My first reaction to the various forms and spellings of our surname now found in a given year was simply that different people changed their names at different times, and that each spelling or different form of the surname belonged to a different person, even when the given names were the same. After all it was quite common for sons to have the same name as their father or grandfather, and often their uncles and cousins as well. But after studying the phenomenon closer I came to a different conclusion.

Certainly there would be cases when more than one person had the same given name. But in many cases it appears that the different spellings may in fact have been soley at the whims of the various scribes. In many cases the same person may have been listed under two different surnames, even on the same page.

In 1594 there was a Willm Mc Alixander listed as the landholder for the quarterland of Kiondroghad, and a Willm Calister paid the Lord for the use of for two different intacks, #'s 45 and 49.

By 1590 the first year for when I have complete records, "Willm Mc Alixander had been replaced at Kiondroghad by John Mc Callister, and Willm Calister had been replaced at Intack #45 by John Mc Allexander, and at Intack#49 by John Callister.

It would appear that all the Williams were the same person, and all the Johns as well. Otherwise why would they all have changed at the same time.

Meanwhile the quarterland of Ballamanagh was listed under Murtheage Mc Alixander in 1584, as was Intack #22, while Intack #44 was listed under Murtheage Mc Calister. Margaret Ine Callister held Ballamanagh in 1590, while Mortaghe Mc Alexander held both Intack #22 and 44 , suggesting the latter may have been another Murtaghe. And yet after 1596 this Murtheage disappear also and the name of Margaret Callister now appears on both intacks.

And yet...why would the same person be listed on two successive lines with two different surnames. That doesn't make sense either.

In 1619 re intack #22. Mgrett Callister, but Adam Calister. Same spelling is repeated the following year, Yet on Intack #44 both are spelled "Callister". Suggests scribe blindly copying previous entry.