Research in Ireland
An article entitled Research in Ireland was published in the Looking 4 Kin newsletter on 11 March 2005. Prior to that, back in 2003 or 2004 it was in the old JustGen Newsletter.
I have revisited that article and picked out some of the sources that are available for Irish research. As the original article was an overview, I have increased the information on each source and, where possible, included links to sites of interest.
This has made the original item much too long for a blog, so I will be posting some separate pieces as and when each section is updated.
But first, the introducton and basics of research in Ireland.
AVAILABILITY OF RECORDS
Many of you reading this item will have ancestors who originated from Ireland. The usual comment is – ‘Oh, searching in Ireland is difficult, a lot of records no longer exist’. I must admit that, when I first started searching for my husband’s ‘lost’ Irish Grandfather, that was my first reaction. I rapidly became fed up with encountering the notation – ‘Records no longer exist – destroyed in fire’. On enquiring further, however, I found that there is a great deal of information available to the researcher.
The LDS Family History Centres hold extensive collections of microfilm copies of Irish records – check to see if they can be ordered from the Family History Library.
A search at Family History Centers will show you where there is a centre near you. A further search at the Family History Library Catalog will show you exactly what is available.
The Registration of Births, Marriages and Deaths
The general registration of births, marriages and deaths started in Ireland in 1864 – much later than the rest of the British Isles. The one exception to this is Protestant Marriages, where registration took effect in 1845. I may be wrong, but it would seem from searching the pre 1864 marriages at the General Register Office (Northern Ireland), that not all Protestant marriages have made it onto the indexes prior to 1864. Perhaps not all the ministers were diligent and omitted to forward records for indexing.
Census Returns
The first modern style census in Ireland took place in 1821. Unfortunately, most of the census returns for the 19th century were destroyed in the early part of the 20th century, although there are some snippets around. The first full census available is that for 1901. In view of the difficulties encountered due to the lack of information available from earlier censuses, the normal 100-year closure period was reduced and the 1901 census records have been available for public inspection for some years. The 1911 census is now available for inspection at the Dublin Record Office.
Currently, there is no full version of tbe 1901 or 1911 censuses of Ireland online, but there are a number of sites that provide links to the extracts that are available. One such site is Online Irish Census Indexes & Records
On 6 December 2005 it was announced that agreement had been reached between the National Archives of Ireland and Library and Archives Canada to digitise Irish Census Records for 1901 and 1911.
According to the The National Archives of Ireland site, the first phase of the project, Dublin City and County 1911, is to be launched in Autumn 2007.
In the absence of earlier census returns, the following substitutes are available – and these will be reviewed in detail in later blogs -
17th Century
Muster Rolls (1630)
Books of Survey and Distribution (1680)
Civil Survey of Ireland (1665-1667) and Census of Ireland (1659)
Hearth Money Rolls (1660s)
Subsidy Rolls (1660s)
Poll Tax Returns (1660s)
18th Century
Return of Householders (1766)
Free Looms (1796)
19th Century
Tythe Appointment Books (1824-1838)
Grifiths Valuation of Ireland (1848-1864)
Landowners in Ireland (1876)
School Records (mid 19th century)
Regional Records
In addition to the main countrywide records, over the centuries a number of parishes had their own censuses. For example, in 1770 a census was carried out for the town of Armagh. It was arranged street by street and gave individual names, occupations, size of family and religion.
Update
This item was originally written a few years ago. At the beginning I mentioned my husband’s ‘lost’ Irish Grandfather. I am pleased to say that I have since found him. In fact, Samuel Alexander Brown was not born in Ireland as the family (including Saumuel's children)said - he was born in Glasgow, Scotland. It was great grandfather Hugh Brown who, according to Scottish censuses, was born in Ireland.
It goes to prove once again that you should not believe everything you are told - even if the informants appear to be the most reliable people!
Be sure to visit Looking 4 Kin Genealogy Links & Chat
I have revisited that article and picked out some of the sources that are available for Irish research. As the original article was an overview, I have increased the information on each source and, where possible, included links to sites of interest.
This has made the original item much too long for a blog, so I will be posting some separate pieces as and when each section is updated.
But first, the introducton and basics of research in Ireland.
AVAILABILITY OF RECORDS
Many of you reading this item will have ancestors who originated from Ireland. The usual comment is – ‘Oh, searching in Ireland is difficult, a lot of records no longer exist’. I must admit that, when I first started searching for my husband’s ‘lost’ Irish Grandfather, that was my first reaction. I rapidly became fed up with encountering the notation – ‘Records no longer exist – destroyed in fire’. On enquiring further, however, I found that there is a great deal of information available to the researcher.
The LDS Family History Centres hold extensive collections of microfilm copies of Irish records – check to see if they can be ordered from the Family History Library.
A search at Family History Centers will show you where there is a centre near you. A further search at the Family History Library Catalog will show you exactly what is available.
The Registration of Births, Marriages and Deaths
The general registration of births, marriages and deaths started in Ireland in 1864 – much later than the rest of the British Isles. The one exception to this is Protestant Marriages, where registration took effect in 1845. I may be wrong, but it would seem from searching the pre 1864 marriages at the General Register Office (Northern Ireland), that not all Protestant marriages have made it onto the indexes prior to 1864. Perhaps not all the ministers were diligent and omitted to forward records for indexing.
Census Returns
The first modern style census in Ireland took place in 1821. Unfortunately, most of the census returns for the 19th century were destroyed in the early part of the 20th century, although there are some snippets around. The first full census available is that for 1901. In view of the difficulties encountered due to the lack of information available from earlier censuses, the normal 100-year closure period was reduced and the 1901 census records have been available for public inspection for some years. The 1911 census is now available for inspection at the Dublin Record Office.
Currently, there is no full version of tbe 1901 or 1911 censuses of Ireland online, but there are a number of sites that provide links to the extracts that are available. One such site is Online Irish Census Indexes & Records
On 6 December 2005 it was announced that agreement had been reached between the National Archives of Ireland and Library and Archives Canada to digitise Irish Census Records for 1901 and 1911.
According to the The National Archives of Ireland site, the first phase of the project, Dublin City and County 1911, is to be launched in Autumn 2007.
In the absence of earlier census returns, the following substitutes are available – and these will be reviewed in detail in later blogs -
17th Century
Muster Rolls (1630)
Books of Survey and Distribution (1680)
Civil Survey of Ireland (1665-1667) and Census of Ireland (1659)
Hearth Money Rolls (1660s)
Subsidy Rolls (1660s)
Poll Tax Returns (1660s)
18th Century
Return of Householders (1766)
Free Looms (1796)
19th Century
Tythe Appointment Books (1824-1838)
Grifiths Valuation of Ireland (1848-1864)
Landowners in Ireland (1876)
School Records (mid 19th century)
Regional Records
In addition to the main countrywide records, over the centuries a number of parishes had their own censuses. For example, in 1770 a census was carried out for the town of Armagh. It was arranged street by street and gave individual names, occupations, size of family and religion.
Update
This item was originally written a few years ago. At the beginning I mentioned my husband’s ‘lost’ Irish Grandfather. I am pleased to say that I have since found him. In fact, Samuel Alexander Brown was not born in Ireland as the family (including Saumuel's children)said - he was born in Glasgow, Scotland. It was great grandfather Hugh Brown who, according to Scottish censuses, was born in Ireland.
It goes to prove once again that you should not believe everything you are told - even if the informants appear to be the most reliable people!
Be sure to visit Looking 4 Kin Genealogy Links & Chat
Labels: Ireland, Irish Research
posted by Rosey at
3:53 AM
