Black Lion Yard in the 1861 census who is listed as being from Ireland. The John that is the subject on this page is a Mason's Laborer and the other John is a Plaster's Laborer; his wife was 31, both born in Ireland. They had three children all born in Huddersfield: Thomas 8, Mark 5 and Catherine 5 months. This family needs to be traced as well.
Numerous surname variations were given for this family including Brenam, Brennan, Brannan and the person who indexed who I believe is Thomas and Winifred Brannan living with their married sister Agnes in the 1881 census wrote Brannion (I believe it looks like Brannan). It appears that John Brannan may have died after the 1861 census. I believe I have found his death/burial record: a John Brannon died at age 43 December 1, 1867 and was buried at Edgerton Cemetery, Huddersfield. He was a Laborer living on Upper Head Row. There were several possible BMD death records that could be him: Brannan, John Henry died December 1862 Huddersfield volume 9a, page 166; Brannan, John died March 1863 Huddersfield volume 9a, page 253; and John Brannan age 43 died December 1867 volume 9a, page 223. The only other John Brannan was 21 at time of death in 1866. I have also presented possible death records for Mary the mother and Michael a son. I can't be sure of any of them- they are just food for thought. I couldn't find James in the census records but he may be in there and I just missed him, the same goes for mother Mary. I was unable to find a marriage record for Patrick Jennings and Agnes Brannan. The 1881 census appears to be Agnes and her two siblings Winifred and Thomas, but a marriage record would be necessary to prove this.
I welcome any and all feedback, corrections- they benefit us all. If you believe that your ancestors might be related to this family please contact me! If you decide to order baptismal or marriage records from the GRO based on what you see on my website, please be sure to assess the accuracy of my research first and verify the volume and page number before you order in the event I made a typo!
| Census Yr/District | Address | Name | Age | Born | Occupation | Marital Status and Misc. Info. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1851 Huddersfield Civil Parish, Huddersfield Sub Registration District 19 | Upperhead Row | Brenam, John, Lodger (with John Burke Family from Sligo) | 27 | Sligo, Ireland | Labourer (sic) | M |
| 1851 Huddersfield Civil Parish, District 19 | Upperhead Row | Brenam, Mary, Wife | 26 | Sligo, Ireland | M | |
| 1851 Huddersfield Civil Parish, District 19 | Upperhead Row | Brenam, Mary, Daughter | 2 mos | Yorkshire, Huddersfield, England | ||
| 1861 Huddersfield Civil Parish, District 9 | Black Lion Yard | Brennan, John, Head (found possible death/burial record 1867?) | 37 | Ireland | Mason's Lab | M |
| 1861 Huddersfield Civil Parish, District 9 | Black Lion Yard | Brennan, Mary, Wife | 35 | Ireland | M | |
| 1861 Huddersfield Civil Parish, District 9 | Black Lion Yard | Brennan, Mary, Daughter | 10 | Yorkshire, Huddersfield, England | Scholar | U |
| 1861 Huddersfield Civil Parish, District 9 | Black Lion Yard | Brennan, Agnes, Daughter | 8 | Yorkshire, Huddersfield, England | Scholar | |
| 1861 Huddersfield Civil Parish, District 9 | Black Lion Yard | Brennan, Winnie, Daughter | 1 | Yorkshire, Huddersfield, England | ||
| 1871 Huddersfield Civil Parish, District 5 | Upperhead Row | Brannan, Mary, Head | 46 | Ireland | Pot Hawker | W |
| 1871 Huddersfield Civil Parish, District 5 | Upperhead Row | Brannan, Agnes, Daughter | 18 | Yorkshire, Huddersfield, England | Cotton Piecer | U |
| 1871 Huddersfield Civil Parish, District 5 | Upperhead Row | Brannan, Winifred, Daughter | 11 | Yorkshire, Huddersfield, England | Scholar | |
| 1871 Huddersfield Civil Parish, District 5 | Upperhead Row | Brannan, Thomas, Son | 6 | Yorkshire, Huddersfield, England | Scholar | |
| 1871 Huddersfield Civil Parish, District 5 | Upperhead Row | Brannan, James, Son | 4 | Yorkshire, Hudderfield, England | at home | |
| Free BMD England Death Index Huddersfield (a possibility) | Breynan, James- died June 1872 | 4 | Huddersfield, England | June 1872 Vol 9a, page 267 | ||
Free BMD England Death Index Huddersfield (1 possibility) |
Brannan, Mary died Huddersfield Sept 1880 | 51 | Huddersfield, England | Volume 9a, page 240 | ||
| 1881 Huddersfield Civil Parish, Huddersfield Sub Registration District 6 | 67 Manchester Street | Jennings, Patrick, Head | 26 | Staffordshire, England | Mason's Lab | M |
| 1881 Huddersfield Civil Parish, District 6 | 67 Manchester Street | Jennings, Agnes, Wife (Brannan) | 27 | Huddersfield, Yorkshire, England | Speed Tenter - ex? | M |
| 1881 Huddersfield Civil Parish, District 6 | 67 Manchester Street | Jennings, Walter, Son | 1 | Huddersfield, Yorkshire, England | ||
| 1881 Huddersfield Civil Parish, District 6 | 67 Manchester Street | Brannan, Thomas, Brother in Law | 16 | Huddersfield, Yorkshire, England | Joiner | U |
| 1881 Hudderfield Civil Parish, District 6 | 67 Manchester | Brannan, Winifred, Sister in Law | 21 | Huddersfield, Yorkshire, England | Back Tenter - ex? | U |
Ancestry.com 1851 (and 1861) England Census (Database On-line) Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc 2005
Ancestry.com 1871 (and 1881) England Census (Database On-Line) Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc 2004