Hello, This is my first time posting information on this mailing list. I am researching Gideon Delos McGilliard who was born May 29, 1864 in Scotland. Gideon D. McGilliard stated he was from Ardrossan, County Ayrshire, Scotland. But his son stated that Gideon had been born in Edinburgh, Scotland. I have not found a birth record, but I do have the death record. Gideon D. McGilliard lived in Ardrossan, which is a PORT city on the West coast of Scotland in the Firth of Clyde. He apparently became a sailor and that is how he left Scotland. He stated that he arrived in the USA in 1882. I have never found him in any 1881 British census, perhaps he was sailing at that time. Gideon D. McGilliard lived in Los Angeles, California and had 11 children, he died there in 1936. I have tried to find his parents and ancestry but I have not yet been sucessfull. The name McGilliard is found in County Monaghan. Gideon himself told his own children that he was Scots-Irish. Meaning his name began in Scotland, then came to Ireland (probably during the plantations period?). When I looked at the 1881 census located in Ardrossan, Scotland in an attempt to locate his parents, I found that the name had been spelled as McGalliard, and not McGilliard. Also noticed all of the older persons, who would be of an age to have been Gideon's father were all BORN IN IRELAND. This has made me to now post this information here, because I found hsitorical information which stated the name McGilliard is almost exclusively found in County Monaghan. Is there anyone related to or interested in the McGilliard name? Would anyone be able to give me advice about James McGilliard born about 1844 in Ireland, his wife was Mary Young b. about 1845 in Ireland? They are living in Adrossan, Scotland in 1881, he was a Dock Laborer, and they had children: Andrew, Mary, Catherine, James. There was a John McGilliard who married Alicia McCauley born about 1838 in Ireland. They had a daughter named Mary McGilliard born about 1871 in Glenavon, Ireland. I also found this family living near Ardrossan in 1881 census. Thank you for any help or advice of comments. Best regards, Lilly Martin