The William and Mary Brannan Family of Wardleworth, Lancashire, England: An Analysis of their Migration from County Mayo, Ireland to Wardleworth, Lancashire, England
The William Brannan and Mary Duffy? (this maiden name is in question) family (including children Bridget, Martin, Mary, Cathrine, Thomas and Francis) were all listed as being born in Ireland in the 1851 Doncaster, Yorkshire, England census. They appear to have traveled to Wardleworth, Lancashire, England and remained there through at least the 1881 census. Bridget Duffy, who is listed as a widowed sister-in-law of William is living with them in the 1861 census. Keep in mind that proof of Mary's maiden needs to be established with a marriage record or a death record as the Surname Duffy may be the name of her sister's deceased spouse and not her maiden name. The spelling of their surname varied from Branan, Brannan, Brennon to Brennan in the four census years. Mary Brennan is listed as being widowed in the 1881 census; indicating that William died sometime after 1871 if what I have compiled is accurate. Another genealogist graciously shared information with me is researching this family. Of interest in my own surname search is that the Peter Gaughan family from Ireland is living next door to them in both the 1861 and 1881 census in Wardleworth. In searching the Free BMD index in Rochdale registration district for a death recorded for a William Brennan (Brannan, Branan, Brannon etc), I couldn't find one that would match the age range that could be William. I found a death record for William Brennan age 40 (8e, 52) from December 1875 and one in December 1874 for a William Brannon 67 (8e, 59) neither of which appear to fit. If I documented the census records correctly for this family William was documented as 55 in 1851, 66 in 1861 and 70 in 1871. Mary Brennan and children Martin, Catherine and Francis are documented as being born in Mayo Ireland in the 1881 census. There are obvious discrepancies in these census records such as the ages of William and Mary, but he children's names appear consistent and their ages are fairly consistent as well. Son Martin's occupation was consistent through the census years (a card room jobber or card room hand 1861-1881); Catherine was a cotton weaver (1861-1881). I am unsure what became of Bridget (their eldest daughter) after the 1851 census (married, died or lived elsewhere?) and son Thomas after the 1861 census. Frank (Francis) was listed as a cotton doffer in 1861 and a painter in 1871 and 1881. A search of the 1891 Wardleworth, District 4 census pages 1-16 didn't reveal any Brannans (or variations). There was a death record on the Rochdale BMD index for a Mary Brannan, 63 (8e, 43) in December 1882 that has a remote chance of being the same Mary based on the age given in the 1871 census (she was listed as 45 in 1851, 60 in 1861, 50 in 1871 and 68 in 1881).
Bernie, a genealogist researching this line also located a probable marriage record for Bridget, daughter of William and Mary to Michael Tunny in Rochdale December 1854. This couple was also located in the 1871 census in Rochdale, Wardleworth, Lancashire, District 4 in which Michael Toney 40 bricksetter, Bridget, 34 (card room hand) both born in Ireland are found with their children: Mary 15 Throstle piecer, Martin 10 doffer, Jane 8 Scholar, Catherine 5 and Herbert 2. Bridget appears to be living with her daughter Mary and her husband Owen Reilly (laborer in Iron Foundry) in District 14b Rochdale in the 1881 census. Mary, her daughter is a cotton Throstle Piecer, Jane 18 her sister is a cotton throsle piecer , Catharine is a cotton winder, Martin is a house Joiner and Hugh is a Cotton Doffer. Bridget is listed as still married and not widowed in this census. There are possible BMD birth records for the Tunny children who were all born in Rochdale such as Mary September 1855, Jane September 1862, Catherine December 1865.
My objective in this research is to analyze the Brennan (Brannan) Families who were born in County Mayo or County Roscommon Ireland in the 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 Brennans 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.
