MICHAEL MCKNIFF ( MCNIFF)

Hi Sue

 

Sorry... lots to say but hope this helps...

MAY be able to help with possible locations. But first... the surname McNiff seems to be a variant on Conniffe/Cunniffe - if you drop the M, the cniff sounds similar and I am guessing it was written as Cunniffe when the English were recording names in Ireland... because the Irish spoke Gaelic and would have their own way of writing their names.

I know for certain there were Cunniffe's around Ballinasloe Galway, Monksland Roscommon and Athlone Longford/Westmeath from 1800-1850 and longer.... but these are the dates I have been researching for my own family history so I have seen them.  Obviously they could be there earlier and later... they are also down in Tipperary (but the northern part of Tipperary by the looks) 

So in distance, its possible yours were from around Sligo, but maybe try to find them with the variant on the surname, to see if you find any definites. I haven't searched that far north west yet... but Roscommon IS the neighbour, so it is highly likely they are in the region.

There are definitely Cunniffes in the parish registers for St Mary's Athlone and Fenagh/Tynagh?? just north or Athlone... sorry I can't remember the name. There are graves in Monksland too.  Plus tithes for Athlone, Monksland and Ballinasloe.

Not sure where in the world your family moved to, but there were a few Cunniffes that came to Australia and I am happy to share whatever I have if it helps you.

Also have a look at the 1798 Flax Growers list online (free), you may find a name you recognise because I know there were a few Cunniffe's involved in flax growing and the textiles industry (weavers etc).

I always start looking for a marriage based on the birth of the first child.  I search 6 months or more before the birth, but I find its generally a year or two before the birth. With HIS birth, that date may be his baptism, I believe the Irish did not celebrate birthdays then so may not know his actual birthdate... but it would usually be within days or possibly a fortnight.... I am not 100% sure with the timeframes, I just know they baptised babies fast after birth, where England seemed to not be as rushed.

If you can't find HIM... focus on his wife... CONWAY is an easier surname to search - less variants. She should still show up as a baptism, which will give her parents names... that gives a location.... then look for their marriage. 

 

OK... had a look for a marriage quickly, there is a marriage for a Michael McNiff in Sligo, 12 february 1846 but looks like he married a Hannan... I havent looked at the original record yet but the parish is DRUMRAT/KEASH... hope that helps to start you off :) 

 

 

Sue:

Your McNiff family was from Cloonbarry townland in Kilmacteigue civil parish.

I searched the subscription site Roots Ireland and found baptismal records for seven of the eight children of  Michael McNiff and Maria Conway: Patrick 1847 Winifred 1850 Bridget 1853 Thomas 1855 Michael 1856 Anne 1860 Margaret 1862. The RC parish was Kilmacteigue. Baptismal records for that parish start in April 1845 but marriage records start in January 1848.  https://registers.nli.ie/parishes/0136   The marriage record for Michael and Maria would not be available because records start in 1848.

Did the family emigrate?

Roger McDonnell

Thank you both for your replies. Very helpful.

Lily, I shall keep the Cuniffe link in mind during my investigations! I shall look for Marie Conway. Michael Mc(K)niff and Hannah are also really interesting. I thought their wedding date might be around the time my Michael married......My brother emigrated to Australia a few years ago - so the Mc(K)niffs are still on the move!

Roger, the family did emigrate to the UK - Yorkshire! It could be that my G Grandfather was born in Yorkshire as you cannot find his birth certificate. I wonder when Michael did emigrate. John Mc(K)niff (born 25/4/1869) went to Boston in 1909, I think. 

It is all very interesting.

Thank you for your time Lilly and Roger. Any other information or advice would be greatly appreciated.

Sue

Attached Files

Hello Sue,

I found out what happened to your great great grandparents, Michael McNiff and Mary Conway, but to get to that point in the research, I first had to access as many Irish records about them as I could find to see if they remained in Ireland or may have emigrated. More about this later in the reply.

But first, I’d like to mention that Ireland Reaching Out volunteer Roger McDonnell provided valuable information concerning the McNiff baptisms at the RootsIreland website by pointing out that the McNiff family were living in the townland of Cloonbarry in the Civil Parish of Kilmacteigue, County Sligo. Thanks to Roger, the baptism records were the starting point for the research at the National Library of Ireland’s free website for Catholic baptisms.

The National Library of Ireland spells the Catholic Parish as, “Kilmactigue.”

As a side note, Cloonbarry is the English spelling of the townland. In Irish the town is spelled, “Cluain Bhearaigh,” which, if my Irish is correct, means “Meadow of the Toadstools,” or perhaps “Meadow of the Mushrooms.” Many placenames in Ireland can be very descriptive.

