Bjólan (Beollán, Bejolan) king of Scotland - Father of King Bjolan "O'Beolan"

Les Ross Irish people, celts, moved in from Iberia, not that long ago, 2500 years I guess, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Celts

Do not confuse the name Björn, with Bjolan, it might be two different names, the first one, comes from the bear, (animal) and means originally brown.

If the name Bjolan was an original celtic name, then this name might correspond better to the name Balder, in how the name is built up, used and understood, thus meaning either, man, lord, prins or brave, bold. It's a fitting name for people higher up in the hierarchy, and make sense.

If at the other hand, the name has a Norse origin, it could be derived from any one of the two explanation I gave.

For Beolan you see references to Gaelic beul for mouth. Also another spelling for mouth in Gaelic found was beoil meaning also opening or beginning. It could refer to a number of things from a poet to the opening of a loch.

They don't sound at all the same as what you have, Ulf. I can't explain it.

"Gaelic beul for mouth", goes surely also just back to something with a round shape.

But, who would name anyone to mouth? To understand a name, we have to look for the meaning of the name, if we have an unusual name, and we want to find the origin, we can test it against known names, that looks similar. The exact spelling is not the most important thing, over time and places it can have varied a lot, as the name Björn, that also sometimes have been spelled Bjarne, still the same name and meaning.

Look at this example from the web

"Among the many spelling variations of the surname Beolan that are preserved in the archival documents of the time are Boland, Bolan, Boland, O'Boland, O'Bolan, Bolend, Bolen, Bolland, Bollan, Bollend, Bollen, Bowland, Bowlan, Bowlin, Boulland, Bollander, Bolander, Bollinder, Bolinder, Bollendar, Bolendar, Bollandar, Bowlander, Boulander, Bouland and many more."

https://www.houseofnames.com/beolan-family-crest

Irish Bolan - little poet. This interesting as in Iceland on the line were poets, right.

http://www.enamemeaning.com/Bolan

Words from the mouth.

Beol = mouth, an = from: Great word from from the mouth? Just a thought.
There must be more meanings. I can see why the Norse would change the meaning and use their own spelling.

Here are two more variations of Bjolan:

Bolin from Boland from Bjolan in Ireland:
"numerous: all provinces. Ir. Ó Beolláin, from Norse Bjolan, but nevertheless the name of two Irish septs, one in Sligo, one in Clare. IF & SGG.
Ó Beolláin
Boland: líonmhar ins gach aird: ó thaobh staire, bhaineadar le (1) Sligeach .i. Uí Fiachrach agus (2) An Clár .i. Dál gCais. Arís, ó ainm pearsanta Lochlannach Bjolan an sloinne seo. IF"
https://www.johngrenham.com/findasurname.php?surname=Bolin

How about this Ulf: the leader, the speaker, the wise-one...the mouth. We would have never thought of something round. Thanks

That was a great idea to look through the lists, and we only made it through a few of them. Someone in Ireland thinks O'Beolan is from Bjolan:
https://www.libraryireland.com/names/ob/o-beollain.php

Gaelic translation for an = the. Same difference, the one who sits behind the table and speaks, advises, judges...the mouth. Could be.

https://www.google.com/search?rlz=1CASICM_enUS886&sxsrf=ACYBGNR...

Bolli, the norse male name that I found in Landnámabók, so there actually was a name equivalent to female name Bolla.

"The daughter of Thord was Thorlaug, who married Arnbjorn, the son of Slettu-Bjorn, their daughter was Gudlaug, whom Thorleik the son of Hoskuld had of wife, their son was Bolli."

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Bjolan mac Vilbadr another profile on Geni named Bjolan.

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Bjollok Vilbadrsdottir Bjolans sister, yes, I had to change this profile, because the creator JUST assumed it was a he. Please add her husband and his father, I put the info in the about me, profile seems locked.

So we have proof of the following.

Bolli, male
Bolla, female
both likely of Norse origin.

Names development into

Bjolan, male
Bjollok, female
both likely of equal Norse and Irish origin.

They started in Ireland.

Puirt à beul -- Gaelic mouth music

https://www.bing.com/videos/search?q=puirt+a+beal+youtube&qs=n&...

They were clearly associating beul (mouth) with poetry, singing, speaking.

Hello you all - great discussions. I am also concerned with the speculation if Helgi Bjólan was the father of Beolan. There is no mentioning of a son of Helgi by the name of Beolan. Yes they left Scotland but there is no mentioning of any descendants being left behind in Icelandic sources. Helgi could have had children with other women that he didn't take with him. Or had he a spouse before Ingveldur?

Also, Helgi could have been fostered by someone from The House of Ó Beólláin and gotten his nickname from such an event. It was customary for chieftains to offer whom they wanted to keep peace or friendship with to offer to foster their children.

One thing to consider is that it was the custom of the Norse nobility near Applecross, Scotland to form marriage alliances. Acceptance by the natives and nobility for their children would follow.

This article has a photo showing how close was the isle of Skye -- where the Norse were -- from Applecross.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Applecross

The actual territory of the powerful Abbots of Applecross was far far greater extending into Ireland at one time.

You have a point:

Helga Bjola Kettilsson
Birth: circa 848
Thorny Ingolfsdatter
Birth: 870

Can we take a closer look at the 'king of Scotland' suffix please?

