Beaton Family Tree research resources

Delve into the history of the Beaton Family Tree using the resources below. We hope you find these sites useful whilst you are researching your Family Tree !

Did you know that in the 1881 UK census there were 3443 people with the Beaton surname? In that year Beaton was ranked number 1218 for popularity in the UK.

(Research another surname)

"BEATON. Two learned families named Macbeth and Beaton or Bethune practised medicine in the Isles in the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries. Their names in the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries became merged in English in the one surname of Beaton. The Macbeths practised in Islay and Mull, and the Beatons in Skye. The first of the Islay family on record is Fercos Macbetha, who witnessed and probably wrote the Gaelic charter of 1408. The family for the next two centuries were official physicians to the Chiefs of Macdonald, from whom they held lands. Gilchristus MVeig, surrigicus or surgeon in Islay is in record. Fergus M'Baithe in 1609 received from James vi certain lands in Islay in his official capacity as "principals medici intra bordas Insularum" chief physician within the bounds of the Isles. His son, John Macbeath, succeeds in 1628 to the lands, but gave them over to the Thane of Cawdor in following year. The words "Leabar Giolla Colaim Meigbethadh" (book of Malcolm Macbeth) are written on one of the Gaelic manuscripts in the National Library of Scotland, glossed in the same hand "Liber Malcolmi Betune" (Mackinnon, Catalogue of Gaelic manuscripts, 1912, p. 6, 7). The Mull Beatons or Betons were hereditary physicians to the Macleans of Dowart. In 1572 Hector MacLaine of Dowart granted a charter to Andrew MacDonil VildnoUif (i.e. son of the doctor) and his heirs of the pennyland of Piencross [Pennycross] and Brolas for his skill in the medical art. Martin (p. 254) says that Dr. Beaton was sitting on the upper deck of the "Florida" of the Spanish Armada when it blew up in Tobermory Bay in 1588 and he was thrown a good way off, but lived several years after. Another of the Mull family was Fergus M"Veagh in Pennycross whose medical MS. is now in the library of Edinburgh University. A branch of the family early settled in the Fraser country, and in 1589 it is recorded that they had possessed a davach in Glenconvinth "time out of mind." In 1558, one of them, James Betoun, attended Lord Lovat. He was known "as TollyMullach - An t-Ollamh MuOeach, the Mull doctor showing that he was of the noted physicians of that island. The race declined in the Aircl, and before the end of the sixteenth century one of them, John M'Kh'ch John son of the Doctor who kept Lord Lovat's flocks, got into trouble by helping himself to his master's muttons, and was saved from punishment by his wit and skill in archery. By 1622 they probably ceased to practise the healing art (Wardlaw, intro., p. xxxviixxxviii). The Beatons of Skye "were real Beatons or Bethunes from Fife, descended from the Lairds of Balfour. A grandson of the fifth laird, Dr. Peter Bethune, settled in Skye about the middle of the sixteenth century. His descendants were numerous, and intermarried with the best families in Skye and the Isles. They are still strong in Skye. The Gaelic of the name is Peutan or Beutan" (Macbain, Celt. Man., xvn, p. 208). The last of these hereditary physicians came to an end in 1763 in the person of Niel Beaton (Clan Donald, m, p. 128). Bittoune 1675. "_{(The surnames of Scotland. George Fraser Black, 1866-1948)}

Study WikiTree for user contributed Beaton family records. Collaboration is encouraged so that accuracy of Beaton data can be verified or corrected by other users.

Investigate MyTrees for information on the Beaton family and people looking to contact living Beaton relations.

Look at GENi for Beaton family records.

Find your Irish Beaton relatives on findmypast.ie

Other names that sound a bit like Beaton