As you’ll see each McNiff baptism does show the family were living in the townland of Cloonbarry, as Roger had mentioned.

The Kilmactigue baptisms span the left and right pages of the registers. The left page of the register includes the child’s first name, the names of the child’s parents, the residence of the family, and the day and month of the baptism.

The right page of the baptism register gives the names of the child’s godparents. Godparents, in many instances, were the brothers and sisters of the child’s parents.

All the baptism records are attached to this reply. There will not be any baptisms in the Kilmactigue Catholic Parish before 8 April 1845, or marriages before 23 January 1848, according to the National Library of Ireland website. See: https://registers.nli.ie/parishes/0136

BAPTISM OF PAT MCNIFFE

In the left-hand baptism register page you’ll see that Pat McNiff’s parents were Michael McNiffe and Mary Conway. The family were living in Cloonbarry. Pat was baptized on Valentines Day, 14 February 1847.

The right-hand page of the register shows that Pat’s godfather was Pat McNiffe and that his godmother was Catherine Conway. The godfather Pat may be Michael’s brother, and Catherine Conway Mary’s sister.

Patrick McNiffe was born during the Great Famine, also known as the Great Hunger, and in the Irish language as, “an Gorta Mór.” The famine took place between 1845 and 1852. The worst year of the famine however was Patrick’s birth year, known to historians as “Black 47.”

To read more about the Great Famine go to the Wikipedia article at:
https://tinyurl.com/5n7rstuj

Also see the New York based IrishCentral newspaper article from January 26, 2023, entitled, “Ireland's Famine Black '47: A tragic chapter in Irish history.” See the article at:
https://www.irishcentral.com/roots/history/irelands-famine-black-47-iri…

BAPTISM OF WINIFRED MCNIFFE

Winifred was baptized on 1 November 1850. She was also born during the Great Famine. At the time of the baptism she and her parents were living in Cloonbarry. Her godparents are John Gallagher and Catherine Conway. Catherine Conway may also be Pat’s godmother as noted earlier.

BAPTISM OF BRIDGET MCNIFFE

Bridget was baptized on 28 January 1853. Bridget and her parents were living in Cloonbarry at the time of the baptism. Her godparents are Hugh Conway and Catherine Finan.

BAPTISM OF THOMAS MCNIFFE

Thomas was baptized on 13 January 1855. He and his parents were living in Cloonbarry at the time of the baptism. Thomas’s godparents are Thomas McNiffe and Margaret Finan.

BAPTISM OF MICHAEL CUNNIFFE

Michael’s is the only baptism record where his name is spelled with the alternative “Cunniffe.” In her reply of 27 August 2023, Lilly had observed that variant spellings for the surname McNiff were “Conniffe/Cunniffe.”

Michael and his parents were living in Cloonbarry when he was baptized on 11 October 1856. His godparents are Michael O’Hara and Winifred O’Hara.

BAPTISM OF ANNE MCNIFF

Anne was baptized on 7 April 1860. Her family were still living in Cloonbarry when she was baptized. In this baptism record the priest had originally recorded that Anne father was John McNiff, but crossed the name John through and added that his first name was Michael. It also appears the priest made an error recording Anne’s mother’s name, but corrected the error, writing that the mother was Mary Conway.

Anne’s godparents are Michael McNiff and Mary McNiff.

BAPTISM OF MARGARET MCNIFFE

Margaret and her parents were living in Cloonbarry when she was baptized on 8 June 1862. Her godfather is Michael McNiffe. The name of her godmother appears to be Ellen “Goldorck,” but may actually be the more common County Sligo surname of Goldrick.

Sue, your information shows that Michael and Mary had eight children, but I only found records for seven of them in County Sligo. Do you have the name of the 8th child born in County Sligo?

I didn’t find any more records about the McNiff family when they lived in Ireland after the baptism of Margaret in 1862.

A Google Map shows that Cloonbarry is 4.9 miles east of Our Lady of the Rosary Catholic Church in Kilmacteige, traveling through the town of Aclare, over the Low Road: https://tinyurl.com/y6jta7xd

Here is a Google Street View of the Low Road in Cloonbarry: https://tinyurl.com/5aw2pcev

This Google Map shows a closeup of the location of Our Lady of the Rosary Church, setback between two roads that form a sideways letter Y in Kilmacteige: https://tinyurl.com/yte9ykbn

Next is a Google Street View of the Our Lady of the Rosary Church in Kilmacteige: https://tinyurl.com/4skpc5mc

This church building would not be the church where the McNiffe children were baptized however. According to the National Inventory of Architectural Heritage/Buildings of Ireland website, the church building in the Google Street View was constructed in 1898. For more information and a slide presentation of the church, go to the Buildings of Ireland link at: https://tinyurl.com/5cf3zhvn

In some cases new churches were constructed on the same ground as an older church. To see if this may have been the case with the church in Kilmacteige, I accessed an Ordnance Survey Map of Kilmacteige from the 1829 to 1841 time period. This old map, from the GeoHive website, does show an R.C. Chapel in Kilmacteige, and like the church from 1890 in the Google Map, the R.C. Chapel was located where two roads formed a sideways letter Y in Kilmateige.

