Difference between revisions of "Irish Research"

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==The First Steps for Irish Research==
  
Are you looking for statutory records post 1864 for Catholic BMD and 1845 for Protestant marriages? These will all be easily accessible through Dublin/Belfast and Roscommon GRO. You can use Family History Centres (LDS) to access statutory records from 1864 for RC and 1845 for Protestant Marriages, otherewise pre these dates will be Parish Records.
+
The first steps for Irish research are similar to English research regarding photographs, talking to relatives etc. Discover when your folk emigrated. This may give clues as to why they emigrated.
  
'''All Catholic Parish Records'''
+
Join a Historical Society though not all counties have them.
  
Pre mainly 1864 are still with the churches across the whole of Ireland, North and South. Copies available on microfilm have been deposited with the National Library in Dublin and in Belfast. To access these, you do need to understand what Baronies, Townlands, Catholic and Protestant Parishes are, as well as the Diocese that your ancestors are from. The Diocese is the most important at this first stage.There are exceptions to this. The ones that I know about are:
+
Tracing Irish ancestors means knowing more than just Ireland. Trying to find Michael Murphy, Ireland will be impossible, finding Michael Murphy, County Cork will be a fraction easier. Knowing he came from Fermoy, Cork County, will give you a good chance of finding him, and knowing he came from the townland of Kilworth, Fermoy, County Cork gives you the best chance of finding your ancestor, so understanding the system of Townlands, Baronies, Roman Catholic and Protestant Parishes and Diocese, and knowing that Ireland's main religion was Roman Catholicism, with about 85% being Catholic, will often help to decide which records to look at and where to look.
  
a The Diocese of Cashel and Emly which contains some of Limerick, all Tipperary are only available as per payment through the Heritage Centres for that diocese.
 
  
b Kerry County needs a letter from the Bishop
+
Irish names, like English, Welsh and Scottish names are subject to change and different spellings, so a name like O'Neill can appear in one family spelled in many different ways, Neill, Neil, Neale, Neal, Nealle, O'Neill, O'Neil, O'Neale, O'Neal. Do check all the different spellings.
  
c Diocese of Cloyne( part of Cork County) needs a letter of application for research from the Mallow Heritage Centre.
+
There was and still is, a great Irish tradition of storytelling, which has meant that many family stories are passed down by word of mouth and not written down. This lends itself to stories being changed and added to over the years, so there is often still some truth in the story, but not necessarily in the way the story was told originally. This can be even more confusing by the Irish habit of naming children after the members of the family of the previous generation, or even of the generation prior to that one, so a tale about a Michael, Edward, Charles or James may not be the tale that refers to the correct person but a James two generations previous. While researching Irish ancestry, it's helpful to be aware of Irish customary naming patterns, regarding given names:
  
There may be others so always check first before a trip to Dublin/Belfast.
+
*First born son named after his father's father
 +
*Second born son named after his mother's father
 +
*Third born son named after his father
 +
*Fourth born son named after his father's oldest brother
 +
*Fifth born son named after his father's 2nd oldest brother or his mother's oldest brother
  
This will have implications for research on the internet as Tipperary/parts of Limerick and parts of Cork will always be tricky regarding parish records, or at least until Bishops of these Diocese have a change of heart!
+
*First born daughter named after her mother's mother
 +
*Second born daughter named after her father's mother
 +
*Third born daughter named after her mother
 +
*Fourth born daughter named after her mother's oldest sister
 +
*Fifth born daughter named after her mother's 2nd oldest sister or her father's oldest sister.
  
'''Catholic Parish records'''
+
The IGI has poor coverage of the parish records pre 1864 only about 25% are on the IGI but the coverage is better for the stautory records post 1864.
  
