Tracing Your Irish Family Tree

Tracing Your Irish Family Tree with Griffith's Valuation

Griffith's is essential to tracing your Irish Family Tree

One of the most used research tools in tracing your Irish family tree is through the use of Griffith's Valution of Ireland. Essentially Griffith's was a type of census of property owners in Ireland from 1848 - 1864. It was used to determine what portion of tax a landowner should pay in support of the poor within their poor law union. It was based, not only on the value of the property, but also on how much rent could be obtained from it.

This makes it extremely valuable to Irish researches as it contains, not only property owners - but renters as well. Although it will contain heads of households only, there is light here!! Griffith's Primary Valuation of Ireland can also shed light on a persons occupation, (all outbuildings were described and taxed as well, (if deemed appropriate)his financial status, his/her level of education and whether he possibly had family nearby. Look for siblings, parents, and other relatives to determine if this is YOUR ancestor.

Access Griffith's Valuation, Irish Wills and Irish Census records on Irish Origins

Tracing Your Irish Family Tree with Tithe Applotment Books

Tracing Your Irish Ancestors in Ireland will, sooner or later, cause you to do some research into the Tithe Applotment Books. In 1823 it was decided that each landowner should pay a tithe to the Church of Ireland.... Catholics and Protestant included. To this end a valuation was carried out between 1823 and 1838 when tithing was no longer compulsory. There were huge inequities in how much of a tithe was to be paid by a given landowner. So much so that those who were the poorest ended up paying the most - ie: your average potato farmer. This is a good thing, however for those millions of us whose ancestors WERE the poorest of the poor!

Despite it's inequities, the Tithe Applotment Books are one of the best resources for these years as so very little census records survived the Dublin Records Office fire in 1922. The main knowledge gained from the books are a townland name, landholder's name, area of land, and tithes payable. In 1831, these tithes became so unpopular that many were refusing to pay them. Clergymen in the churches were made to make lists of those who had refused - and these lists are now another source of information for those of us tracing our Irish family trees! The Tithe Defaulters lists are mainly for Counties Kilkenny and Tipperary although there are also some lists for Counties Carlow, Cork, Kerry, Laois, Limerick, Louth, Meath, Offaly, Waterford and Wexford.

Tracing Your Irish Family Tree with Great Resources

Tracing your Irish family tree is made easier here.

Access unique Irish and British genealogical data at The Origins Network



They have all you need to get started in your online research for your Irish Family Tree. Search your surname and gather valuable information about your family.

Tracing Your Irish Family Tree with Hearth Money Rolls

and surviving census records

Tracing Your Irish Family Tree using the Hearth Money Rolls is available for Counties Antrim, Armagh, Donegal, Fermanagh, Londonderry, Monaghan and Tyrone. They were compiled by parish and were for were a tax levied and based on the number of hearths in each house. (Yup - FIREPLACES!) This list shows the barony, surname, forename and townland of the individulas liable for paying the tax.

There are a few census records available for 1821, 1831, 1841 and 1851, but they are all just remnants. 1821 has only County Cavan, 1831 has nearly all the parishes in County Londonderry, virtually none that I could find for 1841 and the 1851 census survives for a few Parishes in County Antrim.

There is a census return for 1766 that was carried out by the Church of Ireland that still survives. It is divided up by Church of Ireland Parish - which virtually match the boundaries of the civil parishes of that time.

Try the FREE surname search at the Origins Network and trace your origins online

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