You can begin your search for Irish genealogy records with a free account on FamilySearch. They offer various online databases, including indexed 1911 census returns, tithe applotment books, and calendars of wills and administration.
There’s also a great collection of Catholic parish registers, but they are not indexed and must be searched individually.
Griffith’s Valuation
The lack of census records for the mid-nineteenth century means that Griffith’s Valuation is vital to Irish family historians. It’s a census substitute used to record the people responsible for paying tax on each parcel of land across Ireland. It was carried out between 1847 and 1864.
The main benefit of this collection is that it provides a wealth of information about who was living in the area where your ancestor lived. In addition to listing people in terms of their head of household, it also provides information about the size and type of property they had. This information can be particularly useful in determining where your ancestor lived in the early years of their life in Ireland.
It’s worth noting that Griffith’s Valuation was compiled to identify people who were obligated to pay the Poor Rate, a tax to support people with low incomes in Ireland. Therefore, it’s not a list of every person in the country and does not include those who were evicted from their homes due to non-payment of rates.
This collection is a hugely valuable resource, and it’s free on Findmypast and Ask About Ireland (although you will need to know the exact name of the ancestor you are searching for). You can also access the original volumes of the collection in local libraries across the country and several significant repositories in Dublin, including The National Library and the Public Record Office.
Public Record Office of Northern Ireland
The Public Record Office of Northern Ireland, located in Belfast’s Titanic Quarter, is the official place of deposit for archives in Northern Ireland. It operates under the statutory requirements set out in the Public Records Act of 1923. It is responsible for identifying and ensuring that historical and evidential value records are preserved and accessible to those who want to explore them.
Just like the free Irish genealogy records, archives contain millions of documents applicable to the family historian, including church records, land valuation books, and letters and diaries. They can also be accessed online. PRONI has a comprehensive website with guidance on how to do research. These digitized archives include maps and 19th Century street directories, and searchable catalogs for its 1.5 million archived items collection.
One of the most valuable sources for Irish genealogy is a census, a national enumeration of all citizens at a particular time. It gathers information on the number of people living in a given area, their age, religion, occupation, and other facts about them. It is possible to browse the entire census for a particular county, district electoral division, townland, and even by street.
Throughout the centuries, there have been significant population movements across the island. This has been partly due to mass emigration from the Ulster Plantations to England, Scotland, and North America in the 1800s. Still, it has also resulted from natural disasters such as the Great Famine.
National Library of Ireland
The National Library of Ireland is one of the most impressive libraries in the world and is an essential resource for anyone researching Irish genealogy. It is home to the most comprehensive collection of Irish documentary material, and each page is preserved to represent the country’s history and heritage. Thousands of people visit the National Library annually to carry out family history research, and the staff can offer helpful resources and advice.
Many of the library’s filmed records, including the Catholic parish registers and the Tithe Applotment Books, are now available online. The library also has a substantial collection of microfilm newspaper copies, and the staff can provide advice on tracing your Irish ancestors.
Before visiting the library, it’s a good idea to draw out a family tree diagram of your ancestor’s relationships to have a statement of what records to search for. This is particularly useful if you’re unsure of the dates of births, marriages, and deaths, and it can help identify any gaps in your knowledge.
Another critical step is talking to your family and learning as much as possible about your ancestors. This will save time and money that would otherwise be spent researching the wrong records. Once you know more about your ancestors, you can begin your research earnestly.
Ask About Ireland
Tracing your Irish roots may seem daunting, but it’s much easier than just a few years ago. Today, you can find a vast amount of information online and offline from sources that are available for free. These include the LDS Church’s Family History Library; the National Archives of Ireland; Irish Ships Passengers Lists; and more.
The National Archives website is a great place to start your research. It offers a variety of searchable resources like tithe applotment books (census substitutes), church records, and a complete set of the 1901 and 1911 Census records for all 32 counties. It also holds more difficult-to-locate documents, such as marriage license bonds and soldiers’ wills.
Another good resource is FindMyPast Ireland, which houses millions of Irish records. Its collection includes unique prison and court records and land and estate records. Its extensive searchable catalog of church records also covers baptisms, marriages, and deaths. It also hosts Thoms Directories, which are household records of Dublin residents.
While the most critical information to gather is your ancestor’s origin in Ireland, you can uncover even more fascinating details through their life story. Those details might be their birth, death, or emigration date and location. You might find out their occupation or other exciting details of their daily lives. You can connect them with other relatives who have also researched their ancestry.