My mystery ancestor, Aitken or Peden?

Question

Known as Elizabeth Kirkland, she was either born Elizabeth Aitken or Elizabeth Peden. She had at least two brothers named Andrew Aitken and Robert Aitken, possibly three other siblings. She was born sometime around the 1780s and married Thomas Kirkland around 1797. All I have is a lot of heresay and conjecture. I could really do with some solid sources. As it would be interesting to track my matrilinial line back further I'd be really interested in getting past this brickwall.

Answer 1

Hi Jean, I could find no marriages for Paisley in FreeRegUk. Their volunteers haven't tackled those records yet. Sometimes books on the history of the place will also include marriages or perhaps there are family history books for one or more of these families? Internet Archive is a great place to look for both types of books. Also, have you tried FamilySearch.org? Sometimes their records will have more information. A final thought is looking at the families with cluster research to see if any records of Mr. Kirkland's family, her own siblings, and families of both sets of possible parents include either Peden or Aitken.

hope this helps!

Answer 2

It appears that Elizabeth and her husband have been confused with a couple from Sorn, Ayrshire, Thomas Kirkland and Jane Peden, in several online trees.

This looks like your Elizabeth in the 1841 census - https://www.freecen.org.uk/search_records/5a154ae4f4040b9d6e5cef91/elizebeth-kirkland-1841-renfrewshire-paisley-1781-?locale=en (the ages of persons over 15 were rounded down to the nearest 5 years in the 1841 census).

The National Records of Scotland can be found at https://www.scotlandspeople.gov.uk/

Statutory recording of births, deaths and marriages began in 1855 in Scotland. Prior to that, not all births/ baptisms and marriages were recorded, and very few deaths.

Answer 3

I too am confused where the name Peden came from. I looked on Scotland's people and over a 10 year period this was the only marriage for Thomas Kirkland:

KIRKLAND THOMAS ELIZABETH AITKEN/FR135 (FR135) 19/02/1797 573 / 3 40 / 243 Paisley Burgh or Low

It seems like the children are all listed with mother's name Aitken:

KIRKLAND MARRION THOMAS KIRKLAND/ELIZABETH AITKEN FR96 (FR96) F 06/10/1814 573 / 3 40 / 167 Paisley Burgh or Low

Scotland's people is free to search. (link in Jacqueline's post)

(Edit: these were from searching the church records.)

(Edit, possibly the two different marriage dates are that one is for banns - I had a look as I have a few spare credits, the earlier date is a "proclamation" There's no more information on the actual records, According to the website it's a "proclamation of intended marriage")

Comments

Both dates are for banns, or proclamations of marriage. Thomas and Elizabeth are from two different parishes (Paisley Middle and Paisley Burgh/Low), so they would be proclaimed in both parishes. Occasionally the Old Parish Registers will also include the date of the actual marriage, but this is rare.

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Thanks - I'm not very familiar with Scottish records. In the margin it says Ex March 6th, so would that be the marriage date or "examined"

The first record says Proclamation at the top and the second says Marriage.