The Doran motto is “Spes Anchora Vitae” meaning “Hope is the anchor of life”. That pretty much sums up our family’s inherent optimism in the face of whatever life throws at us. But where did that optimism come from? Well, first we are Irish on our paternal side. Second, we identify as Dorans. Since our grandfather was born in Belfast Ireland we are allowed to apply for Irish passports. Two of us are doing so. Fingers crossed for them.
Our Doran ancestors were living in Northern Ireland, specifically counties Armagh, Louth, Down and Antrim probably since at least the 1800s, although it is doubtful this is where they started out from. After so many Irish were expelled from their traditional lands they were forced to find homes and work elsewhere. The story we heard regarding our Doran origins was passed on from our father’s first cousin Sal, who was born in Belfast, Ireland in 1909. Her mother Elizabeth née Doran told her that the Dorans came from the West of Ireland, from “County Clare”. They moved east to find work. The Doran men were hacklers in the Linen trade. The jobs were in the East, in Counties Armagh, Down, and Antrim.
Clare, townland or county? Or just a red-herring?
We spent an enormous amount of time exploring records for County Clare and came up empty every time. Just recently, I came across a similar family story from another Doran researcher. They too found no evidence to support their family story that their Dorans came from County Clare. However, that is a coincidence having two Doran families, who don’t know each other, with the same (unproven) story. And now (2025) I just read that a Doran male’s yDNA test on FamilyTreeDNA points to County Clare. So maybe it is true after all?
BUT….
I think, in the way that stories have a kernel of truth but are changed in the telling, that our Doran line came to Belfast from the townland of Clare, County Armagh. Probably by the time the origin story was written down (mid-twentieth century), the memory of the little townland on the river Cusher was forgotten, and the County of Clare substituted in its place. Our family also passed down a story of owning a little flax mill, where the boys learned to be hacklers, skills they took with them to Belfast in the mid-19th century, where the linen industry was concentrated.
Or were our Doran ancestors from some place else?
We have two interesting lines of Doran descendants whose Doran ancestor was born circa 1725 – 1735 in Ireland who match us on various DNA tests.
One line has a Y-DNA match to the descendants of a James (aka Jacob) Doran, who was born in Ireland (place unknown) circa 1725. He was convicted in Belfast of some petty crime and exiled to America. His departure from Belfast was documented in writing (along with many others) by the British government. James Doran fought on the American side in the Revolutionary War. While he first appears to have lived in Pennsylvania, he was rewarded for his service with a land grant in western Virginia. His life (marriage, children, military service, property deeds, etc.) is well documented. He was one of the early settlers of Augusta County, Virginia. Unfortunately, probably stemming from the Latin version of the name James being Jacob, his descendants have conferred Dutch heritage on him, changing his name to Jacob Van Doran, an immigrant from the Netherlands. His descendant’s Y-DNA test shows him to be of Irish descent.
Our family has quite a few DNA matches with descendants of a James Doran who was born in County Donegal around 1735. He was supposedly the son of an Earl. He married a Margaret Gordon in 1759 in Ireland. They were the parents of at least 3 sons and 3 daughters. He first lived in Maryland after his emigration. He died on 17 December 1799, in Abingdon, Washington, Virginia, at the age of 64. With the newest Ancestry origins theories I now supposedly have genetic ties to County Donegal. More likely Ancestry.com is using the trees of DNA matches who have included County Donegal ancestors in their trees. The more Ancestry “updates” its reference base, the less I believe them.
Even with DNA connections to these families, there is a HUGE gap between the supposed origins and our first documented Doran ancestor.
Our earliest documented Doran ancestor was Bernard Doran who was born (based on the age birth year of his first known child) circa 1800. He and his partner Ann “Nancy” Smith appear to have been quite okay with not being married for the longest time, if ever. Child after child was baptized with the notation “illegitimate”. Their first child, Maria Doran, was baptized in Shankill County Armagh (no, I do not mean Shankill, Belfast) in 1823 at the Dromore Parish Roman Catholic Church. A fairly long gap occurs between her baptism and the next child, Ellen, baptized in Lurgan in 1829. So, was Bernard in jail? Was he working in Belfast or somewhere else? Was he in the military? Or were there children who perished before baptism? I can’t speculate on what caused that gap, but after Ellen was born their other children were born in fairly close succession.
Bernard Doran and Ann “Nancy” Smyth continued to live together with and near their children in Ballymacarett and Belfast City after leaving the Lurgan area. Bernard was a “Rougher” at a Flax Mill in Belfast.
