Orinsay 1841

The clearance of Orinsay in 1843 is perhaps one of the best documented such events on the Isle of Lewis. The Angus Macleod archive includes an impassioned description from the Inverness Courier and the role of the Factor, Donald Munro, is detailed by James Shaw Grant in 'A Shilling For Your Scowl'.

The excellent Hebridean Connections site provides a database of the people of Orinsay but I believe this to be the first time that a complete list of the population of the township from the transcribed 1841 Census has been compiled.

I have listed the households alphabetically by each Head's family name, then first name.

Within two years all that remained in Orinsay from the lives of these 147 people in 21 households were 14 or 15 roofless houses...

Dorothy Gillies – Widow, 55, Small Tenant
Roderick Gillies, 20
Ann Gillies, 14
Donald Finlayson,20
Peggy Finlayson, 25
Isabella Mackenzie, 5

Alexander Macdonald, 55, Small Tenant
Annabella Macdonald, 45
Ann Macdonald, 25
Catherine Macdonald, 22
Mary Macdonald, 20
William Macdonald, 17
Donald, Macdonald, 15
Isabella Macdonald, 11
Duncan Macdonald, 9
John Macdonald, 6
Kenneth Macdonald, 3
Chirsty Macdonald, 1

Donald Macdonald,35 Widower, Small Tenant
Isabella Macdonald, 14
Ann Macdonald, 12
Kenneth Macdonald, 10
Duncan Macdonald, 8
Mary Macdonald, 6
Catherine Macdonald, 4
Murdo Mackenzie, 40
Catherine Mackenzie, 40
Peggy Mackenzie, 15
Ann Mackenzie, 15
John Mackenzie, 11
Duncan Mackenzie, 9
Kenneth Mackenzie, 5
Donald Mackenzie, 2

John Macdonald, 50, Hand Loom Weaver, Small Tenant
Kenny Macdonald,50
Donald Macdonald, 25, Fisher
John Macdonald, 22, Fisher
Alexander Macdonald, 20, Fisher
Catherine Macdonald, 15
Roderick Macdonald, 12

Murdo Macdonald, 30, Small Tenant
Annabella Macdonald, 30
Alexander Macdonald, 8
Margaret Macdonald, 5
Donald Macdonald, 2
Chirsty MacRitchie, 20, Female Servant

Murdo Macinnes, 75, Small Tenant
Flora Macinnes, 75
Alexander Macinnes, 28, fisher
Margaret Macinnes, 25
Isabella Macinnes, 4
Murdo Macinnes, 2
Murdo Nicholson, 12
Alexander Smith, 15

Chirsty Mackenzie, 55, Pauper
Murdo Mackenzie, 60, Fisher and Small Tenant
Ann Mackenzie, 50
Murdo Mackenzie, 27, Fisher
Donald Mackenzie, 25
Alexander Mackenzie, 17
Ann Mackenzie, 15
Annabella Mackenzie, 13
Margaret Mackenzie, 11

Donald Mackenzie, 35, Fisher and Small Tenant
Chirsty Mackenzie, 30
Alexander Mackenzie, 12
Margaret Mackenzie, 10
Ann Mackenzie, 7
Roderick Mackenzie, 5
Kenneth Mackenzie, 3
Donald Mackenzie, 1

John Mackenzie, 50, Fisher
Catherine Mackenzie, 18

John Mackenzie, 65, Small Tenant
Isabella Mackenzie, 60
Roderick Mackenzie, 24, Fisher
Donald Mackenzie, 20, Fisher
Ann Mackenzie, 25

Murdo Mackenzie, 35, Fisher and Small Tenant
Margaret Mackenzie, 30
Margaret Mackenzie, 15
Roderick Mackenzie, 10
Donald Mackenzie, 8
Annabella Mackenzie, 5
Alexander Mackenzie, 2

Donald Maclennan, 25, Fisher
Marion Maclennan, 50
Ann Maclennan, 95

Catherine Macleod, 90, Pauper

Donald Macleod, 50, Fisher and Small Tenant
Catherine Macleod, 45
Flora Macleod, 20
Norman Macleod, 16
Catherine Macleod, 14
Murdo Macleod, 9
Donald Macleod, 7
Catherine Campbell, 2

John Macleod, 35, Fisher and Small Tenant
Catherine Macleod, 35
Margaret Macleod, 7
John Macleod, 5
Norman Macleod, 4
Alexander Macleod, 1

Malcolm Macleod, 40, fisher and Small Tenant
Ann Macleod, 35
Ann Macleod, 12
Catherine, 10
John, 1?
Donald, 5
Norman, 2

Murdo Macleod, 30
Isabella Macleod, 40
Murdo Macleod, 15
Ann Macleod, 12
Catherine Macleod ,9
Duncan Macleod, 7
Donald Macleod, 4
Mary Maclennan, 20

Norman Macleod, 75, Small Tenant
Chirsty Macleod, 60
Catherine Macleod, 50
Ann Macleod, 30

Norman Macleod, 80, Small Tenant
Betsy Macleod, 40
Isabell Macdonald, 14, Female Servant
Donald Martin, 60, Small Tenant
Margaret Martin, 35
Donald Martin, 20, Fisher
John Macleod, 9
Chirsty MacRae, 20, Female Servant

John Martin, 35, Fisher and Small Tenant
Henny Martin, 35
Chirsty Martin, 12
Angus Martin, 8
Flora Martin, 6mths
Ewan Maclennan, 14
Marion Macdonald, 80

Mary Montgomery, 80, Pauper

Alexander Morrison, 40, Fisher and Small Tenant
Catherine Morrison, 35
Isabella Morrison, 20
Ann Morrison, 11
Catherine Morrison, 9
John Morrison, 6
Chirsty Morrison, 3