It appears the church from 1890 was constructed on the same ground, or near the same ground as the older R.C. Chapel. The map, from the GeoHive website, is attached to this reply.

The map also shows the location of a School House, a Barracks in ruin, another Church, which was likely a Church of Ireland, and a Graveyard, which also looks like it belonged to the Church of Ireland.

Also attached is the same Ordnance Survey Map of Kilmacteige showing a wider view of the town. In this overall view of Kilmacteige, the R.C. Chapel, School House, Barracks, Church and Graveyard, are barely visible in the lower right corner of the map.

Cloonbarry is also represented on an Ordnance Survey Map from the 1829 to 1841 time period. The map is attached to this reply.

GRIFFITHS VALUATION

I next wanted to see if Michael McNiff was recorded living in Cloonbarry, Civil Parish of Kilmacteige, in an Irish property tax record known as Griffiths Valuation.

Griffiths Valuation was enumerated in the 32 counties of Ireland between 1847 and 1864, but unlike a census, did not count individual members of a family. Those named in the valuation were individuals who paid to lease property, such as land, houses, and outbuildings. Each person who paid to lease the property was called an “Occupier.” The other person listed in Griffiths Valuation was the person who owned the property, or who worked as the middleman collecting the rent for the owner. This middleman was called the “Immediate Lessor.”

You can access Griffiths Valuation transcriptions and original copies for free at the Ask About Ireland Griffiths website link at: http://www.askaboutireland.ie/griffith-valuation/index.xml

The valuation for townlands within the Civil Parish of Kilmacteige, was completed by 1857, which is the year that Griffiths Valuation was published.

Griffiths Valuation shows that Michael McNiff leased two different properties in Cloonbarry. He is the second Occupier recorded in Cloonbarry. See the Griffiths Valuation attachment.

To the left of Michael’s name you’ll see map reference 3a and map reference 4. These are location markers showing where Michael’s two leases were situated on a Griffiths Valuation map of Cloonbarry.

At map reference 3a, Michael leased 8 Acres, 1 Rood, and 7 Perches of land and a house from an Immediate Lessor named Samuel Robinson. The land was valued at 1 Pound and 10 Shillings. The house was valued at 5 Shillings.

At map reference 4 Michael leased 1 Acre, 1 Rood, and 2 Perches of land valued at 15 Shillings. The total valuation for Michael’s two leases was 2 Pounds and 10 Shillings. He would not have been required to pay a tax in this case, as Occupiers whose properties were valued under 5 Pounds were not subject to pay the tax. In this instance the owner of the property was responsible for paying the tax.

If you read more about Griffiths Valuation presented by genealogist John Grenham at the Ask About Ireland website, you’ll see that this tax system had disastrous consequences for many farmers throughout Ireland: https://www.askaboutireland.ie/reading-room/history-heritage/irish-gene…

For more information about Acres, Roods, and Perches, go to the Lochista website link at:
Understanding Acres, Roods & Perches – Lochista

Attached is a Griffith Valuation Map showing the location of map references 3 and 4, indicated by blue arrows, where Michael’s leases were situated in Cloonbarry.

ENGLAND

There is the possibility that Michael and his family were evicted from their home in Cloonbarry, County Sligo, or maybe had left because of economic considerations, as I found them recorded in the 1871 England census, living in Keighley, Yorkshire, England.

THE 1871 CENSUS

The 1871 census shows the residence of the family in Keighley, Yorkshire was “Back South Street.” Five of Michael and Mary’s children who were born in Sligo, Ireland are in the household with them. The three youngest children were born in Keighley.

The 1871 England Census was taken on the night of 2 April 1871. The census was accessed from the Ancestry.com subscription website.

See the index below:

1871 England Census

Civil parish Keighley
Ecclesiastical parish Keighley
Town Keighley
Residence Back South Street
County/Island Yorkshire
Country England
Registration district Keighley
Sub-registration district Keighley
ED, institution, or vessel 14
Household schedule number 31
Piece 4316
Folio 51
Page number 7

Household members

Name, Age, Birthplace

Michael McNiff, 54, Sligo Ireland
Mary McNiff, 42, Sligo Ireland
Patrick McNiff, 24, Sligo Ireland
Winnifred McNiff, 20, Sligo Ireland
Thomas McNiff, 15, Sligo Ireland
Michael McNiff, 13, Sligo Ireland
Annie McNiff, 11, Sligo Ireland
Alice McNiff, 6, Keighley, Yorkshire
John McNiff, 3, Keighley, Yorkshire
James McNiff, 5 months, Keighley, Yorkshire

Source: Ancestry.com
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In a copy of the original 1871 England census the McNiff family are recorded on two pages. Both pages are attached to this reply.

