City of Belfast

Belfast is the capital of Northern Ireland, and the second largest city in Ireland after Dublin. While the majority of the city lies in Co.Antrim, parts of East and South Belfast are separated from the rest of the city by the Lagan River, and are situated in Co. Down. The resources included on this page cover both counties.

Burial Records

Belfast City Council
A searchable database of burials for Belfast City Cemetery, Roselawn Cemetery, and Dundonald Cemetery. [Antim & Down]

Directories

Belfast Street Directories, 1805-1918
A searchable database of transcribed directories compiled by Mary Lennon.
Street Directories, 1819-1900
Scans of Belfast and Northern Ireland directories held by the Public Record Office of Northern Ireland (PRONI).

Newspapers

Eddies Extracts
A website maintained by Eddie Connolly that includes birth, marriage and death notices, as well as news extracts from various Belfast newspapers.
The Gazette
Official Newspaper of Record for the UK (London, Edinburgh and Belfast) - new searchable beta site.

Organizations (Historical)

Belfast Mechanics' Institute - 1825
Trustees, directors and operatives appointed following the inaugural meeting of the institute held March 21, 1825. [Antrim]
Belfast Nightly Watch - 1812
Volunteers participating in a nightly watch of Belfast streets between May and November, 1812 in order to provide for the safety and peace of its residents. [Antrim]

Research Guides

My Roots - Tracing Your Belfast Ancestors (Ulster Historical Foundation)
"This booklet is designed to be an introduction to the sources available for researching Belfast ancestors and is aimed at those starting out in their quest to find more about their family history."