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Tracing your Irish ancestry

Irish Immigration

Between 1800 and 1922 the whole of Ireland was part of the UK - The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland - and there was constant movement of Irish nationals to England, Scotland and Wales during this time.

During the early years of the Industrial Revolution, they settled largely in the booming industrial areas - Liverpool, Manchester, Tyneside and South Wales.

As a result, in the Census of 1841, the Irish-born population numbered 300,000.

By 1861, that population had more than doubled, to 601,000 - 300,000 settled here between 1845 and 1855, as a result of the Potato Famine. These later arrivals tended to settle further south - the Midlands, London, Sussex and Kent in particular.

Today, it is estimated that a quarter of the UK population will trace their ancestry to Ireland.

Record-keeping

There are two important implications, in terms of family research, of Ireland's being part of the UK.

First, Irish-born people moving to the UK weren't technically classed as immigrants, so there are no official records of their movements here.

Second, the record-keeping systems in the two countries are similar, particularly birth, marriage and death records, census-taking, parish records, and the probate (proving of Wills) process - if you understand the system in England & Wales it will be easier to understand it in Ireland.

There are, though, some important differences, and some frustrating obstacles in the way of locating Irish records.

Birth, marriage & death records - Civil Registration

In 1845 it became compulsory in Ireland to register non-Catholic marriages. At this time only around 15% of the population were non-Catholic, 5% being Church of Ireland 10% largely Presbyterian, concentrated in the North. The 85% majority of the population were Roman Catholic.

In 1864, some 27 years after England & Wales, civil registration of all births, marriages and death was introduced.

Registration districts in Ireland were organised on a different basis than those in England, but the principle of registration was the same. Registration records of each district were forwarded to the General Register Office (Ireland), where they were copied, indexed, and the originals returned to the local Register Office.

Indexed records are still held at the General Register Office for all of Ireland until 1922, and for the Republic of Ireland alone, after that year.

Since 1922 General Register Office (Northern Ireland) in Belfast has indexed the records of the six counties in Northern Island.

How can I obtain certificates?

There is no on-line search facility through the indexes at either of the Register Office websites. You may apply for a certificate by post if you can provide enough information to identify the records you require - full name, date, location, mothers maiden name and parents' occupation would be a minimum. Full details of the application process can be found on each of the websites.

Baptisms, marriages & burials - Church Records

Parish Registers are the only source of baptism, marriage & burial records before 1864.

Many of these registers have been lost or destroyed, but microfilm copies of most of the surviving Roman Catholic registers are available in the National Library of Ireland, while the originals are still held by parish priests. Written permission from the priest is often required to view the microfilms.

Most Church of Ireland records are held by the local clergy, but some can be found at the following:

Irish National Archives
Church of Ireland
Public Record Office of Northern Ireland

Presbyterian church records are ordered by congregation and information can be obtained from Presbyterian Historical Society


Census Records

Tracing your roots through Irish census records is an uphill struggle.

In 1922 a fire destroyed virtually all of the 1821 - 1851 records, and the government itself destroyed the 1861 - 1891 censuses. The only year remaining intact is 1901. As a result, the Irish government have relaxed the usual 100-year rule and released their 1911 Census ahead of time.

Because there are so few census records available, researchers have had to turn to alternative sources for genealogical information.

Griffith's Primary Valuation

In the absence of census records, Griffith's Primary Valuation has become one of the most important sources of information for Irish genealogical research.

Griffith's Primary Valuation lists every landowner and householder in Ireland between 1848 and 1864. It lists each property's address, the householder's name, the person the property is leased from, the acreage and the valuation.

The Religious Census of Ireland

In 1722 the government ordered Church of Ireland ministers to make a list of all the householders in their parishes, and note their religious affiliations.

The original Religious Census was destroyed in 1922, along with the first 4 national censuses, but many transcripts have survived. Copies can be located in the Public Record Office in Northern Ireland.

Pigot & Co's Provincial Directory of Ireland

Published in 1824, Pigot & Co's Provincial Directory lists the towns of Ireland alphabetically, giving a description of the town and its environment. It lists the names of nobility and gentry, and the traders in the town.

The directory divided the country into four provinces - Connaught, Leinster, Munster and Ulster. Very approximately, Ulster is the region known today as Northern Ireland, plus Donegal, Monaghan and Cavan; Leinster consists of the counties on the east coast; Munster the south-west; and Connaught the west. Click for a pictorial view of the Provinces of Ireland.

A second edition Of Pigot's was published in 1824 which expanded on the first, including more towns than previously.

Wills

The process of probate in Ireland is the same as that in the rest of the UK. For detailed information see Wills and Probate Records.

The supreme court for ecclesiastical affairs in Ireland was the Prerogative Court of the Archbishop of Armagh.

Before 1858 wills were proved here if they were of decedents who had property valued at more than £5 and in more than one diocese - similar to the English system.

However, the Prerogative Court of the Archbishop of Canterbury was superior to the Court of Armagh, and if a decedent had property in England his/her will had to be proved at Canterbury.

After 1858 a civil probate system was established, and consisted of a Principal Registry and eleven District Registries: Armagh, Belfast, Londonderry, Ballina, Cavan, Dublin, Mullingar, Tuam, Kilkenny, Waterford, Limerick and Cork.

Where do I find these records?

As with so many genealogical records, many records and indexes are being transcribed by both individuals and organisations for online availability, but few are complete. Searches for County-level records are the most fruitful.

Some of the records are available free of charge, but the majority are on subscription sites.