McGufford Family??

[BonnieGal]

One of my maternal ancestors was a Nathaniel McGufford, who emigrated to America during the 18th century. He settled in the area of New Hanover/Pender County, NC. We know nothing of his background except that he supposedly was a native of Scotland. I descend from him twice over-a couple of first cousins married. Fortunately no two-headed children resulted lol!

Sadly the McGufford name is pretty much extinct now--those of us who are of McGufford descent bear different surnames, since we tend to descend from the female line, not the male. Why that is, I have no idea!!

I might add that this family is also known as "Gufford"--at some point after arriving in North Carolina, most of the family chose to drop the "Mc" and were known just as "Gufford". Probably because many of their English and German neighbors couldn't handle the full name "McGufford"!

Anyway, I have searched for years for anything I can find on the McGufford line, but it's maddeningly elusive--apparently even in Scotland, it's a rare surname. The ONLY other McGufford I've ever found was in the LDS records, which was a listing of a little girl named McGufford in (I think?) Edinburgh, Scotland. It only gives the names of her parents (I remember, for some reason, that her mother was a Maxwell!), and she was born too late to be a very close relative of my Nathaniel. Altho of course they could be distant cousins or something--I just don't have enough info to decide.

I am at my wit's end trying to find out anything about the McGufford line--if anyone can help, I would be eternally grateful!!