My name is Mark Brown and my surname should be Ahearn, but through step parentage, isn't. I now live in Tasmania (Launceston) and have spent much of my life in Western Auatralia, where the Ahern/Ahearn side of my dad's family came to, from Sydney in the 1920's or so.

On my great grandad's birth certificate (Edward - born at Double Bay Sydney in 1866), it shows that his father James was a gardner and was born in County Cork, Ireland and was 39 years old then, which would have made his birth year on or around 1827.

On Mary's side, she was born in County Armagh Ireland and was 27 years old (in 1866) which would have made her birth year on or around 1839.

There are quite a few James (Aherns/Ahearn's or others) and Mary Maloney/Moloney/Malone's), who came to Australia as free or assisted imigrants, or convicts.

My research on the Ahern/Ahearn side has taken me back to the inner suburbs if Sydney, mainly Double Bay, Paddington, Redfern, Woolahra, where many of my ancestors grew up. They trace back (from the start of their Australian history) through James and Mary J (Jane?), who were married at a Presbyterian church in Sydney on March 25th 1855. I am unsure if they came to Australia with family or not.

From my NSW births history search, I have established that they may have had the following children, all born in Paddington unless otherwise mentioned:-


Bridget - born 1857 (at Maitland)

James and Mary J (twins? James died in 1959 - possibly at birth?)

James - born 1861 (possibly named after his father and late brother?)

Elizabeth - born 1862

William - born 1864

Edward - born 1866 (my Great Grandfather)

Florence A - born 1869

Albert Victor -born 1873

Isabella - born 1875

Edith - born 1876

I would appreciate any info that could help me find their true origin back to Ireland (maybe even England).

Cheers, Mark