Announcing Minugh: Free-Space Project

Question

Despite in-depth knowledge of one of my ancestral families, we've never been able to trace our roots further back than one NYC ancestor who passed away in 1839.

The surname is "Minugh", and all living Minughs are located in either the USA or the UK.

I've decided to bring this puzzle here in the hope that someone more experienced, or even just a larger audience, can help us solve this at long last.

Answer 1

Is it an unusual spelling of the much more common 'Minogue'? Do you know how it is pronounced?

Comments

"Minugh" is the only spelling I have ever seen. It is pronounced: min-you. The "i" in the first syllable is a short "i" sound. The men in the family were (and some still are) mariners, sea captains, traders, sailors, fishermen. Current men are US Coast Guard officers. I know we hail from the UK, but have NO idea if we are Irish, Welsh, Scots, or English.

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Just your question alone would be a big break for me. "Minugh" is extremely unusual, and there are very few of us in the entire world. A misspelling of "Minogue" would explain a lot!

Answer 2

I've had a look at the UK censuses. In 1841 and 1851, there are one or two families called Minugh in Staffordshire - but that's all.

By 1901, the name is not found in the censuses for 1901 for England, Wales, Scotland and Ireland. In England, there are families by the name of:

• Manaugh or Menough (in Kent and Lancashire)
• Minnoe (Kent)

In England and Scotland there are families of Irish origin called:

• Menagh / Minagh
• Munnagh

Comments

Thank you ever so much for your thorough scan of UK Census Records. As you saw, the name is rare, so it's probably a variant/misspelling of a more common name. I've explored some variant names, but have yet to come up with anything solid. Your assistance is appreciated more than you'll ever know. Your data is vastly better than anything I've come up with on my own.

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Suzanne Doig, Please forgive my clumsiness. I'm obtuse in Wiki usage, and looking all over for how to formally "Thank You". I just read something on the Help Index about it, but I'm still confused by what it said. Honestly, I graduated college, but cannot follow instructions written in English. No wonder I can't find my relatives.

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No worries, you're welcome 

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You're ever so kind. I think I did stumble on something eventually that allowed me to send a "Thank You" through to you. Wiki is the least intuitive and most convoluted website I've ever used.

Meanwhile, I've been "working" the information you passed onto me.

Thanks again.