Hi there
I'm looking for some help tracking down any information on my 3rd great grandfather Samuel Cague. I have connected him to William Cague who I'm pretty sure is his father but I can't find any records of births, deaths, or marriages for any of the family members.
A family history book written in the 1960's provides some information but no sources and also notes the following:
EPILOGUE
I would like to end this account of our ancestors with some clarification of the surname Cague. This name is very interesting. There are no Cagues’ registered in the London Telephone Directory, or in Scotland, England, Ireland or Northern Ireland. At one stage of this investigation of our family, I was admittedly on the wrong track when I thought the name was Spanish in origin. This came about after a suggestion that we were perhaps descendants of the shipwrecked sailors from the ill fated Spanish Armada. Those people settled and intermarried in Ireland during the 15th century. This evidence was further strengthened when on writing to Spanish Professor of History in Madrid I was advised by him that an Officer in the Spanish Armada carried the name Caiqul, which could have been changed into the gaelic Cague at a later period. However Professor Brown, of the Spanish Department at Leeds University informed me the name was not Spanish in origin and recommended me to contact the greatest authority on Irish surnames, a Dr. E.A. McLysaght of the Irish Manuscript Commission. This person agreed that Cague and MacCague is a well known indigenous Irish name MacThaidgh in Ireland, which is cognate with the better known Tague or MacTeige. He agrees that the name is originally Irish, they were called MacCaig or MacKeag in Scotland and were members of the Clan Harris. This has been so since the 15th century, but although in Scotland they were always ultimately of Irish origin. The dropping of the prefix Mac and 0 was common during the Gaelic submergence. MacCague is associated with County Monaghan where it is found without the prefix Mac, as Cague. Dr. McLysaght also advises me there are now no Cagues’ recorded anywhere in Ireland or in Northern Ireland. This makes the name unique. The Cagues’ in New Zealand are now the only people of that name left. There is evidence from the descendants of the early Cagues' that they changed the name from MacCague to Cague before they left Ireland. A James MacCague of County Tryone is at the moment checking this on my behalf.
