Neil (born 1830) was the son of Alexander Macrae and Isabella Morrison; it is not certain where the family were living at the time of his birth. Both of his parents had lived in Gress Tack however, so it is possible they lived there.

Neil's mother died in the early 1830s.

In 1832 the family settled at, the newly lotted croft, 22 Old North Tolsta.

By 1833 his father had remarried and had the first of five children with his second wife: Margaret Macdonald.

In 1854, after Old North Tolsta was decrofted to make way for Tolsta Farm, his father obtained 44 North Tolsta, but it is not certain if Neil was still living in the parental home at that time.

Neil married Ann Campbell, of 17/18 Port Of Ness, and the couple settled at Port of Ness before emigrating to Quebec, Canada in the 1870s.