On the first page of the census you’ll see 54 year old “Farm Labourer” Michael McNiff, his 42 year old wife Mary, and 24 year old son Patrick, whose occupation was “Labourer in Iron Works.”

The following page of the census shows that 20 year old Winifred was employed as a “Woolen Weaver.” Her 15 year old brother Thomas was a “Labourer in Iron Works.” After Thomas is 13 year old Michael, also a “Labourer in Iron Works.” He is followed by 11 year old Annie, who is a “Scholar,” that is, a student. The three youngest children in the household are 6 year old Alice, 3 year old John, and 5 month old James.

Not in the 1871 census are Michael and Mary's Sligo-born children, Bridget, born in 1853, and Margaret, born in 1862. I’ll have more on what I believe happened to Bridget and Margaret a little later.

The trip from Cloonbarry, Sligo, to Keighley, Yorkshire, England, was probably not an easy journey in the 19th century, when rural roads in Ireland were dirt, or were narrow pathways called bohereens.

This Google Map shows a possible route the McNiff family may have taken from Cloonbarry to Dublin City, thence across the Irish Sea to England, traveling northeast by Liverpool, and arriving in Keighley, Yorkshire. The map shows the distance from Cloonbarry to Keighley is 378 miles. It may have been longer than that in the 19th century, depending on the roads the McNiff family traveled over: https://tinyurl.com/mvhhuf6x

YORKSHIRE RECORDS

Knowing that Alice, John, and James McNiff were born in Yorkshire, England, I next looked for their birth indexes at the free HMS Passport/General Register Office (GRO) website. This website provides free birth and death indexes from the September quarter of 1837, into the 20th century. Marriage indexes are not available.

One good thing about birth indexes at the GRO website is that in most cases they provide the maiden name of the child’s mother. But the birth indexes unfortunately do not provide first name of the child’s mother or the name of the child’s father.

I didn’t find the birth indexes for the three McNiff children born in Yorkshire at the GRO website, even after trying variant spellings of the surname: McNiffe, MacNiffe, Conniffe, Cunniffe, etc.

But in going through multiple birth as well as death indexes at the GRO website, I noticed that one surname in the birth indexes occurred that also included the mother’s maiden name of Conway. This surname is McKenneth, or Meckeniffe. These were recorded in the Keighley Registration District in Yorkshire, which is the district where the McNiff family had lived according to the 1871 census. I now suspect the McNiff children in the GRO birth and death indexes were recorded as McKenneth or Meckeniffe, which would be closer to the sound of Conniffe or Cunniffe, similar to McConniffe, or McCunniffe

For example, earlier I had mentioned that the Sligo-born children of Michael and Mary McNiff, Bridget (1853) and Margaret (1862), were not in the 1871 census in Keighley, Yorkshire with their parents and siblings.

I found GRO death indexes under the name of Bridget McKenneth and Margaret Meckeniffe, at the GRO website, which may pertain to Michael and Mary’s children.

Bridget’s death was recorded in the Keighley Registration District in the September quarter of 1863. At the time of death Bridget was 11 years old, placing her year of birth in 1852. The index is below:

Name: MECKENIFFE, BRIDGET
Age at Death (in years): 11
GRO Reference: 1863 S Quarter in KEIGHLEY
Volume 09A
Page 120
----

If you recall Bridget was baptized in the Kilmacteige Catholic Parish, County Sligo, on 28 January 1853, when her family were living in Cloonbarry. Her birth in 1853 would actually make her 10 years old in 1871, though there is also the possibility she was born in late 1852, but not baptized until January in 1853.

You also saw that Margaret was baptized on 8 June 1862 when the family were living in Cloonbarry, Sligo. The death index for Margaret shows that she was 1 year old when her death was recorded in the Keighley Registration District, Yorkshire in the September quarter of 1863:

Name: MCKENNETH, MARGARET
Age at Death (in years): 1
GRO Reference: 1863 S Quarter in KEIGHLEY
Volume 09A
Page 127
----

Still going on the presumption that the McNiff surname was recorded as McKenneth, I found the birth and death indexes for twin brothers. These are John and Peter McKenneth, whose births were recorded in the Keighley Registration District in the June quarter of 1866. Their mother’s maiden name is Conway.

