Taggart

The 1901 census had 610 people named Taggart living in Co Antrim (c 102 RC, 73 Church of Ireland & 334 Presbyterian). There were also 42 McTaggarts, mostly RC, If you know your ancestor?s denomination that might help you narrow the search for where he came from.

In the current phone book there?s 1 McTaggart and 13 Taggarts in Co Antrim. However many people are ex-directory. A better source is the electoral roll which indicates there are 16 McTaggarts & 62 Taggarts.

http://www.ukphonebook.com/

http://www.census.nationalarchives.ie/search/?then

Thanks for the info yes he was RC.  see below

born 1790-1800 Co. Antrim, Ireland s of Charles TAGGART arr "EARL ST
VINCENT" 16.12.18l8 occ lrish Coachman, Settleran Grazier rel RC, married
14.2.1828 Richmond, 1/10/1872 bur Howe,s Valley resided Richmond and
Howe's.Valley. .Spouse: McNAMARA Elizabeth b'c tAtO NSW O of.judith
McNAMARA rel RC.

Knowing that he was RC means you could focus your research on the locations that there were Taggarts & McTaggarts in the 1901 census. Though there?s over 100 in the census, they are often family groups so when you reduce the census to families, there?s obviously a much small ? potentially manageable ? number to investigate. The problem that you will encounter is that outside Belfast and the other big cities, few RC parishes have baptism and marriage records much before the 1820s. So even if you knew now exactly where he was born you might not be able to confirm it.

Here?s a link to a site which shows all the RC parishes in Co Antrim, what records they have and where copies are held:

http://www.irishtimes.com/ancestor/browse/counties/rcmaps/

You could try contacting people of that name here today but unless you get lucky and find someone who has done their family tree, my experience is that most families own knowledge really only goes back about two or three generations. They might well be related to your ancestor but be completely unaware of it. (A DNA test might help but there?s costs and other issues with that).

Many Irish families used to use the same names over again, in generation after generation, and so I searched for a Luke Taggart/McTaggart in both Griffiths Valuation (1848 ? 1864) and the 1901 & 1911 censuses, in the hope that this might provide a possible hint. Unfortunately there was no-one of that name anywhere in Ireland in those 3 sources. So no help there.

Hi Luke, I am also related to Charles McTaggart/Taggart who came to Australia in 1818.   Wondered if you had any luck?   Tracey