Macnab Family Tree research resources
Explore the detail of the Macnab Family History 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 271 people with the Macnab surname? In that year Macnab was ranked number 3308 for popularity in the UK. |
Macnab records on Ancestry
Ancestry is a major source of information if you are filling out your Macnab family tree. A vast range of data is available to search ranging from census records, births, deaths and marriages, military records and immigration records to name but a few. Free trials are normally available and are a good way to fill out a lot of your tree quickly.
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Ancestry.com Global records search results for the Macnab family. |
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Ancestry.com US records search results for the Macnab family. |
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Ancestry.co.uk UK records search results for the Macnab family. |
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Ancestry.ca Canadian records search results for the Macnab family. |
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Ancestry.com.au Australian records search results for the Macnab family. |
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Historical References
"MACNAB. Gaelic Mac an Aba, 'son of the abbot.' The early chiefs of the Clan Macnab were probably lay abbots of Glendochart, in which glen lay the lands of the clan, and in which there was formerly a great Celtic monastery. In the seventh century St. Fillan founded a monastery in the glen, the upper part of which took its name of Strathfillan from him, and in the reign of William the Lion we find that the abbot of Glendochart ranked as an equal with the earls of Atholl and of Menteath (APS., i, p. 372). In a genealogy of the Macnabs compiled in 1467 we find a Gillafaelan ("servant of St. Fillan") named as one of the early chiefs (Coll., p. 52). A bond of manrent dated 1606 declaring a connection between the Macnabs and the Mackinnons seems mere fancy. A Mathew M"Nab was a tenant of the earl of Douglas in Brekauchbeg in the barony of Buittle in 1376; and Maurice M'Nab was a tenant in Glenwaldy in the barony of Prestoune in the same year (RHM., i, p. lix, Lxi). Robert Gynnab, a Scots prisoner of war, was released from prison in Colchester, 1396 (Bain, rv, 483). The obit of Patrick M'Gynnab of Bovan is recorded in 1488 (Chr. Fort.), and Finlay M'ynnab, author of a satire on lazy bards, preserved in the collection of Gaelic poetry known as the Book of the Dean of Lismore (c. 1512), is probably the Finlai M'Genab de Bowayn whose obit is placed in 1525 (Chr. Fort., p. 119). John Makinnab was servitor to James Grant or Freuquhye in 1647 (Grant, m, p. 342). M'Knab 1598, M'Knabe and Maknabe 1591, McNap 1692, Milnab (Just, flee., n, p. 126) 1643. In the early Celtic Church the abbot of a monastery usually belonged to a leading family of the tribe or tuath, and in that family the office was hereditary. "In course of time this system gave rise to great abuses; the monastery grew rich in lands, and the energies of the abbot, or some other leading officer, were directed to temporal rather than spiritual management. In fact, latterly, he became a mere layman, holding the abbacy in his family by direct descent, and, delegating his clerical duties to a monk, he himself took to rearing a family in which the monastic lands were hereditary. Crinan, lay abbot of Dunkeld, for example, was a king's son-in-law, and also a king's father father of the unfortunate King Duncan" (Macbain, ScotoCeltic studies, p. 69). The Abernethies are also descended from lay abbots. "(The surnames of Scotland. George Fraser Black, 1866-1948)
DNA
Sometimes you can run into a brick wall in your tree and you just don't have enough evidence to make that next step back in time. A DNA test can sometimes help to make a link to a particular family name if you find you share common DNA with people who have the same or similar surnames as each other. If you are lucky then you may get a match within a few generations and discover some Macnab ancestors. Additionally, the modern DNA test can give you a breakdown of your ethnic mix - you may be surprised at the results!
Have you reached a brick wall in your Macnab Tree?
Visit our Macnab DNA page to find out more.
Birth, Death and Marriage Records for the Macnab Genealogy
Birth, Death and Marriage records are often the best method of making the links to the Macnab Genealogy that will form part of your family tree. Although records vary from country to country, they are normally the most formal record of a person's relations. From the sources listed below it will be possible to locate a birth record and, from that record, a birth certificate may be obtainable which is likely to list the names of the parents, therefore taking you back another generation. A marriage certificate may also list the names of the respective fathers of the bride and groom which may then help you to find them earlier in life on a census record enabling you to fill out more detail in the Macnab family tree.
Investigate Macnab Parish Records at Find My Past.
Investigate the UK registered births, marriages and deaths for the Macnab family name using the FreeBMD database.
Explore Genealogy Bank for Macnab family records.
Explore MyHeritage for Macnab family data.
Check out the LDS Database for records of the Macnab family.
Research the Macnab surname using fold3 Military Archives and view images of original Macnab Military records.
| Did you know that there are currently 673 people with the Macnab surname in the UK? Macnab is now ranked number 3406 for popularity in the UK. |
Macnab Family Tree Databases
Search WikiTree for user contributed Macnab family records. Collaboration is encouraged so that accuracy of Macnab data can be verified or corrected by other users.
Search MyTrees for information on the Macnab family and people looking to contact living Macnab relations.
Search GENi for Macnab family records.
Find your Irish Macnab relatives on findmypast.ie
Macnab Forums
Research the Macnab surname using Genealogy.com forums .
Miscellaneous Macnab Databases
Study the Ellis Island Database for information on the Macnab family. This database contains over 25 million immigration records detailing passengers arriving in the United States of America.
Use the Surname Map project to look at the current distribution of the Macnab surname in the United Kingdom, France, Germany, Spain, Italy and Romania.
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