The death indexes also show that John and Peter’s deaths were recorded in the Keighley Registration District, again in the June quarter of 1866:

Name: MCKENNETH, JOHN
Mother's Maiden Surname: CONWAY
GRO Reference: 1866 J Quarter in KEIGHLEY
Volume 09A
Page 166

Name: MCKENNETH, JOHN
Age at Death (in years): 0
GRO Reference: 1866 J Quarter in KEIGHLEY
Volume 09A
Page 142

Name: MCKENNETH, PETER
Mother's Maiden Surname: CONWAY
GRO Reference: 1866 J Quarter in KEIGHLEY
Volume 09A
Page 166

Name: MCKENNETH, PETER
Age at Death (in years): 0
GRO Reference: 1866 J Quarter in KEIGHLEY
Volume 09A
Page 142
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Sue, do you have twins in your family?

I next looked for but didn’t find a GRO birth index for Alice, who was 6 years old in the 1871 census.

But I did find the GRO birth indexes for what may be the youngest McNiff children in the 1871 census, but these birth indexes are also recorded under the surname of McKenneth. The oldest is John McKenneth, whose birth was recorded in the Keighley Registration District in the June quarter of 1867, and whose mother’s maiden name is Conway. John was 3 years old in the 1871 census. But if his birthday took place in any month of the June quarter (June, July, or August) he would have turned 4 in 1871, placing his year of birth in 1867.

The youngest child is James McKenneth, whose birth was recorded in the Keighley Registration District in the December quarter of 1870. His mother’s maiden name is also Conway. James was 1 year old in the 1871 census.

The indexes follow:

Name: MCKENNETH, JOHN
Mother's Maiden Surname: CONWAY
GRO Reference: 1867 J Quarter in KEIGHLEY
Volume 09A
Page 188

Name: MCKENNETH, JAMES
Mother's Maiden Surname: CONWAY
GRO Reference: 1870 D Quarter in KEIGHLEY
Volume 09A Page 189
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You would have to order the birth and death records from the GRO to see if the parents of the children noted above in the indexes, were Michael and Mary Conroy “McKenneth.”

The GRO website does not have marriage indexes available, but the FreeBMD website does. I looked for the marriage of a McKenneth groom and a Conway bride recorded in the Keighley Registration District, but didn’t find it. I expanded the search to all registration districts in Yorkshire as well as the rest of England, but again did not find the marriage of a McKenneth groom and a Conway bride. Nor did I find the marriage of a McNiff groom or a Conway bride in Irish marriage records.

Sue, if you do not think any of the births and deaths above pertain to the children of Michael and Mary McNiff, do not order their birth or death records from the GRO.

But, if you were to order any one record, I recommend the 1870 birth record for James McKenneth. His birth record should provide you with his residence and residence of his parents. If the residence is “Back South Street,” or just “South Street” in Keighley on the birth cert, then you will know the McKenneth surname was recorded as James’s surname, rather than the actual surname of McNiff/McKniff.

You can order birth, marriage, and death records from the HM Passport Office/General Register Office website under the hyperlink, “Search the GRO indexes,” at:
General Register Office - Online Ordering Service - What would you like to do? (gro.gov.uk)

Birth, marriage, and death certificates are £11.00 if ordered online and providing the GRO reference number. For example, the reference number for James McKenneth’s birth would be:

Year of birth 1870, December Quarter, Keighley Registration District, Volume 09A, Page 189.

I also found two GRO birth indexes for McKenneth children who may be related to the McKenneth children above, though in this case the maiden name of the children’s mother is Golding.

One is for the birth index of a girl who did not have a first name when her birth was recorded by the Keighley district registrar. Her birth was recorded in the June quarter of 1864.

The child born after her is Charles McKenneth. His birth was recorded in the March quarter of 1865. Both indexes are below:

Name: MCKENNETH, -
Sex: Female
Mother's Maiden Surname: GOLDING
GRO Reference: 1864 J Quarter in KEIGHLEY
Volume 09A
Page 180

Name: MCKENNETH, CHARLES
Mother's Maiden Surname: GOLDING
GRO Reference: 1865 M Quarter in KEIGHLEY
Volume 09A
Page 189

I also found the death index for Charles McKenneth. His death was recorded in the Keighley Registration District in the March quarter of 1867. He was 2 years old when he died:

Name: MCKENNETH, CHARLES
Age at Death (in years): 2
GRO Reference: 1867 M Quarter in KEIGHLEY
Volume 09A
Page 141
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THE 1881 ENGLAND CENSUS

By the 1881 census 60 year old “Farm Labourer,” Michael McNiff and his 54 year old wife Mary, and 6 of their children, were the residents of 13 Leeds Street in Keighley, Yorkshire. In the household with them are 26 year old “Winneford,” and 29 year old John Kevil, both born in Ireland.

