Irish Genealogical Research

Irish Genealogical Research

In beginning your Irish research, follow the same standard rules for any type of research, finding out the full name of your emigrant ancestor (including possible nicknames), the background of his family (economic and occupational status), and any religious affiliation. In Ireland, religious affiliation can be especially important since the most accurate records were kept by churches. You should also try to discover the region from which your ancestor came as the surname may be very common or unique to a certain area. Most Irish family traditions make some reference to a parish or region. This is usually a good point to start from.

An important factor in establishing a link with Ireland is locating the date and port of arrival of your ancestor in the United States. Items of value in this search can include the following: diaries, personal correspondence, family bibles, passports, ship passenger tickets or passes, and naturalization documents. You can also check for passenger lists, which are available through the National Archives or the L.D.S. Mormon Genealogy Library System.

Many of the important sources of genealogical information are located in Dublin. General Civil Registrations of births, marriages, and deaths began in 1864. These records are kept at the office of the Register-General, Custom House. Marriages of Protestants are recorded since 1845, and are housed in this same office. Certified copies are available from this same office. The Public Records Office of the Courts is another good records source. The Tithe Applotment Books contain the first Valuation Office Records and the names of people whose holdings were subject to tithes during the first half of the last century. Another valuable type of record found in this office includes collections relating to particular families such as wills, will abstracts, and indexes to administrations and marriage license bonds no longer extant. The 1901 Census is also a valuable research tool housed in this office.

The Registry of Deeds, located on Henrietta Street in Dublin, is another useful research location. Its records cover the period from 1708 to the present. They relate to all the usual transactions in property which involve the execution of a deed, leases, mortgages and property settlements.

The National Library on Kildare Street in Dublin, has a large collection of books and manuscripts. There are many sources of information for the genealogist. Among the many holdings are: city and regional directories, family histories, journals of local antiquarian and historical societies, topographical works and histories of particular areas, and newspapers (national and provincial). The manuscript collection includes deeds, correspondence, rentals, and other papers relating to numerous Irish families. Local public libraries throughout Ireland may also be good sources of local information. Throughout the country there are cemeteries and tombstone inscriptions providing details of names and dates which might not be available from any other source.

If your emigrant ancestor came from Northern Ireland, you should direct your genealogical queries to the following address: Public Records Office of Northern Ireland, 66 Balmoral Avenue, Belfast BT9 6NY. This office handles records which cover the six counties of Northern Ireland: Antrim, Down, Armagh, Tyrone, Fermanagh, and Derry. Although efforts have been made to Irish normalize relations between the two sections, record keeping is still segregated.

Church records are another source of primary genealogical source materials. A baptismal record is an obvious proof of birth. The parochial registers of the Catholic Church are in the custody of parish priests and dioceses throughout Ireland. In the urban areas, some of the records go back between 200 and 300 years. In rural parishes and regions, records generally exist dating back to the middle 1800's. Many Church of Ireland records were destroyed in 1922 when the Public Records Office was burned. Those which have survived are in the possession of the pastors of various parishes throughout Ireland. Some of these registers date back to the 17th and 18th century.

If your ancestors were Presbyterian, the Presbyterian Historical Society, Church House, Fisherwick Place in Belfast may be your best source of information. This organization has many congregational registers and can provide information on others kept by local ministers.

Irish Research: Select Bibliography Of Genealogical Sources

Baxter, Angus. In Search of your British, and Irish Roots: A Complete Guide to Tracing Your English, Welsh, Scottish, and Irish Ancestors. Revised and Updated Edition. Baltimore, MD: Genealogical Publishing Company, 1991.

Black, J. Anderson. Your Irish Ancestors. Secaucus, NJ: Castle Books, 1980. Genealogy Ref. 929.3415 Bla.

Bolton, Charles Knowles. Scotch Irish Pioneers in Ulster and America. Bowie, MD: Heritage Books, 1989. Genealogy Ref. 929.373 Bol.

Falley, Margaret Dickson. Irish and Scotch-Irish Ancestral Research: a Guide to the Genealogical Records, Methods, and Sources in Ireland. Baltimore, MD: Genealogical Publishing Company, 1980. Genealogy Ref. 929.3415 Fal.

Grenham, John. Tracing Your Irish Ancestors: The Complete Guide. Baltimore, MD: Genealogical Publishing Company, 1993. Genealogy Ref. 929.1 Gre.

Hanna, Charles A. Scotch-Irish, or The Scot in North Britain, North Ireland, and North America. Baltimore, MD: Genealogical Publishing Company, 1985. Genealogy Ref. 941 Han.

Kemp, Jan. International Vital Records Handbook. 3rd Edition. Baltimore, MD: Genealogical Publishing, 1994. Reference 929.1 Kem.

Laxton, Edward. The Famine Ships: The Irish Exodus to America. New York, NY: Holt, 1997. 941.508 Lax.

Mitchell, Brian. Guide To Irish Churches & Graveyards. Baltimore, MD: Genealogical Publishing Company, 1990. Genealogy Ref. 929.3415 Mit.

O'Brien, Michael Joseph. The Irish In America: Immigration, Land, Probate, Administrations, Birth, Marriage, and Burial Records of the Irish in America ... in the Eighteenth Century. Baltimore, MD: Genealogical Publishing Company, 1965. Genealogy Ref. 929.3415 O'Br.

Ryan, James G. Irish Records: Sources For Family and Local History. Salt Lake City, UT: Ancestry Publishing, 1988. Genealogy Ref. 929.3415 Rya.

Cambridge Historical Encyclopedia of Great Britain and Ireland. Cambridge [Cambridgeshire] ; New York: Cambridge University Press, 1985. Reference 941.003 Cam.

The Course of Irish History. Revised & Enlarged Edition. Cork: Published in association with Radio Telefis Eireann by Mercier Press, 1984. Genealogy Ref. 941.5 Cou.

Famine Immigrants: Lists of Irish Immigrants Arriving at the Port of New York, 1846-1851. Baltimore, MD: Genealogical Publishing Company, 1983-1986. Genealogy Ref. 929.373 Fam.

Index to the Prerogative Wills of Ireland, 1536-1810. Baltimore, MD: Genealogical Publishing Company, 1967. Genealogy Ref. 929.3415 Ind.

Irish-American Green Almanac & Green Pages. Revised & Expanded Edition. New York, NY: Perennial Library, 1990. 973.04 Iri.

Irish Passenger Lists, 1847-1871: Lists of Passengers Sailing From Londonderry to America on Ships of the J. & J. Cooke Line and the McCorkell Line. Baltimore, MD: Genealogical Publishing Company, 1988. Genealogy Ref. 929.3 Iri.

Compiled by Bryan L. Mulcahy, Reference Librarian, Ft. Myers-Lee County Library, 10/1/98.