Relevant collections
- Census Returns
- Tithe applotment and Primary Valuation
- Wills and Administration
- Births Marriages and Deaths
Census returns
A census of the Irish population was taken every 10 years from 1821 to 1911. Manuscript returns for each household survive for all 32 counties for 1901 and 1911. The returns are arranged by townland or, in urban areas, by street. The returns for each townland or street consist of:- Forms (Form A) filled in by the head of each household, giving the names of all persons living in that household and their age, occupation, religion and county of birth
- Forms (Forms N, B1 and B2) filled in by the official taking the census, summarising the returns for that townland or street.
- the District Electoral Division number in the Townland Index for 1901 and the Supplement for 1911, or the street indexes for Belfast, Cork, Dublin, Kingstown (Dun Laoghaire) and Limerick
- the townland or street number in the list of census returns for the year and county in question.
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Tithe applotment books and Primary Valuation
While no complete set of census returns survives for the period before 1901, there are two record classes which provide partial substitutes:- The Tithe applotment books were compiled between 1823 and 1837 in order to determine the amount which occupiers of agricultural holdings should pay in tithes to the Church of Ireland (the main Protestant church, and the church established by the state until 1871). There is a manuscript book for almost every parish, giving the names of occupiers, the amount of land held, and the sums to be paid in tithes. The books for Northern Ireland are in the Public Record Office of Northern Ireland (P.R.O.N.I.), Belfast, but there are copies in the National Archives.
- The Primary Valuation (also known as Griffith's Valuation) was carried out between 1847 and 1864. There is a printed valuation book for each barony or poor law union, showing the names of occupiers of land and buildings, the names of persons from whom these were leased, and the amount and value of the property held.
- list of the tithe applotment books arranged by parish
- list of the Primary Valuation arranged by county
- combined list of the tithe applotment books and Primary Valuation arranged by county and barony
- indexes of surnames in the Primary Valuation and tithe applotment books (one or more volumes per county and sets of microfiches for Dublin City and County Fermanagh).
Wills and administrations
These are of use to genealogists as evidence of the date of a person's death, and for other information which they may contain concerning the dead person's family, place of residence and property.Before a will can take effect, a grant of probate must be made by a court. If someone dies without having made a will, the court can grant letters of administration of their estate. Since 1858 grants of probate and administration have been made in the Principal and District Registries of the Probate Court (before 1877) or High Court (after 1877). They are indexes in the Calendars of Wills and Administrations (one or two volumes per year). There is a consolidated index for the period 1858-77. Up to 1917 the Calendars cover the whole of Ireland, but since 1918 they cover only the 26 counties. Indexes covering the 6 counties of Northern Ireland since 1918 are in P.R.O.N.I., Belfast.
Before 1858 grants of probate and administration were made by the courts of the Church of Ireland (the Prerogative Court and the Diocesan or Consistorial Courts). There are separate indexes of wills and administrations for each court. Some of the indexes have been published. Of these the most important are Vicar's Index to Prerogative Wills, 1536-1810 and the Indexes to Dublin Grant Books and Wills, 1270- 1800 and 1900-58
The records of wills and administrations now in the National Archives include the following:
- Original wills and administration papers lodged in the Principal Registry since 1904, and in most District Registries since 1900 (indexed in the annual Calendars; wills and administration papers lodged in Belfast and Londonderry and most of those lodged in Armagh are in P.R.O.N.I., Belfast)
- Will books containing copies of most wills proved in District Registries since 1858, and of some wills proved in the Principal Registry in 1874, 1876, 1891 and 1896 (indexed in the annual Calendars; the will books for Armagh, Belfast and Londonderry are in P.R.O.N.I., Belfast)
- Grant books containing copies of grants made in the Principal Registry since 1922 and in 1878, 1883, 1891 and 1893, and of most grants made in the District Registries since 1858 (indexed in the annual calendars; the grant books for Armagh and Belfast up to 1885 are in the National Archives; later grant books for Armagh, Belfast and Londonderry are in P.R.O.N.I., Belfast)
- Betham's abstracts of wills proved in the Prerogative Court before 1800, of administrations granted in the Prerogative Court before 1802, and of wills proved in the Kildare Diocesan Court before 1827 (indexed in Vicar's Index, the Indexes to Prerogative Grants, and the Index to Wills of the Diocese of Kildare reprinted from the Journal of the Kildare Archaeological Society, iv, no. 6. (1905))
- Inland Revenue registers of wills and administrations, 1828-39 (indexed in separate indexes which cover the period 1828-79; for the years 1840-57 these indexes give details which do not appear in the general indexes referred to above)
- Charitable Donations and Bequests will extract books containing abstracts of wills which made charitable bequests, 1800- 1961 (there is a separate card index for the period 1800 - 58)
- Other copies and abstracts of wills and administrations for the periods both before and after 1858 (indexed in the main testamentary card index).
Records of births, marriages and deaths
All births, marriages and deaths occurring since 1864 (and Church of Ireland marriages occurring since 1 April 1845) should be on record in the General Register Office, 8-11 Lombard Street East, Dublin 2. For the period before 1864 parish registers provide the only record of most births, marriages and deaths. Catholic parish registers are normally still held by the parish priest, but there are microfilms of most of them for the period up to 1880 in the National Library, Kildare Street, Dublin 2. In some cases the written permission of the parish priest must be obtained before the microfilms can be seen. The National Archives has a copy of the National Library's list of the registers.Church of Ireland parish registers for the period up to 1870 are public
records. Registers are available for about one- third of the parishes.
Most are still held by the local clergy, although some are in the National
Archives and others are in the Representative Church Body Library, Braemor
Park, Dublin 14, and P.R.O.N.I., Belfast. There are microfilms or other
copies in the National Archives of some of the registers held by the clergy.
A list of all surviving registers is available in the National Archives.
The names and addresses of the clergy are given in the Church of Ireland
Directory. A list and a card index of registers in the National Archives
can also be consulted.
Records of marriage licences provide information concerning some Church
of Ireland marriages before 1845. Persons wishing to obtain a licence to
marry without having banns called were required to enter into a bond with
the bishop of the diocese. The licences and bonds do not survive, but the
indexes to the bonds lodged in each Diocesan Court and the Prerogative
Court are available in the National Archives. Some of the Indexes have
been published. Betham's abstracts to Prerogative and Dublin Diocesan marriage
licences give further details. Some other records of marriage licences
are indexed in the testamentary card index.
Before Civil Registration
Should you wish to search before 1864 you need to know their Religion ? their place of Birth, Parish, District Town, its is possible to search Both Tithe Applotment Books & Griffith Valuation, c. 1830 & 1855 which records the head of Household, Surname and first name for the 32 Country of Ireland. Civil registration began in Ireland in 1864 for Births, Deaths, and Marriages, while Non-Catholic Marriages began 1845,(civil).
Additional Sites
We include the following sites to further help you in your search, if YOU know sites that you like ! please forward the full detail.
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Browse Ireland Web Directory |
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The following vital records can be researched and the relevant documentation sent to you for a flat fee.
The XE.com Universal Currency Converter
Document |
Type of Copy |
Cost |
| Birth Certificate | Xerox (photocopy) | US$30 - GB-20 - A$46 |
| Marriage Certificate | Xerox (photocopy) | US$30 - GB20 - A$46 |
| Death Certificate | Xerox (photocopy) | US$30 - GB20 - A$46 |
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