Winneford would be Michael and Mary’s daughter Winifred. She and her husband John Kevil are recorded as lodgers in the household. The census doesn’t tell you that Winifred is Michael and Mary McNiff’s daughter, however. Her occupation is “Wollen Weaver.” Her husband John’s occupation is “Labourer in Iron Works.” The census shows that John Kevil was born in Ireland.

See the 1881 census index for the McNiff household below:

1881 England Census

Civil parish Keighley
County/Island Yorkshire
Country England
Street Address 13 Leeds St
Registration district Keighley
ED, institution, or vessel 23
Piece 4349
Folio 81
Page number 8

Household Members (Name), Age, Relationship, Birthplace

Michael McNiff 60, Head, Ireland
Mary Mc Niff, 54, Wife, Ireland
Michael Mc Niff, 24, Son, Ireland
Annie Mc Niff, 20, Daughter, Ireland
Alice Mc Niff, 16, Daughter, Keighley Yk
John Mc Niff, 13, Son, Keighley Yk
James Mc Niff, 10, Son, Keighley Yk
Winneford Kevil, 26, Lodger, Ireland
John Kevil, 29, Lodger, Ireland

Source: Ancestry.com
----

A copy of the original 1881 census for the McNiff family is attached to this reply.

Here is a Google Map showing that Leeds Street is 1.5 miles north of South Street in Keighley: https://tinyurl.com/2tehcscn

This next link will bring you to a Google Street View of South Street, Keighley: https://tinyurl.com/3d6uueph

Next is a Google Street View of Leeds Street and the Brown Cow Pub, Keighley: https://tinyurl.com/mcu9rewh

Going to the FreeBMD website I found the marriage index for Winifred “McKniff” and John “Kavil.” The marriage was recorded in the Keighley Registration District in the September quarter of 1877. A transcription of the marriage index follows:

Marriage September Quarter 1877

John Kavil
Winifred McKniff
Registration District: Keighley
Volume: 9a
Page: 269

Source: FreeBMD
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THE 1891 ENGLAND CENSUS

By the time of the 1891 England census, Mary McKniff was a 61 year old widow. She and five of her children were still living in 13 Leeds Street, Keighley. See the census index below:

1891 England Census

Civil parish Keighley
Ecclesiastical parish Keighley
Residence Place Keighley, Yorkshire, England
Street Address 13 Leeds Street
Registration district Keighley
Sub registration district Keighley
ED, Institution or Vessel 22
Piece 3538
Folio 95

Household Members (Name), Age, Relationship, Birthplace

Mary McKniff, Head, 61, Ireland
Winifred Kevil, Daughter, 40, Ireland
Michael McNiff, Son, 33, Ireland
Annie McNiff, Daughter, 30, Ireland
Alice McNiff, Daughter, 25, Yorkshire Keighley
James J. McNiff, Son, 20, Yorkshire Keighley

Source: Ancestry.com
----

The index above shows that Winifred’s husband John Kevil is not in the household with the family.

A copy of the original 1891 census is attached to this reply.

Mary’s husband Michael was in the 1881 census, and so would have died sometime between 1881 and 1891. I looked for his death index at the GRO website and found it. Michael’s death was recorded in the Keighley Registration District in the June quarter of 1883. See the index below:

Name: MCNIFF, MICHAEL
Age at Death (in years): 64
GRO Reference: 1883 J Quarter in KEIGHLEY
Volume 09A
Page 157

Source: GRO
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MARY MCKNIFF IN THE KEIGHLEY ELECTORAL REGISTERS

Five years after the 1891 census Mary McKniff was recorded in the West Yorkshire Electoral Registers for Keighley, Yorkshire. Her address is 13 Leeds Street as you can see in the index below from Ancestry.com

West Yorkshire, England, Electoral Registers, 1840-1962

Name Mary McKniff
Year 1896
Country England
County West Yorkshire
Parliamentary Division Keighley
Place of Abode 13, Leeds street
Reference Number KEI:4/1

Source Information
Ancestry.com. West Yorkshire, England, Electoral Registers, 1840-1962 [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2013.
Original data: Electoral Rolls. West Yorkshire Archive Service, Leeds, England.
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THE 1901 CENSUS

The 1901 census shows that 71 year old Mary McKniff and three of her children are still the residents of 13 Leeds Street in Keighley, Yorkshire. The census index is below:

1901 England Census

Ecclesiastical parish St Andrew
County/Island Yorkshire
Country England
Registration district Keighley
Street Address: 13 Leeds Street
Sub-registration district Keighley
ED, institution, or vessel Keighley Union

Piece 4076
Folio 26
Page number 43
Household schedule number 244

Household Members (Name), Age, Relationship, Biirthplace

Mary McKniff, 71, Head, Ireland County Sligo
Michael McKniff, 44, Son, Ireland County Sligo
Winefred Kevil, 50, Daughter, Ireland County Sligo
Annie McKniff, 40, Daughter, Ireland County Sligo

Source: Ancestry.com
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The attached copy of the original 1901 census shows that Mary and her three children, 44 year old Michael, 50 year old Winefred Kevil, and 40 year old Annie, were all born in Sligo, Ireland. Once again, Winefred is shown to be married but her husband John is not in the household with her.

