Pre 1815 ..... Help!! MELVIN

[echokilo]

I have managed to take the main four names of my family back quite some way, but now I am stuck - this is the first of 4 posts aaking for your help ... can you help me take this surname back further?

Melvin, Michael
b. 1815
Ireland
m. Coffey, Elizabeth (b. 1831 Ireland)
09 Dec 1850
St Marys, Walsall, Staffordshire

No idea where is Ireland - but know that Michael came across via Liverpool in the 1840s/50s .... can anyone help as would love to get back to Ireland somehow .....? TIA

[Rose Maybud]

IGI has two references to Caughey:

Eliza Jane Caughey born 1828 Ireland, parents Samuel Caughey & Elizabeth McConnell

Elizabeth Jane Caughey baptised 3 Jul 1831 Carnmoney, Antrim, Ireland, parents Arthur Caughey & Margaret. Batch 7714321.

[echokilo]

Nothing for coffey? Is the surname you have found a match for the surname I had? Had previous thought they might have come from Mayo, Sligo or Gallway - but no real proof - any way of checking the shipping passengers into Liverpool do you know? Thanks for helping me

[Rose Maybud]

I typed 'Coffey' into the IGI search screen and 'Caughey' was what came back. I'm out of my depth here - I know nothing of Irish phonetics - but I am guessing that Coffey is an anglicised version. I was once faced with the surname Loughran - my guess was it was pronounced 'Luff-ran', but no, it was pronounced 'Lock-ran'. Doh!
So I'm trusting the IGI program designers in that they have already come across this problem and are ahead of me in solving it.

[dotty.]

The early English census enumerators were instructed not to put down anything other than Scotland or Ireland as birth places, but he later returns tend to include specific birth parishes, can you not look for them abit later to see if they were enumerated with a birth parish?
It is probable that the couple did only meet in England and would not have known each other before they arrived , it might be worth looking at the parish records for the settlement in England which may mention a collective migration from a twinned parish in Ireland, which often happened in the name of Christian Charity. You need to check either with the CRO or your County Reference Library HQ,

[Rose Maybud]

I have followed an Elizabeth Melvin through the Census returns - was she the widowed dressmaker? If so, she was at 13 Bowker Street, Broughton, Salford in 1891, and said her birthplace was Newry.

[echokilo]

Thank to both of you - and for replies under other surnames too - seems I have some more digging to do ...... will get back to it asap!!! Thanks again!

[echokilo]

Hi Rose Maybud - no, my Elizabeth Melvin lived in Walsall, Staffordshire and is in the 1871 and 1891 census with hubsand Michael and their children .... can't find them on the 1881 though .... and still can't get back any further sadly.