In Ireland will not go back much further than The Catholic Emancipation Act of 1829, however there are a FEW parish records that go back to about 1740 but that is the earliest, and as Ireland was mainly a Catholic country with approx 85% Catholic, that is going to mean that records for most of us seeking Irish ancestry is not going to get back beyond 1780 with just a very few exceptions. sadly most will not go much further back than 1820.
+
Where Irish Tracing is different, is in the approach to looking for statutory records post 1864 for Catholic Births, Marriages or deaths  and 1845 for Protestant Marriages and pre 1864 Parish Records for both RC and Protestant. For Southern Ireland/Eire or Republic of Ireland the post 1864 records will be accessible through Roscommon and Dublin GRO.  
  
'''Protestant Parish Records'''
+
[http://www.groireland.ie/. the General Register Office]
  
Do go back to the 1600's but as they were the records that had been deposited in the National Archives in Dublin, they were also mainly the records that were destroyed in the fires of 1922, along with many wills, but those that do remain are stilll with the National Archives in Dublin with copies in Belfast.
+
Click "Research" to access Dublin details.  
  
'''Griffiths Valuation'''
+
For Northern Ireland post 1864 use GRONI Belfast at:
  
(Full Valuation) is now accessed through Irish Origins but you will have to pay for this access. Many people may think they can access this for free via the various Griffiths Valuation Indexes online BUT this INDEX will not give you as much information as you will get through the FULL Griffiths. Until just over a year ago this FULL Griffiths was only available in Dublin and Belfast and this has been a major breakthrough for Irish tracing.
+
[https://www.nidirect.gov.uk/contacts/general-register-office-northern-ireland The General Register Office Northern Ireland]
  
'''Irish Census'''
+
You can use Family History Centres (LDS) to access statutory records from 1864 for both RC and Protestant Records as well as 1845 for Protestant Marriages. Any records before these dates will be Parish Records.
  
for the very early years were destroyed by successive Irish Governments but the 1901 and 1911 Census are available and may be pulled in from local LDS centres, although at present they are address only searchable, so you need to know the exact address to be able to access them at the moment. However the Irish Census for 1901 and 1911 are being digitised through a big project undertaken by National Archives Dublin and Canada. Dublin is to be announced October 2007 and the rest of Ireland to follow gradually over the next 3 years, another major breakthrough eagerly awaited, already one year adrift!! However it will be FREE when it does eventually become available.
+
The website below shows all the Catholic Diocese of Ireland. Understanding Irish Records are Diocese based is essential.  
  
In the main, though, your best bet for Irish Tracing is to visit Ireland and some luck.
+
[https://www.catholicbishops.ie/dioceses/ The Catholic Diocese of Ireland]
  
Other possible ways to trace Irish ancestry within the Uk are:
+
==Catholic Parish Records==
  
Understand the Tithe Aplotments, though not everybody on Tithes but everybody on Griffiths. Tithes are approx 1820's and Griffiths approx 1840's/1850's. Google for help.
+
Pre 1864 all Catholic Parish Records are still with the churches across the whole of Ireland, North and South. Copies are available on microfilm and have been deposited with the [http://www.nli.ie/en/family-history-introduction.aspx National Library] in Dublin.
  
Join a Historical Society for county of interest, not all counties have them, but Tipperary and Cork do.
 
  
Try to discover when your folk emigrated, and this might give you hints as to why they emigrated.
+
In Belfast the parish records are at [http://www.proni.gov.uk PRONI]
  
Understand Irish History by reading about it ie Famines, Hedge Schools and Irish Education in general, to include the Christian Brothers, (founder Edmund Rice) and Presentation Nuns, as well as the Political History and Home Rule issues.
+
The Diocese of Cashel and Emly which contains some of County Limerick and all County Tipperary were only available as per payment through the Heritage Centres for that diocese but as from June 2008 they are now free to view through National Library at Dublin. Kerry County used to require a letter from the Bishop. This is no longer necessary as from June 2008.
 +
Diocese of Cloyne( part of Cork County) used to require a letter of application for research from the Mallow Heritage Centre but this is no longer necessary as from June 2008.  
  