I welcome any and all feedback, corrections- they benefit us all. If you believe that your family might be related to any of the families that I have identified in these census records please let me know and I will place a link to your family tree if you have one on line.
| Census Yr/ District | Address | Name | Age | Born | Occupation and Misc Info. | Marital Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1851 Yorkshire, Doncaster, District 5 | Union Workhouse | Branan, William, Vagrant, Head | 55 | Ireland | Vagrant, Ag Lab. | M |
| 1851 Yorkshire Doncaster | Union Workhouse | Branan, Mary, Wife | 45 | Ireland | Vagrant's Wife | M |
| 1851 Yorkshire Doncaster | Union Workhouse | Branan, Bridget, Daughter | 16 | Ireland | Vagrant's Daughter | U |
| 1851 Yorkshire, Doncaster | Union Workhouse | Branan, Martin, Son | 14 | Ireland | Vagrant's Son | |
| 1851 Yorkshire, Doncaster | Union Workhouse | Branan, Mary, Daughter | 12 | Ireland | Vagrant's Daughter | |
| 1851 Yorkshire, Doncaster | Union Workhouse | Branan, Cathrine, Daughter | 8 | Ireland | Vagrant's Daughter | |
| 1851 Yorkshire, Doncaster | Union Workhouse | Branan, Thomas, Son | 6 | Ireland | Vagrant's Son | |
| 1851 Yorkshire, Doncaster | Union Workhouse | Branan, Francis, Son | 4 | Vagrant's Son | ||
| Free BMD Index England- Marriages Rochdale December 1854 (Possible) | Brennan, Bridget and Michael Tunny December 1854 | Rochdale, Lancashire, England Volume 8e page 106 (found by Bernie Genealogist) | ||||
| 1861 Lancashire, Wardleworth, District 4 | 4 Court, High Street | Brannan, William, Head (Julia Welch Boarder from Ire living with them too) | 66 | Ireland | Outdoor Lab. | M |
| 1861 Lancashire, Wardleworth | 4 Court, High Street | Brannan, Mary, Wife | 60 | Ireland | M | |
| 1861 Lancashire, Wardleworth | 4 Court, High Street | Brannan, Martin, Son | 24 | Ireland | Jobber Cardroom | U |
| 1861 Lancashire, Wardleworth | 4 Court, High Street | Brannan, Mary, Daughter | 22 | Ireland | Throstle Piecer | U |
| 1861 Lancashire, Wardleworth | 4 Court, High Street | Brannan, Catherine | 18 | Ireland | Cotton Weaver | U |
| 1861 Lancashire, Wardleworth | 4 Court, High Street | Brannan, Thomas, Son | 16 | Ireland | Iron Moulder | U |
| 1861 Lancashire, Wardleworth | 4 Court, High Street | Brannan, Frank, Son | 13 | Ireland | Doffer Cotton | U |
| 1861 Lancashire, Wardleworth | 4 Court, High Street | Duffy, Bridget, Sister in law | 66 | Ireland | Sews Bed Quilts | W |
1871 Lancashire, Wardleworth, Wardleworth Subregistration District 4 |
3 Court, High Street | Brennan, William, Head (Mary Loftus Lodger from Ire living with them) | 70 | Ireland | Farm Laborer | M |
| 1871 Lancashire, Wardleworth | 3 Court, High Street | Brennan, Mary, Wife | 50 | Ireland | Housekeeper | M |
| 1871 Lancashire, Wardleworth | 3 Court, High Street | Brennan, Martin, Son | 30 | Ireland | Cardroom hand | U |
| 1871 Lancashire, Wardleworth | 3 Court, High Street | Brennan, Catherine, Daughter | 28 | Ireland | Cotton Weaver | U |
| 1871 Lancashire, Wardleworth | 3 Court, High Street | Brennan, Frank, Son | 24 | Ireland | Painter | U |
| 1881 Lancashire, Wardleworth | 6 Goose Yard | Brennan, Mary, Head | 68 | Mayo, Ireland | Housekeeper | W |
| 1881 Lancashire, Wardleworth | 6 Goose Yard | Brennan, Martin, Son | 42 | Mayo, Ireland | Cardroom Jobber | |
| 1881 Lancashire, Wardleworth | 6 Goose Yard | Brennan, Catherine, Daughter | 38 | Mayo, Ireland | Cotton Weaver | |
| 1881 Lancashire, Wardleworth | 6 Goose Yard | Brennan, Francis, Son | 32 | Mayo, Ireland | Painter |
This information was obtained from ancestry.com England Census (Database-online), Provo, UT, USA; Ancestry.com Operations Inc, 2004 for 1871 and 1881Census and 2005 for 1851 and 1861 Census records