All is not in vain when you have Irish ancestors and
want to find them in Ireland and to locate their land. One
always hears about the lost census records during the 1922 riots,
but there were census records that were abstracted by the Irish
government and then destroyed by them, but information about the
land and property records of that time are available. You
have to use the 1851 or 1871 census material to find where they
live. Learning to do this is a challenge, but it is
very good way to find them. First you must have some good
information and knowledge of Ireland and its land definitions to
proceed.
Here are the steps you must follow to find your family.
1. Know the Internal Division of Ireland.
Provinces, Counties, Baronies, Parishes, Townlands, Poor Law
Unions.
2. Next go to the Griffiths Valuation either book or
CD, or on Internet. If you know the County where your family comes from go to
the county first to check for your name. If you don't know the
county, then you will have to check each county for your name.
- Griffiths is also on
microfiche at the LDS Family History Library,
-
a. Know the County. If you know the
county then when you get there find the places in
the county where the name is found and copy the Townlands
where they are found. Then go to the front of the
book and find the Baronies for those towns. Be sure to
copy Barony name.
-
b. Don’t know the County. If you don’t
know the County then you will have to go to each county
looking for the name and then copy down with the Townland
they are found in. Then you will have to go to each
Townland looking for clues that this is your family.
First names etc. Be sure to copy the Barony where it is
located.
3. Check
the book: ”Census of Ireland, General Alphabetical Index of the Townlands and
Towns, Parishes, Baronies of Ireland.” Printed 1861 Dublin. Available at the
many libraries in the Genealogy section and at most large LDS Family History
Libraries. There is a book for
1851
and one for 1871
census.
AN
EASIER WAY: You can also check
this easier by going to the Microfiche list of the “Census of year
1871" available from the
LDS Family History Libraries. The numbers are:6020345-6020353 to
order from the Library.
These microfiches have all the Townlands, County,
Barony, Parish, Poor Law Unions. Remember the Poor Law
Unions are the key to the Electoral Divisions. Electoral
Divisions are the key to land records to find your family. Also
check on the Internet to see if your Irish County has this
information. Some now have this available.
a. Check the Townland and Towns and get the Poor
Law Union District for your town and the Electoral Division. It
is the Poor Law Union that gets you to the Electoral Division.
Note; not all Poor Law unions have the same name in the Poor Law
Electoral Division.
b. EXAMPLE:
- Town: Rathcolman
- County: Westmeath
- Barony: Moysahel & Magheradernon
- Parish: Mullingar
- Poor Law Union: Mullingar
- Poor Law electoral Division: HOPESTOWN
- Note: Hopestown is what I need to go to find my
family. It is the Electoral division and there they were.
4. Now go to the computer and click on Internet
Explorer and type in
http://www.FAMILYSEARCH.COM
now go to the very top to “SEARCH,” put in the county
and Ireland, then click.
-
a. You should get a list of all the records for
this county that are available. Click on LAND AND
PROPERTY and then when you get that, click up top on
DETAILS.
-
b. You will now see ELECTORAL DISTRICTS.
Now read down to find the Townland you want and then copy
the film number you need to order from LDS Family
History Library in Salt Lake City Utah.
4. Now you have the film you ordered. Now go to the
town or townlands that you are seeking and begin to scroll
through looking for the name of the Electoral Division you found
and then when you get there begin to check for your family.
Note that the dates are on the far right side for the year.
You will find names of all the tenants or owners of land that
were there for many years. If you find a name crossed out
be sure to check to see if it is yours. Whenever a person died,
sold, or moved, then the name was crossed out and the new name
above. You might find a widow, son, or new name. Very
important. Gives you clues, especially when they migrated to US
Remember all people living in dwellings, tenants and
owners are listed, so even if your ancestor did not own land,
they should be there.
NOTE; to find Townland, Barony, Poor Law Union try
this site
http://www.thecore.com/seanruad/
and also go to
www.google.com
And search for other Irish records.
Source: Charlotte Smith
charlotsmith@prodigy.net
Records
Major collections of Irish records at
the FHL include:
Cemetery Records - Many published volumes of tombstone transcripts.
Microfilm of the Mount Jerome Cemetery registers (Dublin City).
Censuses and Census Substitutes - The 1901 and 1911 censuses of
Ireland. Census fragments, nineteenth century. Many census substitutes from
the 1600s-1800s.
Church Records - Microfilm of church registers from about 1/3 of the
Catholic parishes in Ireland; Quaker registers of births, marriages and
deaths for all of Ireland.
Civil Registration - Microfilm copies of indexes to Irish civil
registration from 1845 through 1958. Also copies of many of the original
registers of birth, marriage and death, although there are gaps in the
collection.
Directories - Country-wide and local town directories are available
as books and/or on microfilm. Significant series of directories for Belfast
and Dublin are included.
Estate Records - Relatively few are available, but some have been
filmed at the Public Record Office of Northern Ireland, Belfast.
Genealogies - Most of the manuscripts of the Genealogical Office,
Dublin, are available on microfilm.
Inventories and Catalogs - Descriptive catalogs of the Public Record
Office of Northern Ireland, Belfast. Kew Lists for the Public Record Office
in England. Many genealogical guides and inventories.
Land Records - Records of the Registry of Deeds from 1708-1929, along
with indexes by the name of grantor and by the locality (such as townland),
are available on microfilm from the FHL.
Military Records - Many British Army, Irish militia and yeomanry
records microfilmed at the Public Record Office in England.
Occupational Records - Guild records for Dublin City and other
cities. Royal Irish Constabulary records and indexes.
Place Names - Indexes to towns and townlands in Ireland, 1851, 1871,
1901.
Reference Material - Most Irish genealogy reference works and Irish
county genealogy guides are available.
Taxation Records - Tithe Applotment Books (1823-1837). Griffith's
Primary Valuation (1847-1864). Griffith's Revision Lists for Republic of
Ireland counties.
Wills and Administrations - Indexes to pre-1858 records by diocese.
Records and indexes by probate registry for post-1858 period.
CENSUS INDEX
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- The information contained
within the pages of this web site is provided solely for the
purpose of sharing with others researching their ancestors in
Ireland.
- © 2001 Ireland
Genealogy Projects, IGP TM
By Pre-emptive Copyright - All
rights reserved
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