Irish newspapers are accessible through Colindale Library London google for holdings.
+
The Catholic Parish Records in Ireland will not go back much further than 1740 and as Ireland was mainly a Catholic country with approximately 85% Catholic, that is going to mean that records for most of us seeking Irish ancestry are not going to get back beyond 1780 with just a very few exceptions. Many will not go much further back than 1820.  
  
'Tracing Your Irish Ancestors' John Grenham. This book is still a "bible" for help in tracing your Irish ancestry and includes a series of maps covering all the Catholic Parishes of Ireland, Parish Maps and a County by County Source Guide. Book can be ordered from any book shop or online.
+
==Protestant Parish Records==
  
If anyone has Royal Irish Constabulary (RIC) police in their Ancestry these records are at The National Archives (TNA) at Kew. The initial book of records needs to be asked for as it is kept behind the desk.
+
Do go back to the 1600's but as these were the records that had been deposited in the National Archives in Dublin, they were also the main records that were destroyed in the fires of 1922, along with many wills, but those that do remain are still with the National Archives in Dublin, with copies in Belfast at [http://www.proni.gov.uk PRONI].
  
For those with County Cork and County Kerry Ancestors there is a 16 volume collection of books known as the Casey Collection, 'O'Kiefe, Coshe Mange, Slieve Lougher and Upper Blackwater'. This is another very good census substitute for these two counties only. These books are held in many libraries over the world and I suggest that you google 'Casey Bibliography' for the locations.
+
PRONI has an ecatalogue which is available for people to search.  
  
For those people who have ancestors who joined the Army in Ireland or who may have been in Ireland at the time they married and/or had children whilst in Ireland, then consider the possibility that that they may have married whilst in the army in Ireland. If this is the case then there is a special book in the FRC in London called: 'The Regimental Indexes of Births and Baptisms' These books date back to the late
+
It contains over one million catalogue entries and is available online to search and browse as from mid January 2009. The eCatalogue contains approximately 60% of PRONI’s total catalogue entries, with the remainder to be published on an ongoing basis. PRONI visitors have already been making use of the eCatalogue onsite since it went live in the PRONI Search Room on 10 November 2008 and the online launch of the eCatalogue is a milestone event for PRONI, and means that off-site visitors can now consult our catalogues via the PRONI website. This electronic catalogue for Northern Ireland at PRONI is in line with other National and International archival institutions.
1700's and are now online at Findmypast through the Overseas section. You can obtain details of these marriages and births and send for the certificates in the normal way except that they usually have the baptismal information as well. These certs are also very valuable as they usually contain the Rank and Regiment of the soldier concerned.  
 
  
For those people who have Dublin Ancestors please be aware that there is a Dublin County as well as Dublin City and the county of Dublin is quite large stretching South to County Wicklow so if your Census just says Dublin do try to find out what this means.
+
==The Irish Family History Foundation==
 +
 
 +
[http://www.ifhf.ie/ Irish Family History Foundation] has some Birth, Marriage, Death and Census records which are now online through the various Heritage Centres, under the umbrella of the Irish Family History Foundation, Online Genealogy Databases for Ireland. Please bear in mind that not all the records are on these databases.
 +
 +
 
 +
==Griffiths Valuation and Tithe Aplotments==
 +
 
 +
It is useful to understand that whilst the Tithe Aplotments are available in the 1820's as a census substitute, not everybody is on this valuation, but everybody is on the Griffiths Valuation, which is often known as The Primary Valuation. The Primary Valuation was the first full-scale valuation of property in Ireland. It was overseen by Richard Griffith and published between 1847 and 1864. It is one of the most important surviving 19th century genealogical sources. This is mainly because TA is tied into a minimum amount of land involvement, whereas Griffiths included everybody who lived in a house with the smallest garden. [https://www.from-ireland.net/griffiths-primary-valuation/ Griffiths Explanation]
 +
 
 +
There is at present a free test site at [https://www.askaboutireland.ie/griffith-valuation/index.xml ask about Ireland] for this Griffiths Valuation, to include maps. See also [https://www.irish-genealogy-toolkit.com/Irish-land-divisions.html Irish Land Divisons] for hints to understand how the land was divided up.
 +
 
