The Abberton Name

 

Courtesy: Mrs Eva Abberton, Abbey

 

ABBERTON name

Courtesy: Mrs Eva Abberton, Abbey

The Abberton Name

The text on the Abberton photograph from Abberton in Essex, courtesy Mrs Eva Abberton reads as follows:

“Abberton is an English Toponymic name found in south-east Galway.  This Anglo-Saxon family were settled in Ulster in the year 1640, and were noted in the Act of Settlement in 1665.  About a century later they were one of the many ULTACH (from Ulster) families who arrived with the Murrays from Monaghan and took up residence in Ballynakill parish in south-east Galway.

Sir Thomas Burke of Marble Hill, a great Catholic landowner, offered for sale at around 5/- an acre, land which appealed to the Ulster families who were escaping the intimidation of the newly formed Orange Order, or Peep o day boys.  On arrival at the foothills of the Sleive Aughty they were taken aback by the poor quality of the land compared to their fertile pastures.

Most of the Ultach families were well off and able to build stone houses which still survive today.  By 1813 when Sir John Burke, Colonel of the 98th Regt, who succeeded his father Sir Thomas, raised the rents high most families found it very difficult, but it would appear the Abbertons survived without too much difficulty.  By 1856 there were 11 families of the name recorded in the parish of Ballynakill in the Griffiths Valuations.  This was the only parish in Galway to record the surname,  Some of the family still leased land from the Burkes as the following shows:

BRIDGET ABBERTON held 10 acres @ £3-15-0 from the Marquis of Clanricarde (Burke) at Rossmore, whilst a more affluent BRIDGET ABBERTON held 12 acres at Friary; 50 acres at Garrynaglogh and 29 acres at Abbey, all leased from Sir Thomas J Burke Bt, at an annual rent of £53-5-0.  She subleased almost 2 acres to PATRICK ABBERTON Jr for £1-15-0, at Abbey.  PATRICK ABBERTON Sr leased 17 acres @ £8 from Sir Thomas J Burke at Abbey.

MICHAEL ABBERTON held 12 acres at Rossmore from the Marquis of Clanricarde at £4-10-0, whilst another MICHAEL ABBERTON held 10 acres @ £4-15-0 in Derryvunlan from Edward P Mathews.  This same landlord leased 7 acres @£4-15-0 to JOHN ABBERTON and 8 acres @ £5-15-0 to STEPHEN ABBERTON at Derryvunlan.

The other three town lands recording the name in Ballynakill were LAWRENCE ABBERTON of Easterfield holding 21 acres @ £10-15-0 from Anthony P Nugent, and FERDINAND ABBERTON of Lackan, leased 20 acres @ £3-10-0 from Sir Thomas J Burke.  FRANCIS ABBERTON of Cappagh held 22 acres @ £3 from Sir Thomas J Burke also.  So it would appear that the Abbertons held perpetual leases from the Burkes of Marble Hill for about three generations or more, and also from their cousins the Clanricarde Burkes.

By 1890 the name in the whole of Ireland had become very scarce with less than five birth registrations being recorded for that year”.