I didn’t find Mary McNiff in the 1911 England census, and so looked for her death index at the GRO website, and found it. Mary McKniff’s death was recorded in the Keighley Registration District in the September quarter of 1905. She was 71 years old at the time of death, which is the same age recorded for her in the 1901 census. This shows you really cannot trust the age of a person in census records or in death records:

Name: MCKNIFF, MARY
Age at Death (in years): 71
GRO Reference: 1905 S Quarter in KEIGHLEY
Volume 09A
Page 120
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I also located the GRO death index for Mary’s daughter, Winifred “Kevill.” Her death was recorded in the Keighley Registration District in the December quarter of 1904. At the time of death Winifred is recorded as being 48 years old. We know she was baptized in the Kilmactigue Catholic Church, County Sligo, on 1 November 1850, and so she would have actually turned 54 years old in 1904:

KEVILL, WINIFRED
Age at Death (in years): 48
GRO Reference: 1904 D Quarter in KEIGHLEY
Volume 09A
Page 130
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I don’t know where Michael and Mary McNiff and their daughter Winifred McNiff Kevil are buried, or if they were buried in a Catholic cemetery in, or near Keighley. There is a Catholic Church called St. Anne’s, located in North Street, Keighley. The original church dates back to the 19th century but had been renovated in 1907 to make more room.

Perhaps the parish priest, Monsignor David Smith, or one of his staff at St. Anne’s could give you more information about where parishioners may have been buried in the 19th and early 20th centuries. Contact information can be accessed at: St Anne's Catholic Church - Home (stanneskeighley.org.uk)

For a history and guided tour of the church, go to: https://www.stanneskeighley.org.uk/history-guided-tour

This Google Map shows the location of St. Anne’s Catholic Church in relation to nearby Leeds Street, and South Street in Keighley: https://tinyurl.com/yc448u8r

This link will take you to a Google Street View of St. Anne’s Catholic Church: https://tinyurl.com/nh9p3uc3

THE 1911 CENSUS

I almost missed finding Michael McKniff Jr., and his sister Annie in the 1911 census, as the Ancestry.com index spells their surname as “McKevitt.” The index also gives Annie’s first name as “Ernest,” but does rightly show that 52 year old Michael and 49 year old Annie were born in Sligo. The address for Michael and Annie is 13 Leeds Street in Keighley:

1911 ENGLAND CENSUS

Civil parish Keighley
County/Island Yorkshire-West Riding
Country England
Street Address 13 Leeds St Keighley
Registration District Number 492
Sub-registration district Keighley
ED, institution, or vessel 21
Piece 26085

Household Members (Name), Age, Relationship, Birthplace

Michael McKevitt, 52, Head, Cloonbary, Sligo, Ireland
Ernest McKevitt, 49, Sister, Cloonbary, Sligo, Ireland

Source Citation
The National Archives of the UK (TNA); Kew, Surrey, England; Census Returns of England and Wales, 1911

Source Information
Ancestry.com. 1911 England Census [database on-line]. Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2011.
----

A copy of the original 1911 census shows that Michael and Annie were from Cloonbarry, Sligo. They are both single. The census is attached.

Back at the GRO website I found what I think is the death index for Michael McKniff Jr. His death was recorded in the Keighley Registration District in the March quarter of 1916. The index gives his age as 50:

Name: MCKNIFF, MICHAEL
Age at Death (in years): 50
GRO Reference: 1916 M Quarter in KEIGHLEY
Volume 09A
Page 26
----

Michael would actually have been 60 years old in 1916, as he was baptized in 1856.

I also found the death index for Annie McKniff. Her death was recorded in the Keighley Registration District in the December quarter of 1939. At the time of death she was 76 years old:

Name: MCKNIFF, ANNIE
Age at Death (in years): 76
GRO Reference: 1939 D Quarter in KEIGHLEY
Volume 09A
Page 715
----

Annie was born in 1860, and so would have been 79 years old when she died in 1939.