 +
==Irish Census==
 +
 
 +
A Census was taken in Ireland every 10 years from 1821 but only the census for 1901 and 1911 are available for the public to view. The returns are arranged by Townland or in urban areas by Street. No returns survive for 1861, 1871, 1881, and 1891 but there are some returns for 1821, 1831, 1841 and 1851, covering parts of counties Antrim, Cavan, Cork, Fermanagh, Galway, Kings County (Offaly) Derry (Londonderry) Meath and Waterford. There are lists of household names in the Census returns of 1851 for part of Belfast City and Dublin City (you can consult the 1851 Dublin City Census) a CD was compiled and edited by Sean Magee. The 1901 and 1911 Census are available and may be pulled in from local LDS centres, although at present they are address-only searchable, so you need to know the exact address to be able to access them at the moment.
 +
 
 +
However, the Irish Census for 1901 and 1911 are being digitised through a project undertaken by National Archives Dublin and Canada. Dublin only is accessible at present, and the rest of Ireland will follow gradually over the next 3 years and is accessible at [http://www.census.nationalarchives.ie/ National Archives: Census of Ireland 1911]
 +
 
 +
==Books to Help You==
 +
 
 +
'Tracing Your Irish Ancestors' John Grenham. This book is still a "bible" for help in tracing your Irish ancestry and includes a series of maps covering all the Catholic Parishes of Ireland, Parish Maps and a County by County Source Guide.  
  
The Genealogy Advisory Service has moved from the National Library Kildare Street to the Heraldic Museum at 2 Kildare Street, near to where Kildare Street meets Nassau Street as from April 2006.
+
==The British Army in Ireland==
  
A Census was taken in Ireland every 10 years from 1821 but only the census for 1901 and 1911 are available for the public to view. The returns are arranged by Townland or in urban areas by Street. No returns survive for 1861 1871 1881 and 1891 but there are some returns for 1821 1831 1841 and 1851 covering parts of counties Antrim, Cavan, Cork, Fermanagh, Galway, Kings County (Offaly) Derry (Londonderry) Meath and Waterford. There are lists of household names in the Census returns of 1851 for part of Belfast City and Dublin City (can consult the 1851 Dublin City Census) a CD compiled and edited by Sean Magee.
+
For those people who have ancestors who joined the Army in Ireland or who may have been in Ireland at the time they married and/or had children whilst in Ireland, then consider the possibility that that they may have married whilst in the army in Ireland. The Regimental Indexes of Births and Baptisms, which used to be at the FRC in London, is now available online at Findmypast in the Overseas Section.To search the Index is free, but to obtain further information a charge is made. These indexes date back to the late 1700's. You can obtain details of marriages and births and send for the certificates in the normal way, except that they usually have the baptismal information as well. These certificates are also very valuable as they usually contain the Rank and Regiment of the soldier concerned.  
  
There are also census search forms for each county, giving the results of searches made in the returns of 1841 and 1851 for pension purposes, and some other copies made from the returns of 1821 to 1851. These are located at the Dublin National Archives. You can search these records when you are in Dublin, but be aware of the following if you do not find the information you require.
+
==Royal Irish Constabulary==
  
Not everybody who applied for a pension would be completing one of these green forms. These forms were only for those who could not prove their age. Baptismal dates were perfectly acceptable when applying for pension in Ireland and so only those who could not provide proof of where/when they were baptised were required to complete one. As most people in the South of Ireland were Catholics and baptised this would not have been difficult to prove. Equally most people in the North of the country would also have been baptised.  
+
Royal Irish Constabulary (RIC) police records are at The National Archives (TNA) at Kew.  
  