Three Doran lines from Counties Armagh and Down who moved to Belfast
I have found three Doran lines who were born in Counties Armagh and Down in the early to mid 1800s and later lived in Belfast, often in the same neighborhoods as ours. Are they related? Or did they live in these neighborhoods for the same practical reason – low rent and proximity to the mills?
Several other Doran families lived in Belfast at the time, and while I have researched some of them, my focus here is on the three family lines who came from County Armagh.
Line 1: John Doran (ca 1838-1889, son of Bernard Doran and Ann “Nancy” Smythe
John Doran (1838-1889), our ancestor, was born at the Belfast Workhouse, which is where he also died. Most of his older siblings were born in County Armagh, in or around Lurgan. John Doran was a hackler in the linen trade. He supposedly married Ellen Little on June 6, 1857. No marriage record has been found, but the date and country were recorded in a Scottish birth record of one of their children who was born in Paisley, Renfrewshire. They returned to Belfast shortly after her birth as she was baptized at St. Patricks. I doubt they were visiting relatives in Paisley as that would have been an extravagant use of limited resources. He was probably working at a mill there for awhile. We are descended through their son Bernard Doran who was baptized at St. Mattthew’s R.C. Church in Ballymacarrett in February 1858. (This line is Bernard, John, Bernard, Bernard, James, and the rest us in this and future generations).
Line #2: Philip Doran (ca 1833-?), parents not yet identified
Philip Doran (ca 1833-1906) and his wife Mary Magee (1831-1914) were both born in County Armagh and moved to Belfast. They often lived on the same streets as Bernard and Ann “Nancy” Doran but in the records we found the events were not in the same years as our family. If only we could find records for every single year!
Line #3: Patrick and Mary (surname unknown) Doran (ca 1834-1870), son of Bernard Doran
Patrick Doran was born in County Armagh, but baptized 16 Feb 1834 at St. Patrick’s in Belfast. The baptism record reads, Patrick, son of Bernard Doran.
Work in progress (as of October 2025).
Caveat: Some of the streets in Belfast no longer exist. In some cases the buildings were razed and new streets and buildings emerged in the name of progress. Old maps are required to identify the proximity of the streets to each other.
| Residence | Year | Line Number | Name, event & other name(s) & relationship(s) – |
| Shankill, Armagh | 1823 | Line #1 | Maria Doran, daughter of Ann Smyth & Bernard Doran was baptized. Sponsors Andrew McDonnell and Maria Magee. – [Baptism 23 Feb 1823 Shankill, Ireland. Catholic Parish Registers, 1655-1915, Ancestry.com] |
| Shankill, Lurgan, Armagh | 1829 | Line #1 | Ellen Doran, daughter of Nancy Smyth & Bernard Doran (“illegitimate”). Sponsors William O’Brien & Bridget Turney -[Baptism 27 Mar 1829 Shankill parish. Rootsireland.ie copyright 2022 Armagh Ancestry] |
| Newry, Down and Armagh, Ireland | 1831 | Line #1 | Ann Doran, daughter of Ann Doran & Bernard Doran. -[ Baptism 4 Oct 1831 Place Newry, Down and Armagh, Ancestry.com] |
| Belfast City, Antrim | 1834 | Is he line 1 or 3? | Pat Doran “of Bernard” – [Baptism 16 Feb 1834 St. Patrick’s, Belfast City, Ancestry.com] |
| Dixons Row, Shankill, Armagh | 1835 | Line #1 | Hannah Doran, daughter of Nancy (Smyth) & Bernard Doran was baptized. Sponsors were John McGowan and Ellen Craney. – [Baptism 12 Jul 1835 Shankill parish] |
| Belfast Workhouse, Belfast City, Antrim | 1838 | Line #1 | John Doran, son of Ann Smyth & Bernard Doran. Sponsor Mary Ann Montgomery. -[born Belfast Workhouse, Baptism St. Patrick’s, Belfast City, Ancestry.com |
| Armagh or Belfast? | abt 1840 | Line #1 | Catherine Doran, no birth record. however she was about 40 at the time of her death at the Belfast workhouse 31 Dec 1879 (registered in January 1880). – [died 31 Dec 1879, civil registration 2 Jan 1880, irelandgenealogy.ie |