With Kind Regards,

Dave Boylan

SOURCES

Ireland Reaching Out Volunteer Roger McDonnell's reply of 27 August 2023
National Library of Ireland
Lilly’s reply of 27 August 2023
Wikipedia
IrishCentral Newspaper for January 26, 2023
Google Maps
Google Street Views
National Inventory of Architectural Heritage/Buildings of Ireland
GeoHive: Ordnance Survey Maps
Ask About Ireland: Griffiths Valuation
Lochista
Ask About Ireland: Griffiths Valuation Map
Ancestry.com
HMS Passport/General Register Office (GRO)
FreeBMD
St Anne's Catholic Church - Home (stanneskeighley.org.uk)

Good evening, Dave. 

Thank you so much for the reply. I am overwhelmed by the time you put in on my family. I don't think that I would have ever been able to find all that detailed information. The inaccurate /variations of names would definitely have defeated me - your instincts are amazing.

My Uncle undertook work on our family tree 25 years ago - before he died. He'd have been fascinated by what you found out. He was still searching for the grave of James Mckniff (Michael's youngest and his grandfather ) in England so maybe I can complete that task now.

You have given me so much to think about - and places to visit both in England and Ireland . It's really quite exciting. We plan to visit Sligo next month for the first time.

Once again, many, many thanks. 

Sue

Hello!  I'm new to the site and this board.  Am very encouraged at what I see above from Roger and Sue.  Been trying to track down my McNiff relatives for years.

Patrick McNiff, born about 1825 in County Cavan, married Winifred Inez Gallagher, born about 1830 in Country Leitrim.  They married on March 6, 1845.  They boarded the Dromahair from Sligo to NYC where they landed  April 26, 1850.  Winifred was called "Kinny" in the ship's register.  There was a infant, Catherine, and possibly a brother, Hugh.  One of their children born here was named Francis Miles McNiff.  There are now three generations of Francis Miles McNiffs here in the US, so "Miles" or "Myles" may be a key to finding there origins in Ireland.

A search for Myles McNiff  comes up with four (4) of them in Parish Inishmagrath, Country Leitrim and one Myles McAniffe in Parish Drumreilly in County Leitrim.  The close proximity of Cavan and Leitrim gives me hope that I'm in the right area.

Any suggestions on verifying if one of these Myles McNiff/McAniffe was the father of Patrick.  Is there any census data going back that far?  Shouldn't the marriage date help identify the correct Patrick and Winifred?  If Irish naming tradition applies, their first born son was named John (b 1846) so perhaps Patrick's father was John McNiff/McAniffe rather than Myles.  Hoping there is significance to the continuation of the Myles/Miles name here in the US.   Winifred's middle name of "Inez" also is rather unusual and hopefully helps to differentiate her from all the other Gallaghers around Ireland.

Family lore says there were 3 or 4 McNiff brothers on the Dromahair, one of whom went on to Australia.  Don't know if that is true or not. 

Finally, the McNiff family here in Upstate New York (Penn Yan area) has always been incredibly close to a family with the last name Gavin.  There are no US marriages of Gavins to McNiffs so I am guessing that any marriage linking the two families dates back to Ireland, somewhere between Counties Leitrim, Cavan and Galway (where most Gavin families seem to have come from). 

Any help or suggestions is greatly appreciated!!!!

Jack

 

I should also acknowledge all the incredible work above by Dave Boylan.  Dave, hope you are still on the board and can help with my Myles McNiff/McAniffe.

Sue, there is Michael J McNiff in the 1892 Census for NY -  age 27 , born in Ireland 1865, married to a Flora.  They are buried in Holy Sepulchre Cemetery here in Rochester.

https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/174184134/michael-j-mcniff

    He died in 1907 - the only McNiff in Rochester at the time.  Not sure if he's related to my McNiffs who were  about an hour South in Penn Yan, NY.  

-Jack

Jack:

I don't have good news!

Many of the RC parishes in Co. Leitrim have late starting (1845 or later) records which will significantly impact your research. Inishmagrath RC parish has records for 1834-1838 but then no records until 1881.

I searched the subscription site Roots Ireland and did not see a Patrick McNiff/Winifred Gallagher marriage anywhere in Ireland around 1845. I also did not find a McNiff/Gavin marriage anywhere in Ireland.

I did not find any McNiff baptismal records with mother maiden name Gallagher anywhere in Ireland from 1845-1850.

I see three McNiff baptismal records at Inishmagrath RC parish between 1834-1838 (when records are available) where the father was Myles. There were three different mother's involved. No way to connect them to Patrick McNiff.

The lack of records would indicate the family married and had baptisms in a parish with late starting records and there are eleven parishes that are in that category..

There are no Co. Leitrim census records before 1901.

We can't connect any of the five Myles McNiff records in the Griffiths to Patrick McNiff.

I looked on Ancestry.com and there is a McNiff tree established by a Bill Ryan which has Patrick and Winifred and this tree has John born in 1850.

Let me know what questions you have.

Roger McDonnell