I am searching for information on my ancestor William Rea (MacRea), who was born in Kintail in 1670 and emmigrated, presumably with his parents, to County Down, Northern Ireland in the late 1600s. It's my theory that either William himself or his father dropped the "Mac" from the family surname, making it Rea from then on, once they had arrived in Northern Ireland.
I'd like to find any information about the emmigration of MacRaes to Northern Ireland during the 1600s (The "Plantation" period). I know some did go there, probably from Kintail, but I'd like to find data on specific individuals who did so, assuming any such data still exists. If I can find it, this may help to establish who William's father was.
The family settled in Drumskee, Dromore Parish, in County Down, where they remained for a generation or two, then migrated to Newry (also in County Down) by the mid-1700s and, in 1774/1775, emmigrated to Pennsylvania. Any help would be appreciated.
Gary Rea