These forms would only have been completed up until 1922 when most of the census returns from 1821 to 1851 were lost, when the Public Record Office in Dublin was destroyed in the Four Courts Fire in Dublin during the Civil War of 1922, while most of those Census Returns between 1861 and 1891 were pulped by the government in the early part of the First World War for the War effort. (!914/1918) This is the reason that only fragments remain here and there for those Census Returns that were fortunate not to have been at the PRO at this time.
+
==The Genealogy Advisory Service ==
  
There are indexes available in the National Archives Dublin for the 1901 Census Returns available for various parts of the country. Complete Indexes to County Fermanagh and Tyrone are on microfiche edited by Linda K Meehan(Largy Books) 1994.  
+
This service has now moved from the National Library Kildare Street to the Heraldic Museum at 2 Kildare Street, as from April 2006.  
  
Online full Indexes to Counties Leitrim and Roscommon are available on a searchable database maintained by Roger Mc Donnell at: Leitrim-Roscommon Genealogy homepage.
+
==Irish Newspapers==
  
Parts of Counties Galway, Mayo, Sligo, Westmeath and Wexford are also covered by this database. Heads of Household Returns according to District Electoral Division are available for County Clare at [http://www.clarelibrary.ie/ Clare library]
+
[http://catalogue.bl.uk/F/?func=file&...=login-bl-list Irish Newspapers] are accessible through Colindale Library London, accessible only now through the British Library site.
Also found at the National Archives Dublin are the following:
 
  
'County Longford and its People' by David Leahy (Dublin 1990) is an index to heads of household and strays in the 1901 Census Returns for that county.
+
==Understand Irish History==
  
A complete index to Castlecomer District Electoral Division is published by the Genealogical Society of Ireland. Indexes covering parts of Dublin have also been published by the GSI and the Raheny History Society. The 'Exploring Family Origins Series', relating to specific towns in various counties, includes extracts from the 1901 and 1911 census returns
+
Read about the Famines, Hedge Schools and Irish Education in general, as well as the Political History and Home Rule issues.
  
 +
County Cork and County Kerry ancestors, There is a 16 volume collection of books known as the [http://www.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~irlker/caseydescription.html The Casey Collection], 'O'Kiefe, Coshe Mange, Slieve Lougher and Upper Blackwater'. This is another very good census substitute for these two counties only. This book by Albert E. Casey is on microfilm and can be ordered through the Family History Library. There are 15 volumes on 9 microfilms. At FamilySearch.org - Family History and Genealogy Records you can find out exactly what information is on each film. These books are also held in many libraries over the world and a search at the following website should find a library accessible to most people.
 +
In the UK there would appear to be a collection at the British Museum Library
  
 +
Dublin
  
 +
For those people who have Dublin Ancestors please be aware that there is a Dublin County as well as Dublin City and the county of Dublin is quite large stretching South to County Wicklow so if your Census just says Dublin do try to find out what this means.
  
  
 
Back to [[Ireland]]
 
Back to [[Ireland]]
 +
 +
Back to [[Main Page]]

Latest revision as of 11:01, 16 May 2023


The First Steps for Irish Research

The first steps for Irish research are similar to English research regarding photographs, talking to relatives etc. Discover when your folk emigrated. This may give clues as to why they emigrated.

Join a Historical Society though not all counties have them.

Tracing Irish ancestors means knowing more than just Ireland. Trying to find Michael Murphy, Ireland will be impossible, finding Michael Murphy, County Cork will be a fraction easier. Knowing he came from Fermoy, Cork County, will give you a good chance of finding him, and knowing he came from the townland of Kilworth, Fermoy, County Cork gives you the best chance of finding your ancestor, so understanding the system of Townlands, Baronies, Roman Catholic and Protestant Parishes and Diocese, and knowing that Ireland's main religion was Roman Catholicism, with about 85% being Catholic, will often help to decide which records to look at and where to look.


Irish names, like English, Welsh and Scottish names are subject to change and different spellings, so a name like O'Neill can appear in one family spelled in many different ways, Neill, Neil, Neale, Neal, Nealle, O'Neill, O'Neil, O'Neale, O'Neal. Do check all the different spellings.

