The Thomas and Margaret Corkeran (Cocran, Cochrane) Family of Huddersfield, Yorkshire, England: An Analysis of their Possible Migration from Roscommon, Ireland to Huddersfield, Yorkshire, 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 Corcoran 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 Corcorans 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: This appears to be the same family in all three census years, although there are some discrepancies in the ages which is not that uncommon. Michael Corcoran is absent from the 1851 census. The question is did he die? He would have only been 13. I couldn't find any BMD England death records for a Michael in Huddersfield other than a Michael with unknown surname who died in Huddersfield in December 1847. Patrick disappears after the 1851 census and William after the 1861 census, but they may be out on their own. I believe that the baptismal records that I identified in the St Patrick's Church Microfilm for William, Mich'l and John are for this family and that Margaret's maiden name is most likely "Bones." There was also a baptismal record for a Sarah, daughter of Thomas Corcoran and Mary Bones born 6/3/1832; baptism 7/1/1832. Sarah did not appear in the 1841 census record. The question is, if this is the same family, what became of her? Did she die? There was a death/burial record for a Thomas Corcoran age 51, a Hawker who died December 19, 1866 and was buried in Edgerton Cemetery in Huddersfield that may be this Thomas married to Margaret. The discrepancy is that he was listed as 50 in the 1861 census.
May 2012 Update on family research: It appears that son Michael married Martha Gledhill on April 23, 1860 at the Parish Church Kirkheaton (free BMD lists Huddersfield marriage of Martha Gledhill to Michel Corkram Quarter ending June 1860. I have traced his family through the 1861,1871,1881 census in Huddersfield until his death in 1888 that Wendy a Corcoran researcher shared with me. I continue to track Martha Corcoran his wife and their family through the 1891 census. Harry Corcoran, son of Michael and Martha appears to have married Lucy Steel December 24, 1894 at St Thomas Church (another record discovered by Wendy's family Corcorans from Huddersfield research. I traced this family from the 1901 census in Hulme South Manchester through his journey on the Baltic to Hagerstown, Maryland in 1907 and found his wife remaining with their family in Manchester in the 1911 census. Quite puzzling that he was still apart from his family 4 years later. There are more questions than answers.
Corcorans noted in other Bones family Records: Marg't Corkeran was a sponsor for the baptism of Catherine Bones and Edward Bones and Mary Burns on October 7, 1838.
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!
| Census Year/ District/ Other Record | Address | Name | Age | Born/ Baptized | Occupation | Marital Status; misc. info. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| St. Patrick's Church Huddersfield, England Baptismal Record | Sarah d/o Thomas Corcoran and Mary Bones | Born 6/3/1832; baptized 7/1/1832 | Mary Frane was a sponsor for this family | |||
| St. Patrick's Church, Huddersfield, England Baptismal Record | William s/o Thomas Corcoran and Margt Bones | Born: 2/5/1835; Bapt: 3/4/1835 | LDS microfilm 828132; item 5 | |||
| St. Patrick's Church, Huddersfield England Baptismal Record | Michl of Thomas Corkan and Mary? Bones | Born: 4/6/1837; Bapt: 9/24/1837 | LDS Microfilm 828132; item 5 | |||
| St Patrick's Church, Huddersfield England Baptismal Record | John of Thomas Corkeran and Margt Bones | Born: 1/27/1840; Bapt: 2/16/1840 | LDS Microfilm 8282132; item 5 | |||
| 1841 Yorkshire, Huddersfield Civil Parish, Huddersfield Subregistration District 11 | Duke Street | Cocran, Thomas | 30 | Ireland | Lab. | |
| 1841 Yorkshire, Huddersfield District 11 | Duke Street | Cocran, Margaret | 35 | Ireland | ||
| 1841 Yorkshire, Huddersfield District 11 | Duke Street | Cocran, Patrick | 14 | Ireland | ||
| 1841 Yorkshire, Huddersfield District 11 | Duke Street | Cocran, William | 6 | Yorkshire, England | ||
| 1841 Yorkshire Huddersfield, District 11 | Duke Street | Cocran, Michael | 3 | Yorkshire, England | ||
| 1841 Yorkshire Huddersfield, District 11 | Duke Street | Cocran, John | 1 | Yorkshire, England | ||
| 1851 Yorkshire Huddersfield Civil Parish, Huddersfield Subregistration District 19 | Duke Street | Corkeran, Thomas, Head | 42 | Roscommon, Ireland | Hawker | M |
| 1851 Yorkshire, Huddersfield, District 19 | Duke Street | Corkeran, Margaret, Wife | 46 | Mayo, Ireland | M | |
| 1851 Yorkshire, Huddersfield, District 19 | Duke Street | Corkeran, William, Son | 16 | Yorkshire, England | ||
| 1851 Yorkshire, Huddersfield, District 19 | Duke Street | Corkeran, John, Son | 11 | Yorkshire, England | ||
| 1851 Yorkshire, Huddersfield, District 19 | Duke Street | Corkeran, Thomas, Son | 5 | Yorkshire, England | ||
| 1851 Yorkshire Huddersfield District 19 | Duke Street | Carney, Michael, nephew | 23 | Yorkshire, England | Hawker | |
| 1861 Yorkshire, Huddersfield Civil Parish, District 10 | Outcote Bank | Cochrane, Thomas, Head | 50 | Ireland | Oyster Hawker | M |
| 1861 Yorkshire, Huddersfield Civil Parish, District 10 | Outcote Bank | Cochrane, Margaret, Wife | 51 | Ireland | M | |
| 1861 Yorkshire, Huddersfield Civil Parish, District 10 | Outcote Bank | Cochrane, John, Son | 21 | Yorkshire, Huddersfield, England | Cordwainer | U |
| 1861 Yorkshire, Huddersfield Civil Parish, District 10 | Outcote Bank | Cochrane, Thomas, Son | 15 | Yorkshire, Huddersfield, England | Factory Operative | U |
Ancestry.com 1841 England Census (Database On-line) Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc 2010
Ancestry.com 1851 (and 1861) England Census (Database On-line) Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc 2005