10127: William Macdonald

William (born 1863) was a son of John Macdonald and Margaret Macdonald, 11 Geshader. On the 1871 census there is a brother Murdo, also born 1863, who may have been his twin. William was married to Christina Buchanan, 18 Uigen and relocated to 5 Timsgarry when the village was relotted in the early 1920s. The ruins of his house can be seen opposite Baile na Cille Church.

The following is from feedback to this record;

My understanding is that William and Murdo were in fact the same person. On his birth he was registered as Murdo but before his christening in church his parents decided that he should be called William (possibly because they wanted to call him after a relative who had died in the interval) and he was christened as such. In those days the people considered the real name to be the name given at the christening and the official registration system was relatively new and not regarded as that important. As a consequence he was always known as William though on some “official” documents he appears as Murdo.