There was and still is, a great Irish tradition of storytelling, which has meant that many family stories are passed down by word of mouth and not written down. This lends itself to stories being changed and added to over the years, so there is often still some truth in the story, but not necessarily in the way the story was told originally. This can be even more confusing by the Irish habit of naming children after the members of the family of the previous generation, or even of the generation prior to that one, so a tale about a Michael, Edward, Charles or James may not be the tale that refers to the correct person but a James two generations previous. While researching Irish ancestry, it's helpful to be aware of Irish customary naming patterns, regarding given names:

  • First born son named after his father's father
  • Second born son named after his mother's father
  • Third born son named after his father
  • Fourth born son named after his father's oldest brother
  • Fifth born son named after his father's 2nd oldest brother or his mother's oldest brother
  • First born daughter named after her mother's mother
  • Second born daughter named after her father's mother
  • Third born daughter named after her mother
  • Fourth born daughter named after her mother's oldest sister
  • Fifth born daughter named after her mother's 2nd oldest sister or her father's oldest sister.

The IGI has poor coverage of the parish records pre 1864 only about 25% are on the IGI but the coverage is better for the stautory records post 1864.

Where Irish Tracing is different, is in the approach to looking for statutory records post 1864 for Catholic Births, Marriages or deaths and 1845 for Protestant Marriages and pre 1864 Parish Records for both RC and Protestant. For Southern Ireland/Eire or Republic of Ireland the post 1864 records will be accessible through Roscommon and Dublin GRO.

the General Register Office

Click "Research" to access Dublin details.

For Northern Ireland post 1864 use GRONI Belfast at:

The General Register Office Northern Ireland

You can use Family History Centres (LDS) to access statutory records from 1864 for both RC and Protestant Records as well as 1845 for Protestant Marriages. Any records before these dates will be Parish Records.

The website below shows all the Catholic Diocese of Ireland. Understanding Irish Records are Diocese based is essential.

The Catholic Diocese of Ireland

Catholic Parish Records

Pre 1864 all Catholic Parish Records are still with the churches across the whole of Ireland, North and South. Copies are available on microfilm and have been deposited with the National Library in Dublin.


In Belfast the parish records are at PRONI

The Diocese of Cashel and Emly which contains some of County Limerick and all County Tipperary were only available as per payment through the Heritage Centres for that diocese but as from June 2008 they are now free to view through National Library at Dublin. Kerry County used to require a letter from the Bishop. This is no longer necessary as from June 2008. Diocese of Cloyne( part of Cork County) used to require a letter of application for research from the Mallow Heritage Centre but this is no longer necessary as from June 2008.

The Catholic Parish Records in Ireland will not go back much further than 1740 and as Ireland was mainly a Catholic country with approximately 85% Catholic, that is going to mean that records for most of us seeking Irish ancestry are not going to get back beyond 1780 with just a very few exceptions. Many will not go much further back than 1820.

Protestant Parish Records

Do go back to the 1600's but as these were the records that had been deposited in the National Archives in Dublin, they were also the main records that were destroyed in the fires of 1922, along with many wills, but those that do remain are still with the National Archives in Dublin, with copies in Belfast at PRONI.

PRONI has an ecatalogue which is available for people to search.

It contains over one million catalogue entries and is available online to search and browse as from mid January 2009. The eCatalogue contains approximately 60% of PRONI’s total catalogue entries, with the remainder to be published on an ongoing basis. PRONI visitors have already been making use of the eCatalogue onsite since it went live in the PRONI Search Room on 10 November 2008 and the online launch of the eCatalogue is a milestone event for PRONI, and means that off-site visitors can now consult our catalogues via the PRONI website. This electronic catalogue for Northern Ireland at PRONI is in line with other National and International archival institutions.

The Irish Family History Foundation

Irish Family History Foundation has some Birth, Marriage, Death and Census records which are now online through the various Heritage Centres, under the umbrella of the Irish Family History Foundation, Online Genealogy Databases for Ireland. Please bear in mind that not all the records are on these databases.