| Belfast, Antrim | 1843 | Line #1 | Bernard Doran, son of Ann Smyth & Bernard Doran. – [Baptism 11 Dec 1843 St. Patricks, Belfast City] |
| Shankill, Armagh | 1850 | Line #2 | Philip Doran married Mary Magee. Witnesses were Owen McCann and Jane Handly. – [28 Jun 1850 marriage] |
| Ballynamoney, Shankill, Lurgan, Armagh | 1851 | Line #2 | John Doran, son of Mary (Magee) & Philip Doran is baptized. Sponsors were John Doran and Susan Magee – [Baptism 24 Feb 1851 Armagh parish] |
| Lurgan, Armagh | 1858 | Line #2 | Philip Doran Jr, son of Mary (Magee) & Philip Doran, Sr. is baptized. Sponsors were Ed. Doran and Susan Magee – [Baptism 10 Jan 1858 Lurgan parish] |
| Armagh | 1861 | Line #2 | Bridget Doran born about 1861 in Armagh – [as stated on 1901 Census of Ireland] |
| Lurgan, Shankill, Armagh | 1862 | Line #2 | Susan Doran daughter of Mary Magee and Philip Doran baptized. Sponsor Catherine Magee. -[Baptism 10 Feb 1862 Lurgan, Shankill Armagh Ireland, Catholic Parish Registers, 1655-1915] |
| Edward St., Aghnacloy, Lurgan, Armagh | 1865 | Line #2? | Philip Doran is living on Edward Street, Aghnacloy, Lurgan. He is leasing a house and a small garden from Margaret Falloon. Question: Is this the same Philip Doran – line #2? – [Griffiths Valuation of 1865, Ancestry.com.] |
| 5 Jude St., Belfast | 1866 | Line #1 | Joseph Doran, son of Ellen (Little) and John Doran was baptized. Sponsor was Mary Doran – [22 Feb 1866 civil birth registration & baptism records] |
| 18 Ross St., Belfast | 1867 | Line #2 | James Doran, son of Mary (Magee) and Philip Doran is born. The father is a weaver. – [8 Mar 1867 civil birth registration] |
| 49 Irwin St. | 1868 | Line #1 | Ellen “Nellie” Doran, daughter of Ellen (Little) and John Doran, was baptized. Sponsor: Mary Doran – [16 Jul 1868 baptism record] |
| 21 Mary St. | 1869 | Line #2 | Catherine Doran, daughter of Mary (Magee) and Philip Doran was born. – [civil birth registration] |
| 21 Mary St. | 1870 | Line #2 | Felix Doran, laborer, listed in the city directory Question: Is he a son of Mary (Magee) and Philip Doran? Same address. Another Felix Doran was born in Bessbrook, Armagh but he was married in England in 1870. – [1870 Belfast City Directory, NIdirect.gov] |
| Boomer St. | 1870 | Francis Doran, flax dresser, listed in the city directory Question: Who is he? Ellen (Little) and John Doran’s daughter Hannah (Doran) Murray lived on Boomer Street – [1870 Belfast City Directory, NIdirect.gov] | |
| 15 Unity St. | 1870 | Line #3? | Patrick Doran, Carter, listed in the city directory – [1870 Belfast City Directory, NIdirect.gov] |
| 15 Getty St. | 1870 | James Doran, whip maker, listed in the city directory Note: Ellen (Little and John Doran’s son Bernard Doran was living at 19 Getty St in 1884) – [1870 Belfast City Directory, NIdirect.gov] | |
| 49 Irvine St. | 1870 | Line #1 | Bernard Doran, rougher, is listed in the city directory Is Irvine Street & Irwin Street the same thing? – [1870 Belfast City Directory, NIdirect.gov] |
| 49 Irwin St. | 1870 | Line #1 | Joseph Doran, Ellen (Little) and John Doran’s son, died age 4 – [25 Feb 1870 civil death registration] |
| 21 Mary St. | 1873 | Line #2 | Mary Doran, daughter of Mary (Magee) & Philip Doran was baptized. Sponsors: John Doran and Bridget Doran. Note: Lemon St. intersected with Mary St. – [14 Apr 1873 St. Peter’s RC Church baptism record] |
| 3 Lemon St. | 1873 | Line #1 | Catherine Doran, daughter of Ellen (Little and John Doran was baptized at St. Peter’s RC Church. Sponsor: Mary Doran. Note: Lemon St. intersected with Mary St. – [civil birth registration] |
| 63 McDonnell St. | 1877 | Line #3 | Joseph Doran, son of Mary (?) & Patrick Doran, was married to Susan Magennis at St Peter’s RC Church. Notes: Groom’s age 28, occupation hackle maker. Wife’s age 24, occupation machinist. His Father Patrick Doran, a laborer, is deceased. Her father, Charles Maginnis, occupation ship carpenter same address as his daughter – [1887 marriage civil registration] |
| 19 Nail St., Belfast | 1878 | Line #1 | John Doran, son of Ellen (Little) and John Doran, was baptized. Sponsor: Brigitte McCann – [29 Sep 1878 baptism record] |
