Pedrana/Peteranna/Hannah's

Discussion: I am researching this family line and am quite confused with the surnames and their evolution. Is there anyone out there that has any documents such as birth, marriage or death certificates that could be used to confirm the surname evolution.

Is there anyone who has documents they would be willing to share.

Bob McKerron
Ontario, Canada

I've just noticed that there are some of the Peteranna family on this forum, see page 8. The postings were made a couple of years ago but they have emails listed. Good luck.

Hi there, my uist family are from Daliburgh and we are neighbours with some of the Peteranna family. Luis Peteranna was a portugese ship's carpenter who was shipwrecked off the coast of Barra in the 18th century. He liked the people and the islands and decided to stay. His name Luis was easy enough but his surname was probably too difficult and the Peteranna is a combination of his parents christian names. Not an uncommon practice in the islands. Eventually he moved to South Uist where he settled and had four sons.

I have book which was written by a Bettina Selby who traveled through the islands in the 80's, called "The fragile islands", in it she has a few pages where she refers to her meeting with Shamus Peteranna where he speaks of the origin of his family. I'll be happy to scan the pages for you if you'd like and email them to you as I'm not sure if we can do it through the forum.. My email is meenypom@msn.com. Let me know. Hope this is useful. Best regards,Marina.

Hi Bob,

Although not a direct descendant, I have the surname you are researching (with different spellings), in my tree on both my paternal grandparent's sides. My grandmother's side - Steel(e) & my grandfather’s side - M(a)cKinnon. I took an interest in the name as it was so unusual.

The records/notes I have for Mary Pedrana b13 Apr 1850 in Kildonan, Boisdale, South Uist, Inverness, Scotland & baptised 15 May 1850 (transcribed baptism record). She married Donald MacKinnon 27 Feb 1876 in Bornish, Howmore, South Uist, Inverness, Scotland. She was married by the name Peterana (only 1 n) (marriage certificate).

The records/notes I have for an illegitimate son James Steele b 25 Apr 1864 in Kilmalcolm, Renfrew, Scotland (birth certificate) immigrated to Australia in 1889 under his father’s surname Peterana (Maryborough, Queensland Australia Immigrants from the British Isles & Germany 1861-91)

The note I have for Jane Peter Hannah, b 21 Aug 1872 in Leith, Edinburgh, Scotland, (transcribed birth record).

It appears that because the original Pedrana was probably Italian, the name would be given in broken English (possibly Pederana) and therefore transcribed as Peteranna as the “D” would sound like a “T”.

For Jane the error is quite obvious.

In those days illiteracy was common so mistakes were inevitable. This will give you an idea of how the name evolved over time, which is very interesting and understandable.

Regards,

Anne Marie.