Dundonald, Ayrshire, Scotland Genealogy

Dundonald, Ayr, Scotland, (#590)

History

New Statistical Account of Scotland (FHL book 941 B4sa, series 2)

Vol. # ___5__ County: ______Ary___________ Parish: _______Dundonald_____________

This account was written in

1841.

This parish derives its name from a small green hill adjoining the village, on which stands the ruins of an ancient feudal castle. The etymology of the word is so obvious as to require no explanation. But who the Celtic chief was, that gave his name to the hill or fortlet, cannot now be ascertained.

Fullarton,

Troon, and Dundonald are the major towns.

The M’Kerrells of Hillhouse are the only family who have retained possession of their patrimonial estate in any thing like an entire shape. The date of the original grant or purchase is unknown, but it is supposed to have descended in regular succession for 500 years.

Lady May Montgomery, lady of SirCharles Lab, Bart. (Auchans); His Grace the Duke of Portland, (Fullarton); and Sir John C. Fairlie, Bart. (Fairlie) are the major land owners.

The land was primarily used for,

dairy cows, cattle, sheep, turnips, and potatoes.

The population in

1791 was 1317. The population in 1841 was 6691.

The parish registers

as in most other parishes in Scotland, from the accidents of time, but more especially from the slovenly way in which they have been originally kept, are in a very imperfect state. The oldest volume bears the date of 1602.

There are in all about 1886 Dissenters belonging to different denominations, but consisting chiefly of Burghers, Relief, Baptists, and Roman Catholics.