I have been indexing the names in the Roman Catholic parish records of Rathdowney and to date I have transcribed the Baptismal Records of this parish from April 1847 to Jan 1880.  A total of 2546 baptisms – this gives me 2546 first names for children.  I have not finished this index. 

For the moment though, a discussion on my Laois Genealogy Facebook page re the surnames Cassin and Cashen caught my interest. 

In my own family history I have the surname Gallivan.  Gallivan is an old Kerry surname (old as per in records) and in the early records we generally find Gallivan in Kerry and Galvan/Galven in other parts of the country.  My Great Grandfather was registered in parish records as Gallivan, he was buried as Gallivan BUT down in Kerry, his brothers are all buried as Galvan even though in the parish records and civil records they are named as Gallivan.  Also, even though my Great Grandfather was a literate educated man he had 8 children all born up in Northern Ireland (he was from Kerry).  4 of his eight children are registered in civil records as Galvan, the other 4 are registered as Gallivan.  So, I have come across these variations in surnames in my own family.

This morning I went to the 1901 census of Irleand and I checked how many people of the surname Cassin lived in Laois in 1901, then I checked for the surname Cashin.  I also looked for Cashen – Cassen – Cashen.  I noted the names of the District Electoral Divisions (DED) that these surnames were found in.

Interestingly, the DED of Rathdowney was listed for almost all these surname variations and because I have been indexing the Roman Catholic parish records of Rathdowney and I should have some record of children of these surnames listed in my parish records.  Also, I have recorded almost all the graveyards and cemeteries close to Rathdowney so a comparison of the occurrence of these surnames should have been reasonably easy.

The Surname CASHEN, CASHIN, CASSIN,  CASSEN IN Co. Laois 1901 census of Ireland

CASHIN
1901 Census of Ireland :  45 people of this surname living in Laois (Queen’s Co)

DED’s
Mountrath
Kinnetty
Huntstown
Ballinakill
Blandsfort
Castletown
Cuffsborough
Durrow
Killermogh
Donaghmore
Kilcoke
Kildellig
Rathdowney
Clonmore

CASSEN : 2 people
DED’s
Abbeyleix
Emo

CASHIN
1901 : 12 people  BUT Laois & Offaly mixed up.  Only 4 of these people are in Laois
DED’s
Castletown
Donaghmore
Rathdowney
Mountrath

CASHEN
1901 26 people  BUT Once again, Offaly & Laois mixed up in 1901 census so only 15 of these people have the surname Cashen

DED’s
Ballyroan
Castletown
Kilnaseer
Rathdowney
Shaen

A look at the Rathdowney parish records for the surnames Cassin/Cashen/Cashin – QUESTION – How many children of these surnames were baptised in Rathdowney over the baptismal records dating from April 1847 to Jan 1881??

9 children of the surname CASSIN
1 child of the surname CASSINS

The parents of this Cassins child have also been listed as one of the Cassin parents for a different birth.

NO Cashen/Cassen/Cashin children

Check of from-ireland web site Gravestone index:
Checking my index to surnames of people I have recorded (I have covered 63 graveyards in Laois)

CASHIN: 17 people of this surname.  4 of them lived in Kilkenny or Tipperary. 13 lived in Laois.

CASSIN : 28 people of this surname, the majority lived in Kilkenny
5 of the 28  lived in Laois

CASSEN : No people of this surname
CASHEN : 4 people of this surname all recorded in Kildare town

 

RATHDOWNEY ROMAN CATHOLIC PARISH VARIATIONS ON SURNAME SPELLINGS
 

2546 Baptisms between the times of April 1847 & Jan 1881

Bannon/Baanon
Bergin/Bergan/Bergen
Barton/Bartin/Barten
Bohan/Boohan
Bracken/Brackin
Brien/Bryan
Cahil/Cahill
Cantenall/Cantwell
Carrol/Carroll
Carty/Carthy
Cassin/Cassins
Cleary/Clearey
Condran/Condren/Congran
Connelly/Connolly
Cragh/Creagh/Cray
Curran/Curreen/Curren
Daley/Daly/Dayley
Delahaunty/Delahunty
Delany/Delaney
Devine/Divine
Dooling/Doolan
Duigan/Dugan/Duggan
Egan/Eagan
Fannin/Fanning
Farrell/Farroll
Feeley/Feely
Fin/Finn/Finne
Flin = Flynn (have not found it spelled Flynn)
Ford/Forde
Golden/Golding/Goulding
Guylfoile/Guilfoyle
Hayden/Haydon
Henesy/Hennessey/Hennesy
Hines /Hynes
Hoolahen/Holohan

Hoyne/Hoynes (I find this one interesting because today we have people of the surname
HINEY in the town of Rathdowney.  I havenever seen the surname Hiney in parish records and I belive that the surname Hoyne became spelled as Hiney.

Kay/Keys/Key/McKay
Keenahen/Keenahan/Keenan
Kegan/Keegan
Kenedy/Kennedy
Kinahan/Kenahen
Kirivan/Kirwan
Lalor/Lawlor/Lawler
Loury/Lowry
Mahan/Mahon
Manten/Manton/Menton
McAvoy/McEvoy
Mullin/Mullins
Nolan/Nowlan
O’Mara/Mara
Pierson = Pearson
Quigley/Quigly
Quin/Quinn
Russel/Russell
Sandford/Sangford
Sheil/Sheill/Shiel
Skeahan/Skehan
Slatery/Slattery
Stanly/Stanley
Tierney/Tierny
Tracy/Treacy
White/Whyte