Sullivan vrs. Sillivan

...an analysis by Elizabeth Tuck 2011

Benjamin Sullivan used in 1820/30 census.

Benj Sullivan used in 1840 census.

Benjamin Sillivan per

• North Carolina Marriage Bonds, 1741-1868, Concerning marriage to Elizabeth Marshall 5 Nov 1815, Bond #: 000147364, ImageNum: 005072, Record #: 01 208 (no image)
• Marriages of Surry County, North Carolina 1779-1868, p. 184, Concerning marriage to Elizabeth Marshall 5 Nov 1815 (not a primary source)

Benjamin L. Sillivan per

• North Carolina Marriage Bonds, 1741-1868, Concerning marriage to Eliza Gentry 2 Jan 1825, Bond #: 000141499, ImageNum: 002898, Record #: 02 276 (no image)
• Tombstone Tarkington Cemetery, Monroe County, Indiana, USA (To be verified)
• Will of Benjamin L Sillivan, SOURCE: Monroe County (IN) Historical Society, P-3-70. (transcription of primary source, no image available)

ORIGINS OF THE SILLIVAN FAMILY NAME

...reminiscence by Bob Hoyt 2000

While reading a while back about the Norman conquest of 1155 and the occupation of Ireland I learned that most common names thought to be of Irish origin are really early Norman (French) names. Such as Sullivan, Sillivan, Reily and etc. I had always been told that the original family name was Sullivan and that it was changed to Sillivan in a dispute with the Catholic Church some time back in Northern Ireland.

Based on this rumor, my uncles Elmer, Jack, and Jim ( the youngest three ) all changed their names to Sullivan while my mother uncle Bud and aunt Mable all stayed with the Sillivan spelling. This confused a lot of people as to which of my cousins were related to each other, Probably confused my cousins too. But as it turns out they were Sillivans from the beginning and it was only a rumor and not a fact. Sillivan is a French name.