AN INTRODUCTION TO THE RESEARCH PROJECT

Originally established in February 2000, this website was redesigned on August 1, 2002 and again on May 1, 2007. New features include a comprehensive listing of known Porteous/Porteus family emigrants from 1623 to the present day, a history of the Porteous family and brief biographies of some of its members, and a summarised historical background to help put that emigration into context.

It was thought that it would be useful to analyse and seek to come to some understanding of the historical background and social factors that led to this apparent mass movement of people – whether political, economic or historical – and to investigate whether there emerged any common factors when compared with the history of other similar families from the same part of Scotland, ie, the Borders, Peeblesshire, Dumfriesshire and Lanarkshire. The author is seeking to establish the dates at which Porteous families emigrated, the principal cities and areas from which they moved, as well as the main places of settlement, initially in England and Ireland – and later in the Americas and beyond. Any information about the emigration of Porteous/Porteus families (regardless of spelling) emigration to the US or Canada, Australia or New Zealand, other former British Commonwealth countries – or anywhere else – will be gratefully received. Note: For the purpose of this research, when discussing the Porteous/Porteus family, I am including members of families bearing variant spellings, such as Portteus, Porteouss, Porteious, Portieous, Portious, Portiss, Portice, Portes, Portess, Portis, Portas, Pertus, Portus, Porteuse, Poythress and Porthouse, and others.

William Porteous & Co Ltd, stationers and map shop, Glasgow, c 1977 Photograph courtesy of William Campbell This well-known map shop and stationers in Exchange Place in Glasgow city centre is still remembered fondly by locals. It is thought to have closed some time in the late seventies or early eighties – precise dates are unsure. If anyone can provide further details, please contact the author of this site. The shop is now part of the Rogano Restaurant.