1. Histories of Scotland of the time are pretty clear about their rulers - and they don't include a King Bjolan.

2. I don't think there were Kings of Scotland at the time - Alba maybe?

cf https://www.geni.com/projects/Medieval-Scotland/12063

better still: http://fmg.ac/Projects/MedLands/SCOTLAND.htm#_Toc209085735 "Early Scottish history between the late 8th and late 11th centuries has been analysed effectively by Alex Woolf, who provides a detailed analysis of primary sources in a highly readable narrative[12]. He pays particular attention to the source which in the present document is called the 10th century Pictish Chronicle Cronica de Origine Antiquorum Pictorum, which he suggests represents an original king list spliced with other later material and was compiled in its present form by [1200][13]."

I have Woolf's book if people want any look ups.

cf Giric I mac Dúngail, king of the Picts or king of Alba
Donald II "the Madman", king of the Picts or king of Alba
Constantín II mac Áeda, Rí na h'Alba

Outside the Icelandic saga is King Beolen Ciarmac who is dcd after a battle in Ireland along with his father King Ciarmac in 969 according to Hudson. I don't think they are the same Beollan due to the much earlier 886 birth date of Bjolan. Perhaps King Beollan Ciarmac is a grandson of King Bjolan. Hudson also refers to a King of South Lagore who is not named, although that is not elaborated upon as pointed out to us previously. Beyond that he was a King somewhere in Scotland.

Beollán mac Ciarmaic (died 969) (rí Locha Gabor)
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kings_of_Brega

The Irish list the district Kings but I think in Scotland they refer to each of them as a Chief.

Private User
Hi Ann and everyone. More proof -- I will buy that and make note. And to help I have bought a Familytreedna package. High expectations....

Whatever we can afford -- not a bad idea to help solve this by DNA.

Why DNA? Bunch of new DNA studies now. Do we fit into them?
.

Regarding DNA... although I can trace my Great Great Grandfather to Elgin, Scotland, my ancestral YDNA is Norse. Specifically, SNP R-FT40329. I asked a lot of questions about this and was in turn invited to become Co-Admin of the Ross surname project at Family Tree DNA. So, have been studying and learning how to analyze YDNA STR and SNP data.

First, I found that my subgroup of Ross men have distant patrilineal cousins with the Matheson surname, who hail from Loch Alsh, Scotland. This is just south of the Applecross peninsula. The significance of this is that in 1217, the Earl of Ross was known to be the son of the lay abbot of the Applecross monastery and was also recorded as being of the O'Beolan family.

Men with Ross surnames are generally able to trace their own genealogy to near Inverness; the ancestral lands of Clan Ross in the Highlands of Scotland with a terminal SNP R-FT40329.

Men with the Matheson surname are generally able to trace their ancestry to Loch Alsh on the Western side of the Scottish Highlands, just south of the Applecross peninsula. These men tend to be downstream of SNP R-FT60163. The Ross and Matheson men have a common ancestor living around the year 1150 AD (950-1350 AD).

Isle of Man men are downstream of R-BY30287 while UK and Irish men are downstream of R-S7678. The Isle of Man men and the UK and Irish men have a common ancestor living around the year 750 AD (600-900 AD).

The common ancestor for all of these men lived in area of modern day Norway around 50 AD (200BC - 250 AD). Everybody in in this Norse-Gaelic group is downstream of R-S7680, who migrated about 2,300 years ago from near the Danish Island of Zealand to Norway. That migration occurred at the beginning of the Iron age. Ancestors appear to have resided in region of Norway for about 1100 years.

The split between the Ross/Matheson men and the Manx/Irish/UK men occurred within Norway. One group eventually migrated to Scotland while the other group migrated to the Isle of Man, Ireland and the UK. There are no other groups of men within the R1a haplogroup on the Isle of Man other than those mentioned above.

Our common ancestor with Somerled, the mid-12th-century Norse-Gaelic lord, is R-Z284, who lived about 4,600 years ago near the Danish island of Zealand.

cf Somerled, “King of the Isles” - who seems to be acquiring everybody and their brother as his children.

Quote from Andrew above: "Ross men (are) distant patrilineal cousins with the Matheson surname, who hail from Loch Alsh, Scotland.".

Mathesons DNA in common should eliminate most all doubt that the Mathesons written pedigree found on paper would have a basis.

Furthermore, that the Mathesons were related to the Rosses would suggest a common noble ancestor...Gilleoin.

Been a while since I was here. Have enjoyed the good ideas here and have included some of them.
All the research suggestions are golden. Wished I had them when I started. Your turn now.

Found an old pre-Gaelic word for Beol--fiery (sunmyth perhaps, the big O). And for Bolan/Boland--Gods word (a priest).

Cheers

ps. Beolan-little mouth, Beollan little poet, Beolan/Bjolan-little fire...a fiery person, speaker, small of stature, big of words and deeds.

Ta ta the now

Is it plausible that Bjólan who was married to Kaðlín, daughter of Rollo is in fact Bjolan Mac Vilbadr?

If: Domnall mac Cerball, was born around 820
Dufpakr mac Domnall was born around 840
Vilbadr mac Dufpakr was born around 860
Bjolan Mac Vilbadr was born around 880 then the timeline could be plausible?