The Kilpatrick Surname Study

The large scale settlement of County Antrim was preceded by the confluence of several important political and economic events. First, the end of the Seven Years' War left England in control of Ireland. Second, the ascension of James IV to the crown of both Scotland and England as James I, also becoming the King of Ireland, had significant implications. Finally, the flight of the Earls and 90 of their supporters left a political vacuum that Scottish and English landlords were anxious to fill,,,, The Settlement of County Antrim A thorough comprehension of County Antrim was lacking due to the absence of clear geographic boundaries stemming from traditional landholding practices and the scarcity of detailed maps. Uncertainty relating to the landscape influenced settlement patterns, which were often guided by features like rivers and their tributaries. Particularly, the River Bann and Six Mile Water were instrumental in enabling access and facilitating movement, thus defining migration routes and settlement sites throughout Antrim. The Expansion of Presbyterianism The Presbyterian faith, brought by migrants, played a significant role in the establishment of communities. The presence of Presbyterian meeting houses, which required a population base to support, serves as an indicator of settlement. In a study conducted by the author, it was demonstrated that Presbyterianism entered Antrim through independent channels from both the north and the south. Through mapping the locations of these meeting houses and examining their distribution over time, we can reconstruct the Presbyterian landscape of Antrim from 1600 to 1710. The distribution of Denizens during this period suports this analysis. The Kilpatricks and the Presbyterian Landscape The geographic overlap between Presbyterian settlement patterns and the concentration ofthe Kilpatrick/Kirkpatrick surname in the regions surrounding the River Bann and Six Mile Water basins implies a meaningful spatial association. This alignment is substantiated by the striking similarity observed between contemporary distributions, as documented in records like the 1901 Census and Griffith Valuation, and the distribution of Presbyterians in 1710. While specific historic records concerning the Kilpatricks are somewhat sparse, they nonetheless provide sufficient evidence to indicate that the dispersal of the surname were tied to broader migration trends. Various historical indices, including Griffith Valuation, North Antrim Tithe, and 1740 religious returns, and the Hearth Money Roll, highlight the connection between the Kilpatricks and theevolution of the Presbyterian landscape.