Possible Courtenay Travellers - 1841 and 1851 Censuses

After establishing that we may have some Romany DNA I started looking into how to research in this area in particular from a DNA point of view.  Three key sites of interest included:-

I also created a resource page at Wikitree - British Romany Resources.

It was on the Celtic Travellers site that I found a reference to a list of known surnames. The Traveller Tinker Gypsy Surname Index of Great Britain last updated 8/03/2010. 

Under the name COURTNEY, two suggestions.  1841 Census St Austell, Cornwall and 1851 Census Scotland.  How these names came to be on this list are unclear.  Needless to say, I've now researched these families to see if they connect to any other Courtney's that have been subjects of interest in the past.


1841 St Austell - Nicholas COURTENAY

The reference to the 1841 was actually to a family listed under the name of COURTENAY.  Nicholas Courtenay aged 30, a labourer born in the county of Cornwall.  His wife is believed to be Mary WELLINGTON with their 3 children Amelia aged 3, Mary aged 2 and John 3 months.  No indication that the family were travellers?



After more research, the 1851 census describes Nicholas as a tinker, and the 1881 an umbrella mender - both possible Romany occupations.  These censuses suggest Nicholas was born in St Enoder.

The only likely baptism for Nicholas is in 1814, although various census records quote between 1802-1811.  If this baptism is correct, Nicholas' father is unknown as his mother Elizabeth COURTNEY is the only name on the record.  Elizabeth's father was also named Nicholas, her mother Ann MARTYN.

Following his maternal line from Elizabeth, it appears to go back to the distinguished family of the Courtenay's of Devon, see his tree on Wikitree.  Who was Nicholas' father, does he hold the missing clue?  

Of interest was another marriage for a Nicholas COURTNEY in St Enoder.  In 1807 a Nicholas Courtenay married a Jennifer WILLIAMS,  Nicholas was said to have been 'of St Austell'.  The Williams name is potentially a Romany one and we have a triangulated segment match with descendants of a William/Taylor couple, but it is a very common name.  Could there be a connection to the younger Nicholas?


1851 Scotland - Robert COURTENAY

It would seem most likely that the census being referred to is that of Robert COURTENAY found living inThornliebank, Eastwood, Renfrewshire, Scotland in 1851.  Robert is said to have been born in Ireland abt 1807, working in some type of cotton industry.   His wife named Catherine was also from Ireland, they are living with children Catherine 13, James 7, Alexander 5, John 3 and Mary 6 months.



There does not appear to be any references to why this family might have been suggested to have been travellers.  I would dearly love to know why these two census records were added to the list of surnames.


Other Robert Courtenay's who have emerged in my research?

  • Robert Courtenay born bef 1807, the father of a George Courtenay married 1849 to Sophia Keenan in Westminster in London.  Witnesses:  Alice Mullians and Chas Perkins.  Could this be the same Robert living in Scotland by 1851?  Could George be an older child perhaps even from an earlier marriage. 
  • Robert Courtenay b1829 - Family living in Middlesex in 1871 census.  Children names similar to the children of Henry Courtney m Sydney Gosselin.  Robert was born in Ireland, parents unknown.
  • There are a number of Robert Courtenay's in the descendants of the Edward Courtenay m Francis Moore line, from Lish, Amagh, Ireland.  

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This blog is dedicated to finding my second great grandfather Arthur 'George' Courtney c1841.   To see a summary of my research click here.  

If you help with any of questions raised in this post, please contact me using the contact form on this blog or send me a private message via Wikitree, Ancestry or Facebook. 

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