The John and Sarah (Mary) Brennan Family of Yorkshire, Huddersfield, England: An Analysis of their Migration from 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.
May 2012 Updated research on this family: It appears that John Brennan hails from Sligo, Ireland. I am still unsure at this point where Mary McKew comes from in Ireland, as she died some time before the 1881 census and Sligo isn't listed until John appears living with his brother Thomas and his family in the 1891 census. I accidentallly created two pages on this family- this one and John Brannan a Plaster's Laborer.
Research Observations: Brennan or Brannan, Mary or Sarah? The most obvious discrepancy in these census records is the spelling of the surname in the three Huddersfield, England census records: Breman or Brennan in 1861 (John's wife is listed as Mary here), Brannen in the 1871 census with John's wife's name Sarah, and Brennan in the 1881 census and his wife has died sometime after the 1871 census and before the 1881 census. The children's name all appear to line up in the three census years so I believe it is likely it is the same family; District 9 in the 1861 Huddersfield Census on Black Lion Yard and then on Kirkgate in District 20 in both the 1871 and 1881 census. Also of significance was the fact that his wife's name is listed as Mary in the 1861 census, Sarah in 1871 and deceased in 1881. There is another John Breman or Brennan family with wife Mary listed next door at 2 Black Lion Yard. Is the Mary listed in the second record, Mary too or a typo by the census taker? Only time will tell. All of these discrepancies need to be resolved with further research of birth records, death records in the free BMD England records website, GRO record office and church records (possibly St. Patrick's Church in Huddersfield). After doing a phonetic surname search in the England Free BMD index for deaths occurring in Huddersfield for Mary Brennan/Brannan, Sarah Brennan/Brannan and John Brennan/ Brannan, I found a few possible records to pursue. Some of the records gave ages and others didn't. With the ages given in the 1861 and 1871 census records as a guide, Mary was 31 in 1861 and Sarah was 36 in 1871. There were only 4 Mary Brennan or Brannans who died in Huddersfield between 1870 and 1881 and none of them seem to match; Mary Brennan 58 died December 1872, Mary Brannan 28 died March 1878, Mary Jane Brannan age 1 died March 1878 and Mary Brannan 51 who died September 1880. There was however a death listed for Sarah Brannan in December 1875, volume 9a, page 242 (no age is given). I have not yet been able to find John in the 1891 Huddersfield Census records; however, there was a death of a John Brennan December 1880 and John Edward Brannan in September 1883 that are worth pursuing.
Special Kudo's go to: Caroline, a Genealogist researching the Huddersfield Duffy's who has just cleared up the confusion on this family tree by sharing the following record from the St Patrick's film: Mark Brennan, son of John Brennan and Mary McKew was baptized at St Patrick's Church January 1856 (this matches with the Mark I found in the 1861 census listed below!! Kudo's to Caroline for her huge contribution to this page!!!
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 yr/ District or other record | Address | Name | Age | Born/ Baptized | Occupation and other Misc Info. | Marital Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Free BMD England Marriage Index- Huddersfield, England (likely marriage record) | John Branan married Mary McKew Huddersfield, England quarter ending September 1851 | Volume 22; page 323 | ||||
| St Patrick's Church, Huddersfield, England Marriage Record | John Brennan married Mary McKew of Jowett's Square | Quarter Ending September 1851 | Volume 22; page 323 | Father Mark Brennan and Brian? McKew both deceased (record kindly contributed by Caroline a Genealogist from Switzerland) | ||
| Free BMD England Birth Index- Huddersfield (Possible birth record) | Branan, Thomas | Quarter ending September 1854 | Volume 9a, page 314 Huddersfield England | |||
| St Patrick's Church Baptismal Record, Huddersfield, England | Brennan, Mark | Baptized January 1856, son of John Brennan and Mary McKew; this record is courtesy of Caroline- Genealogist researching Huddersfield Duffy's! | ||||
| Free BMD England Birth Index Huddersfield (Possible Birth Record?) | Branan, Mark | Quarter ending March 1856 | Volume 9a, page 303 Huddersfield England | |||
| St Patrick's Church, Huddersfield, England Baptismal Record (likely bapt rec for Mark son of John) | Brannon, Mark, son of John Brannon and Mary McKew | Baptized January 20, 1856 St Patrick's Church, Huddersfield | Martin Hynes and Catherine Gallagher sponsors; special thanks to Ros a Genealogist from England for this record!!! | |||
