With my father's Ydna, time, travel, help from treasured family/friends and lots of reading I have been able to trace the MacSporrans to the Kintyre peninsula in Scotland. Through Ydna testing I have found two cousins in Northern Ireland,one cousin in Scotland and a handful in the United States. Since the late 1500's MacSporrans began moving from their native region of Kintyre due to war, famine, religious persecution, poverty, government rules and land politics. We are a part of Clan Donald South. Clan Donald was scattered when the Duke of Argyll, Archibald Campbell, enforced a law where no man affiliated with Clan Donald could rent or own land in Kintyre, Scotland. By the 1620/1630's, MacSparrons can be found living in Northern Ireland (Ulster). Donnell and Donagh are found to be living in 1630 Dunluce on the Muster Rolls for Dunluce Castle for McDonnell who was also a part of Clan Donald. I found Gillaspick (gaelic for Archibald) living in Coleraine in the 1620 to 1640 rent rolls at the Public Records of Northern Ireland archives. After the Rebellion of 1641, depositions were taken by the government. It was told by O'Cahan in 1641 a "Doole" McSparran came to the castle to warn the others of an attack. 1663's Hearth Money Rolls for County Londonderry, Northern Ireland (NI) lists Gillaspick and Donnaghy. 1668 Gillaspick McSparron was Constable of Desertmartin, NI. In 1718, Reverend James MacSparran of Dungiven, Co. Londonderry, NI moved to the United States. He stayed only a short year as the Reverend Cotton Mather (famous for the Salem witch trials) accused him of several charges of public drunkenness and invalid credentials to be a minister which he was not able to lay to rest even though the Congregationalist church wanted him to stay as their minister. He went back to NI to get his credentials then to England where he converted from Presbyterian to Anglican/Episcopal also known as the Church of England. He returned to the U.S. in 1721 and was a minister at Narragansett, Rhode Island until his death in 1757. He married, but had no children. His ONLY AND OLDER brother, Archibald, brought his family to the United States around 1735. He had sons, who had sons, etc. This is where my father's line comes from in the U.S. They originated in MARYLAND, DELAWARE, PENNSYLVANIA. Then many spread out to VIRGINIA, NORTH CAROLINA, TENNESSEE and ILLINOIS. The first recorded spelling of the family name is Paul na Sporan, which was dated 1015 a.d., treasurer to the royal house of Scotland, during the reign of King Malcom 11 of Scotland, 1005 to 1034 a.d. At times in Scottish history, some MacSporrans changed their surname to "Purcell" for various reasons. (e.g. persecution, discrimination) The Purcell/Pursell Surname is said to have largely occurred after the Jacobite uprising in 1745 which culminated in their decisive defeat by the English at the Battle of Culloden on 16 April 1746. This surname change separates the English Purcells from the Scottish Purcells who were originally MacSporrans. Many moved from their native Scotland to the U.S., Australia and Canada. This project sets out to connect MacSporrans from all over the globe. A few McSparran families stayed in NI. Other McSparrans have migrated to Australia, New Zealand and Canada over the centuries. The name means "Son of Purse Bearer." To this day the furry pouch/purse that is worn around the waist of a Scottish or Irish man is called a "sporran." Our ancestors held the seat of treasurer for the Lord of the Isles in Western Scotland. Paul and Gilbred Sporain are buried on the Isle of Iona next to kings. Even in the 21st century our name is RARE. If you are a MacSporran and you meet a McSparin, McSparran, McSparron, McSparren you are related.