Hello I also have this book and others which show these population figures. I do not know what others think but I have often wondered if the figures have been 'doctored'! We all know how devastating the Clearances were but looking at the figures not so bad! Apart from Kildonan of course which was virtually emptied. In Rogart it was said "that the tenants were rooted out at will" yet looking at the figures it did not drop by much. Would like to hear other opinions on this subject. Christine -----Original Message----- From: Lyndall [mailto:lyfrah@goldweb.com.au] Sent: Thursday, April 05, 2001 10:39 AM To: SCT-SUTHERLAND-L@rootsweb.com Subject: SUT- 19th century parish populations I have a copy of the book, "History of the Highland Clearances" by Alexander MacKenzie (1883). I thought that some of you might find the following data of interest. Lyndall =========================== Population of all the Parishes in whole or in part in the County of Sutherland. Assynt 1801..........2419 1811..........2479 1821..........2803 1831..........3161 1841..........3178 1851..........2989 1871..........3006 1881..........2781 Clyne 1801..........1643 1811..........1639 1821..........1874 1831..........1711 1841..........1765 1851..........1933 1871..........1733 1881..........1812 Creich 1801..........1974 1811..........1969 1821..........2354 1831..........2562 1841..........2852 1851..........2714 1871..........2524 1881..........2223 Dornoch 1811..........2362 1821..........2681 1831..........3100 1841..........2714 1851..........2981 1871..........2764 1881..........2525 Durness 1801..........1208 1811..........1155 1821..........1004 1831..........1153 1841..........1109 1851..........1152 1871..........1049 1881............987 Eddrachillis 1801..........1253 1811..........1147 1821..........1229 1831..........1965 1841..........1699 1851..........1576 1871..........1530 1881..........1525 Farr 1801..........2408 1811..........2408 1821..........1994 1831..........2073 1841..........2217 1851..........2403 1871..........2019 1881..........1930 Golspie 1801..........1616 1811..........1391 1821..........1049 1831..........1149 1841..........1214 1851..........1529 1871..........1804 1881..........1556 Kildonan 1801..........1440 1811..........1574 1821............565 1831............257 1841............256 1851........*2288 1871..........1916 1881..........1942 *The lands of Helmsdale and others previously in the Parish of Loth were, about this time, added to Kildonan, which accounts for this large increase. It also accounts for the decrease in Loth. Lairg 1801..........1209 1811..........1354 1821..........1094 1831..........1045 1841............913 1851..........1162 1871............978 1881..........1355 Loth 1801..........1374 1811..........1330 1821..........2008 1831..........2234 1841..........2526 1851..........*640 1871............583 1881............584 Reay 1801..........2406 1811..........2317 1821..........2758 1831..........2881 1841..........2811 1851..........2506 1871..........2331 1881..........2191 Rogart 1801..........2022 1811..........2148 1821..........1986 1831..........1805 1841..........1501 1851..........1536 1871..........1341 1881..........1227 Tongue 1801..........1348 1811..........1493 1821..........1736 1831..........2030 1841..........2041 1851..........2018 1871..........2051 1881..........1929 ==== SCT-SUTHERLAND Mailing List ==== You may, at times, wish to check out previous messages to this list. You can do this at http://archiver.rootsweb.com/SCT-SUTHERLAND-L/ ============================== Create a FREE family website at MyFamily.com! http://www.myfamily.com/banner.asp?ID=RWLIST2 --- Incoming mail is certified Virus Free. Checked by AVG anti-virus system (http://www.grisoft.com). Version: 6.0.237 / Virus Database: 115 - Release Date: 3/7/01 --- Outgoing mail is certified Virus Free. Checked by AVG anti-virus system (http://www.grisoft.com). Version: 6.0.237 / Virus Database: 115 - Release Date: 3/7/01

The drop in population might not seem so much but if you compare it with a community of any size elsewhere in Britain, the 19th century saw an enormous %increase in the population as families were huge and infant and adult mortality rates were improved as hygiene and diet changed for the better. Some of these improvements would not have been so noticable up in an area like Rogart but instead of saying " the population dropped by 40% in 80 years" it would probably be more accurate to say" the population would have been 5 times higher by 1881 than in 1801 had it not been for the Clearances" . Of course people probably would have moved away South for better employment prospects anyway because of the fact that they couldn't buy their own land and had to put up with the nasty landlords. I have always wondered why my lot managed to stay put when so many were thrown out, but those statistics put it all in perspective.. in fact you had a fairly good chance of remaining provided you didn't annoy the folk in charge. Which is perhaps why my G-G-grandfather called one of his sons after the agent William Young just to keep on his good side. By the way Christine did you say something about the site being too quiet? Don't do that again!! Liz