| 30 Nail St., Belfast | 1879 | Line #1 | Catherine Doran, age 40, spinster, millworker, died of bronchitis at the Belfast Workhouse. |
| 15 L. Clonard St. | 1881 | Line #2 | John Doran, son of Mary (Magee) and Philip Doran was married to Margaret Connolly. Witnesses were Philip Doran and Sarah Wright – [27 Aug 1881 civil marriage registration] |
| 37 Plevna St. | 1884 | Line #1 | Ellen “Nelly” Doran, daughter of Ellen (Little) and John Doran, residence at her marriage to Arthur Lewis – [25 Feb 1884 marriage record] |
| 19 Getty St. | 1884 | Line #1 | Bernard Doran, son of Ellen (Little) and John Doran, residence at his marriage to Mary Hall -[15 Nov 1884 church marriage record] |
| 47 Irwin St | 1898 | Line #2 | Catherine “Kate” Doran, daughter of Mary (Magee) and Philip Doran, resident at her marriage to Francis McVeigh. – [25 Dec 1898 civil marriage record] |
| 33 Irwin St. | 1901 | Line #2 | Philip Doran, age given as 80, residing with his daughter Mrs. Bridget Mallon, age 40, and Philip’s granddaughter – [31 Mar 1901 Census of Ireland] |
| 47.1 Irwin St | 1901 | Line #2 | Mrs. Mary (Magee) Doran, age given as 70, born Co. Armagh, occupation housekeeper.Living with her are her son James Doran, age 56, born Belfast City, single, unemployed iron turner, and James’ nephew John Doran (grandson of Mary (Magee) and Philip Doran, age 18, born Belfast City, laborer – [31 Mar 1901 Census of Ireland] |
| 47.2 Irwin St. | 1901 | Line #2 | Mrs. Susan (Doran) Bell, daughter of Mary (Magee) and Philip Doran, residence. – [31 Mar 1901 Census of Ireland] |
| 3.1 Jude St. | 1901 | Line #2 | Mrs Mary (Doran) Cunningham, daughter of Mary (Magee) and Philip Doran, residence – [31 Mar 1901 Census of Ireland] |
| 47 Irwin St. | 1906 | Line #2 | Philip Doran, husband of Mary Magee, age given as 73, residence. His death occurred in the Belfast workhouse. – [24 Mar 1906 civil death registration] |
| 5 Jude St. | 1906 | Line #2 | Mrs. Bridget (Doran) Mallon’s residence at time of her father Philip Doran’s death. – [24 Mar 1906 civil death registration of Philip Doran] |
| 72 McDonnell St. | 1907 | Line #1 | Ellen (Little) Doran died at the residence of her son and daughter-in-law, Elizabeth “Lizzie” (Campbell) and John Doran – [19 Mar 1907) Ellen Doran’s death civil registration] |
| 26 Weaver St. | 1907 | Line #1 | Bernard Doran, son of Ellen (Little) and John Doran, residence at his marriage to Mary Ann Kane. Note: both fathers are deceased – [14 Dec 1907 church marriage record] |
| 3 Jude St. | 1911 | Line #2 | James Doran, son of Mary (Magee) widow of Philip Doran, residence. Also living with James is his sister, Mrs. Catherine (Doran) McVeigh [daughter of Mary (Magee) and Philip Doran], grand-nephews John McVeigh & James McVeigh [sons of Catherine (Doran) McVeigh], and James’ grand-niece Bridget Doran (whose daughter is she?) – [2 April 1911 Census of Ireland] |
| 12 California St. | 1913 | Line #1 | Bernard Doran, son of Ellen (Little) and John Doran, residence at the time of his admittance to the Belfast Workhouse – [written response to request made of PRONI under the Freedom of Information act] |
| 3 Jude St. | 1914 | Line #2 | Mary (Magee) Doran, widow of Philip Doran, residence at her death. Note: B. Doran, her grand-daughter was present at her death. B. Doran is probably the same young person that was living with James Doran at the time of the 1911 Census of Ireland. – [17 May 1914 Belfast civil death registration] |
| Hilden Hospital, Belfast | 1922 | Line #1 | November 1, 1922 Bernard Doran (aka John Dornan) died Belfast age 64. His daughter was listed as Mrs. Hannah Jackson. According to the staff at Milltown Cemetery, Hannah Jackson paid for her father’s burial and he is buried as John Dornan. |
In most cases, but not all, during this time period the woman’s maiden name was used to identify her in Roman Catholic Church records, regardless of whether she was married or not.
WHAT AM I MISSING? Lots.
GenealogySisters 