IRELAND

GENERAL REGISTRATION AND CHURCH RECORDS

General Civil Registration began in 1864, though Protestant Marriages had been recorded since 1845. All Records of all Ireland to 1922 and Eire (Southern Ireland) after 1922 can be seen at the General Register Office. The indexes have been microfilmed, and the years 1864-1867 are to be found on the IGI. Northern Ireland records are with the General Registrar (Northern Ireland). Here are found the Indexes for Birth and Death records for Northern Ireland from 1864, Marriages from 1922. Deaths for the period 1864-1922 require the researcher to know the registration district. It is recommended that the researcher visits Joyce House for this information. Read Grenham before searching for church records, as the situation is complicated by the Four Courts Fire and the destruction of many of the Anglican Records.

WILLS 1858-1922

Wills were mainly destroyed in the Four Courts fire. Some abstracts survive, as do some indexes. Detailed calendars for the period 1858 to the present are with Will books at the District Probate Registers. Wills are found at the National Archives in Dublin or the Public Record Office in Belfast.

CENSUS

The Census for 1821, 1831, 1841 and 1851 were destroyed in the Four Courts Fire. The Census for 1861 and 1871 were destroyed by Government Orders. None were taken for 1881 and 1891. The 1901 and 1911 do survive and have been released to the researcher. Some transcripts of the 1901 Census have been printed. The Records can be found in the National Archives in Dublin or in the Public Record Office Northern Ireland.

GRIFFITHS INDEX AND TITHE APPLOTMENT

An index is now available on CD-ROM of the Land and Property Owners for the years 1846-1865. The Index CD-ROM has been produced by Heritage World & the Genealogical Publishing Company. The Family Tree Maker Software is an excellent reader for this product. The Tithe Applotment book for 1823 is also available on CD-ROM and contains names of heads of households.

LAND OWNERS 1876 AND ESTATE RECORDS

A very good coverage of landowners for the year 1876 is available and similar to volumes for England and Scotland for about the same period. Available in printed form, in some Libraries but a microfiche copy is available from 'Northern Forebears' at a very reasonable price. Estate records can fill in some gaps if available; they can help fill in the gaps.

THE FOUR COURTS FIRE

From April to June 1922 the Irregular IRA occupied the Four Courts Building in Dublin. It was recaptured by Michael Collin's forces with the aid of two eighteen pound British Guns. This started the Civil War in Ireland. Unfortunately the resultant fire was also the reason for the loss of many family history record sources.

FURTHER READING

TRACING YOUR IRISH ANCESTORS, 2nd edition, John Grenham, Gill and Macmillan, 1999. [No research to be attempted without reading this book or one as good.]

FAMILY AND LOCAL HISTORY HANDBOOK, THE GENEALOGICAL SERVICES DIRECTORY 2003 Ed. Robert Blatchford, GR Specialist Information Services, 2003.

ADDRESSES

General Register Office, Joyce House, 8-11 Lombard Street East, Dublin 2. General Registrar (Northern Ireland), 49-55 Chichester Street, Belfast, BT1 4HL

National Archives, Bishop Street, Dublin 8. Northern Ireland.Public Record Office, 66 Balmoral Avenue, Belfast, BT9 6NY

National Archives, Bishop Street, Dublin 8 National Library of Ireland, Kildare Street, Dublin 2

 

This page is compiled by Timothy J. Owston of York, England, March 2008.
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