| 1861 Huddersfield England, District 9 Census Record | 3 Black Lion Yard | Breman or Brennan, John, Head | 32 | Ireland | Plaster's Lab. | M |
| 1861 Huddersfield England, District 9 | 3 Black Lion Yard | Breman or Brennan, Mary, Wife | 31 | Ireland | M | |
| 1861 Huddersfield England, District 9 | 3 Black Lion Yard | Breman or Brennan, Thomas, Son | 8 | Yorkshire, Huddersfield, England | Scholar | |
| 1861 Huddersfield England, District 9 | 3 Black Lion Yard | Breman or Brennan, Mark, Son | 5 | Yorkshire, Huddersfield, England | ||
| 1861 Huddersfield, England, District 9 | 3 Black Lion Yard | Breman or Brennan, James, Son | 2 | Yorkshire, Huddersfield, England | ||
| 1861 Huddersfield, England District 9 | 3 Black Lion Yard | Breman or Brennan, Catherine, Daughter | 5 mos | Yorkshire, Huddersfield, England | ||
| 1871 Huddersfield, Huddersfield subreg District 20 | Kirkgate | Brannen, John, Head | 40 | Ireland | Plaster's Labourer (sic) | M |
| 1871 Huddersfield District 20 | Kirkgate | Brannen, Sarah, Wife | 36 | Ireland | M | |
| 1871 Huddersfield, District 20 | Kirkgate | Brannen, Thomas, Son | 18 | Yorkshire, Huddersfield, England | Labourer (sic) | U |
| 1871 Huddersfield District 20 | Kirkgate | Brannen, Mark, Son | 15 | Yorkshire, Huddersfield, England | Labourer (sic) | U |
| 1871 Huddersfield District20 | Kirkgate | Brannen, Kate, Daughter | 10 | Yorkshire, Huddersfield, England | Scholar | U |
| 1871 Huddersfield District 20 | Kirkgate | Brannen, Anny?, Daughter | 8 | Yorkshire, Huddersfield, England | Scholar | U |
| 1871 Huddersfield, District 20 | Kirkgate | Brannen, James, Son | 12 | Yorkshire, Huddersfield, England | Scholar | U |
| 1871 Huddersfield District 20 | Kirkgate | Brannen, John, son | 6 | Yorkshire, Huddersfield, England | Scholar | U |
| 1871 Huddersfield, District 20 | Kirkgate | Brannen, Thomas, Brother | 31 | Ireland | Plaster's Labourer (sic) | M |
| 1871 Huddersfield District 20 | Kirkgate | Brannen, Kate, Daughter (?Thomas' dtr?) | 13 | Ireland | Factory Hand | |
| 1881 Huddersfield, Huddersfield Subreg District 20 | Kirkgate | Brennan, John, Head | 54 | Ireland | Plaster's Laborer | W |
| 1881 Huddersfield Huddersfield Subreg District 20 | Kirkgate | Brennan, Thomas, Son | 28 | Yorkshire, Huddersfield, England | Bricklayer's Laborer | U |
| 1881 Huddersfield District 20 | Kirkgate | Brennan, James, Son | 22 | Yorkshire, Huddersfield, England | Bricklayer's Laborer | |
| 1881 Huddersfield District 20 | Kirkgate | Brennan, Kate, Daughter | 20 | Yorkshire, Huddersfield, England | Millhand | |
| 1881 Huddersfield District 20 | Kirkgate | Brennan, Annie, Daughter | 18 | Yorkshire, Huddersfield, England | Housekeeper | |
| 1881 Huddersfield District 20 | Kirkgate | Brennan, John, Son | 16 | Yorkshire, Huddersfield, England | Stone Mason | |
| 1881 Huddersfield District 20 | Kirkgate | Brennan, Thomas, Head | 52 | Ireland | Plaster's Laborer | M |
| 1881 Huddersfield District 20 | Kirkgate | Brennan, Kate, Relation | 22 | Ireland | Millhand | U |
| 1891 Huddersfield District 6 | 5 Charles Street | Brennan, Thomas, Head (Catherine Melia a Border from Huddersfield also lives with them) | 63 | Sligo, Ireland | Plasterer's Laborer | W |
| 1891 Huddersfield District 6 | 5 Charles Street | Brennan, Kate, Daughter | 32 | Sligo, Ireland | Wool Sorter | U |
| 1891 Huddersfield District 6 | 5 Charles Street | Brennan, John, Brother | 65 | Sligo, Ireland | Plaster's Laborer | W |
| 1891 Huddersfield District 6 | 5 Charles Street | Brennan, Mark, Nephew | 34 | Yorkshire, Huddersfield, England | Mason's Laborer | U |
| Free BMD Marriage Index England- Huddersfield (probable marriage rec for John's daughter Kate) | Brennan, Kate married John Dougherty Quarter ending December 1886 Huddersfield | Volume 9a, Page 567 | ||||
| 1891 Huddersfield District 8 | Bottomley's Yard, Upperhead Row | Dougherty, John Head | 33 | Kilkastrin, Galway | Mason's Laborer | M |
| 1891 Huddersfield District 8 | Bottomley's Yard, Upperhead Row | Dougherty, Kate, Wife (is this John Brennan's daughter Kate? or Thomas Brennan's daughter Kate- likely John's as Kate appears with Thomas in 1891 as unmarried) | 29 | Yorkshire, Huddersfield, England | M | |
| 1891 Huddersfield District 8 | Bottomley's Yard, Upperhead Row | Dougherty, John, Son | 3 | Yorkshire, Huddersfield, England | ||
| 1891 Huddersfield District 8 | Bottomley's Yard, Upperhead Row | Dougherty, Margt A, Daughter | 1 | Yorkshire, Huddersfield, England | ||
| 1891 Huddersfield, District 8 | Bottomley's Yard, Upperhead Row | Brennan, Thomas, Brother (likely Kate's Brother) | 39 | Yorkshire, Huddersfield, England | Mason's laborer | U |
| 1891 Huddersfield District 8 | Bottomley's Yard, Upperhead Row | Brennan, John, Brother (likely Kate's Brother | 23 | Yorkshire, Huddersfield, England | General Laborer | U |
Ancestry.com 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