Griffiths Valuation and Tithe Aplotments

It is useful to understand that whilst the Tithe Aplotments are available in the 1820's as a census substitute, not everybody is on this valuation, but everybody is on the Griffiths Valuation, which is often known as The Primary Valuation. The Primary Valuation was the first full-scale valuation of property in Ireland. It was overseen by Richard Griffith and published between 1847 and 1864. It is one of the most important surviving 19th century genealogical sources. This is mainly because TA is tied into a minimum amount of land involvement, whereas Griffiths included everybody who lived in a house with the smallest garden. Griffiths Explanation

There is at present a free test site at ask about Ireland for this Griffiths Valuation, to include maps. See also Irish Land Divisons for hints to understand how the land was divided up.

Irish Census

A Census was taken in Ireland every 10 years from 1821 but only the census for 1901 and 1911 are available for the public to view. The returns are arranged by Townland or in urban areas by Street. No returns survive for 1861, 1871, 1881, and 1891 but there are some returns for 1821, 1831, 1841 and 1851, covering parts of counties Antrim, Cavan, Cork, Fermanagh, Galway, Kings County (Offaly) Derry (Londonderry) Meath and Waterford. There are lists of household names in the Census returns of 1851 for part of Belfast City and Dublin City (you can consult the 1851 Dublin City Census) a CD was compiled and edited by Sean Magee. The 1901 and 1911 Census are available and may be pulled in from local LDS centres, although at present they are address-only searchable, so you need to know the exact address to be able to access them at the moment.

However, the Irish Census for 1901 and 1911 are being digitised through a project undertaken by National Archives Dublin and Canada. Dublin only is accessible at present, and the rest of Ireland will follow gradually over the next 3 years and is accessible at National Archives: Census of Ireland 1911

Books to Help You

'Tracing Your Irish Ancestors' John Grenham. This book is still a "bible" for help in tracing your Irish ancestry and includes a series of maps covering all the Catholic Parishes of Ireland, Parish Maps and a County by County Source Guide.

The British Army in Ireland

For those people who have ancestors who joined the Army in Ireland or who may have been in Ireland at the time they married and/or had children whilst in Ireland, then consider the possibility that that they may have married whilst in the army in Ireland. The Regimental Indexes of Births and Baptisms, which used to be at the FRC in London, is now available online at Findmypast in the Overseas Section.To search the Index is free, but to obtain further information a charge is made. These indexes date back to the late 1700's. You can obtain details of marriages and births and send for the certificates in the normal way, except that they usually have the baptismal information as well. These certificates are also very valuable as they usually contain the Rank and Regiment of the soldier concerned.

Royal Irish Constabulary

Royal Irish Constabulary (RIC) police records are at The National Archives (TNA) at Kew.

The Genealogy Advisory Service

This service has now moved from the National Library Kildare Street to the Heraldic Museum at 2 Kildare Street, as from April 2006.

Irish Newspapers

Irish Newspapers are accessible through Colindale Library London, accessible only now through the British Library site.

Understand Irish History

Read about the Famines, Hedge Schools and Irish Education in general, as well as the Political History and Home Rule issues.

County Cork and County Kerry ancestors, There is a 16 volume collection of books known as the The Casey Collection, 'O'Kiefe, Coshe Mange, Slieve Lougher and Upper Blackwater'. This is another very good census substitute for these two counties only. This book by Albert E. Casey is on microfilm and can be ordered through the Family History Library. There are 15 volumes on 9 microfilms. At FamilySearch.org - Family History and Genealogy Records you can find out exactly what information is on each film. These books are also held in many libraries over the world and a search at the following website should find a library accessible to most people. In the UK there would appear to be a collection at the British Museum Library

Dublin

For those people who have Dublin Ancestors please be aware that there is a Dublin County as well as Dublin City and the county of Dublin is quite large stretching South to County Wicklow so if your Census just says Dublin do try to find out what this means.


Back to Ireland

Back to Main Page