Co. Down - External Links

All of the links listed on this page are specific to the study of family history in County Down (also see Archives & Collections and City of Belfast). Other resources that can help with tracing your ancestors can be accessed through "Research Links".

Cemeteries

History from Headstones - Co. Down
An interactive map showing locations and details of denominational graveyards.

Census Substitutes

Flax Growers' Bounty List - 1796
The names of nearly 3,000 persons in County Down who received a spinning wheel or loom in return for planting flax.

Convict Records

Ballykinlar Prison Book,1921
Signatures and inscriptions of 51 prisoners held at the Ballykinlar Internment Camp in County Down
Co. Down Convicts to Australia
A database compiled by the County Down Museum of more than 1,300 convicts who were transported to New South Wales and Van Diemen's Land.

Directories

County Down Directory - 1862
Transcription from Thom's Irish Almanac and Official Directory by Library Ireland.
County Down Guide and Directory - 1886
A copy of the original directory published by George Henry Bassett (town Index page 407).

Maps

County of Down, 1897
A map taken from "Philips' Handy Atlas of the Counties of Ireland" published by George Philip & Son, Ltd.

Message Boards

Fiona's County Down Genealogy Group
A Yahoo!Group where members can research, discover and share information on their family roots in County Down.
NIR-DOWN
Genealogy mailing list at Rootsweb.com dedicated to County Down, Northern Ireland.
RootsChat County Down
Message forum at RootsChat.com.

Military

Masonic Roll of Honor, 1914-1919
County Down members of the Grand Lodge of Ireland who served during the Great War.
War Memorials in Ulster - Co. Down
Includes the towns of Ballynahinch, Ballywalter, Banbridge, Bangor, Carrowdore, Castlewellan, Comber, Donaghadee & Millisle, Donaghacloney, Dollingstown, Downpatrick, Dromore, Gilford, Greyabbey, Groomsport, Hillsborough, Holywood, Kilkeel, Killyleagh, Kircubbin, Newcastle, Newry, Newtownards, Portaferry, Rathfriland, Waringstown.

Organizations

Ards Historical Society
Founded in 1967 to help promote interest in the history of the North Down area.
Comber Historical Society
Dedicated to preserving and sharing information on the history of Comber, Co. Down.
Dromara History Group
Established to share and archive the district's local history.
Lecale and Downe Historical Society
Promotes the study of history and environment in the barony of Lecale and adjacent areas in County Down.
Newry and District Family History Group
"A community initiative... to foster and encourage genealogy, family and social history."
North of Ireland Family History Society
A voluntary non-profit organisation fostering an interest in family history for those with roots in the North of Ireland.

Poor Law Unions

Banbridge, Co. Down
Declared on 22 February 1839; covered an area of 505 square kilometers.
Downpatrick, Co. Down
Declared on 3 January 1840; covered an area of 595 square kilometers.
Kilkeel, Co. Down
Declared on 29th July 1839; covered an area of 329 square kilometers.
Newry, Co. Down
Declared on 3 May 1839; covered an area of 557 square kilometers.
Newtownards, Co. Down
Declared on 3 September 1839; covered an area of 378 square kilometers.

People

Surnames in the County of Down, 1858
Written by A. Hume and published in the Ulster Journal of Archaeology (Belfast), Volume VI.

Websites (non-commercial)

Ros Davies' Co. Down Family History Research
A wonderful website for anyone researching their ancestors in Co. Down. Be sure to check out Ros' extraordinary surname collection... it contains information on more than 800,000 people!
Raymonds County Down Website
Contains a wealth of information on genealogy and local history, with a focus on Aghaderg, Loughbrickland, Banbridge, Dromore, Dromara Kilkeel, Mourne, Newry, Rathfriland, & Rostrevor.
County Down Genealogy - From-Ireland.net
Free resource for Irish ancestry, genealogy and family history information.
Newry, Donaghmore, Loughbrickland, & Banbridge Genealogy Site
A site dedicated to family historians interested in areas of the Western Mourne and along the Newry Canal in Co. Down and Co. Armagh.
Peter J. Meaney
Lots of information on Co. Down and Pete's family history (no longer active).
Jean McCarthy's Genealogy Website
A family history site administered by Co. Down native Jean McCarthy. Includes genealogical resources for Australia and New Zealand