Finding Your Irish Ancestors: a Beginner's Guide
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Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data Ouimette, David S. Finding your Irish ancestors : a beginner’s guide / by David S. Ouimette. p. cm. Includes bibliographical references and index. 9781618589712 ISBN 13: 978-1-59331-293-0 (softcover : alk. paper) 1. Ireland-Genealogy- Handbooks, manuals, etc. 2. Irish Americans—Genealogy—Handbooks, manuals, etc. I. Title. CS483.095 2005 929’.1’0720415-dc22 2005021165 Copyright © 2005 The Generations Network, Inc. Published by Ancestry Publishing, a division of The Generations Network, Inc. 360 West 4800 North Provo, Utah 84604 All rights reserved. All brand and product names are trademarks or registered trademarks of their respective companies. No part of this publication may be reproduced in any form without written permission of the publisher, except by a reviewer, who may quote brief passages for review. First Printing 2005 1098765432 2 978-1-59331-293-0 Printed in the United States of America. In memory of my grandfathers, William O’Connor (1888-1944) of Mulgrave Bridge, Ballyard, County Kerry, and George Gilbert Love (1893-1978) of Abbeylara, County Longford Kylemore Abbey, Ireland. Table of Contents Title Page Copyright Page Table of Figures Acknowledgments Introduction 1 - Basic Principles 2 - Time Line of Irish History 3 - Surnames and Given Names 4 - Place Names and Land Divisions 5 - The Irish Overseas 6 - Birth, Marriage, and Death Certificates 7 - Church Records 8 - Censuses and Census Substitutes 9 - Land and Property Records 10 - Gravestone Inscriptions 11 - Newspapers 12 - Commercial and Social Directories 13 - Wills and Administrations 14 - National School Registers 15 - Occupation Records 16 - Internet Sites 17 - The Family History Library 18 - Irish Heritage Centres 19 - Archives and Libraries 20 - Visiting Ireland Appendix - Registration Districts Glossary - Terms Used in Irish Family History Bibliography - Recommended Reading Index Table of Figures Figure 1-1 Figure 1-2 Figure 1-3 Figure 4-1 Figure 4-2 Figure 4-3 Figure 4-4 Figure 4-5 Figure 5-1 Figure 5-2 Figure 5-3 Figure 5-4 Figure 6-1 Figure 6-2 Figure 6-3 Figure 6-4 Figure 7-1 Figure 7-2 Figure 7-3 Figure 7-4 Figure 8-1 Figure 8-2 Figure 8-3 Figure 8-4 Figure 9-1 Figure 9-2 Figure 9-3 Figure 10-1 Figure 10-2 Figure 11-1 Figure 12-1 Figure 12-2 Figure 13-1 Figure 13-2 Figure 13-3 Figure 14-1 Figure 15-1 Figure 15-2 Acknowledgments This book would not have been possible without the help of many people. I particularly wish to thank my mother, Marilyn Ouimette, and her brother Thomas O‘Connor for preserving and celebrating our Irish heritage; my wife, Deanna, and our children (Michael, Celeste, Derek, Chantelle, Nathan, Richard, and Peter) for their patience and support throughout this two-year project; my wife for reviewing so many draft manuscripts; Lou Szucs and Jennifer Utley for having confidence in me and encouraging me to write this book; David Rencher, AG, FUGA, and Elizabeth Kelley Kerstens, CGRS, CGL, for peer reviewing and offering many valuable suggestions; Anastasia Sutherland Tyler for her tremendous talents and thoughtful advice while editing this book and for the great layout; Rob Davis for working his magic on the cover design and illustrations; Jennifer Browning and Matthew Wright for helping me publish my first family history articles; the staff and consultants of many Irish archives and libraries, especially Gregory O’Connor (Archivist at the National Archives of Ireland), Colette O’Flaherty (Assistant Keeper at the National Library of Ireland), Aideen Ireland (Senior Archivist at the National Library of Ireland), Dr. Susan Hood (Assistant Archivist at the Representative Church Body Library); the staff of the Family History Library; Christine Branch for her helpful suggestions; and André Brummer for approving this project. I also wish to thank a number of individuals and institutions for permission to use illustrations, including Rosemary ffolliott, the Diocese of Galway, the National Archives of Ireland, the Representative Church Body Library, the Valuation Office, Genealogical Publishing Company, Oxford University Press, the General Register Office, The National Archives (of England), and the Family History Department. Fishing boats in Dublin, Ireland. Introduction If you are lucky enough to be Irish, you are lucky enough. —Irish proverb Finding your Irish ancestors is a rewarding experience. As you discover more about your roots in Ireland and the Irish legacy you have inherited, you will see yourself and your family differently, with a greater appreciation for those who went before you. This book will help you find your Irish ancestors, learn about their families, and strengthen your connection with the past. If you are like most people of Irish descent, you have an ancestor who left Ireland many years ago. What was your ancestor like? Where did your ancestor live in Ireland? Does the house still stand, occupied by now-distant cousins? Why did he or she leave such a beautiful country, saying goodbye to family, friends, and home for a new life across the ocean? Can you get in contact with relatives now living in Ireland? These are some of the questions you might be asking as you search for your Irish ancestors. This book will help you find the answers to these and many other questions. Now is the best time to trace your Irish ancestry. Many Irish family history records have become readily accessible in recent years, including an ever-growing collection on the Internet. Millions of people worldwide are searching for their roots—some of these people may be your Irish cousins. What motivates us to learn about our ancestors? For some of us, the search for ancestors is a journey of self-discovery. As we learn about the lives of our forebears, we gain a clearer picture of our own life and discover what makes us who we are. Each of us wants to answer the age-old question, “Where did I come from?” Genealogy links us with the past, and with that connectedness comes a strong grounding and self-awareness. Some people love a mystery and get caught up in the thrill of the chase, the enjoyment of hunting down those elusive ancestors. They enjoy the detective work called family history. Others find pleasure in building a legacy of family history for their posterity, preserving family photos, writing biographical sketches of their ancestors, and constructing the family tree. Some people trace their Irish ancestry in order to become Irish citizens. If either of your parents were born in Ireland, you automatically qualify for Irish citizenship. If any of your grandparents were born in Ireland, you can also become an Irish citizen. In fact, any children born to you after you obtain your Irish citizenship can apply for Irish citizenship themselves. Once you are an Irish citizen, you are also a citizen of the European Community. All you need to do to become an Irish citizen is fill out the required forms, submitting proof that you descend from a grandparent of Irish birth. Some people trace their Irish roots because they are enamored by all things Irish and want to feel a greater bond with their Irish heritage. It is a wonderful thing to have Irish ancestry. How to Find Your Irish Ancestors This book will lead you through five recommended steps to find your Irish ancestors. These steps, along with the chapters in this book that cover each topic, are: 1. Begin your search at home, following the basic principles of family history (chapter 1) 2. Learn about Irish history and your Irish family names (chapter 2-3) 3. Find your immigrant ancestor’s place of origin in Ireland (chapters 4-5) 4. Search the major Irish record sources to find your ancestors in Ireland: a. Birth, marriage, and death certificates (chapter 6) b. Church records (chapter 7) c. Censuses (chapter 8) d. Land records (chapter 9) 5. Search other Irish sources to learn even more: a. Gravestone inscriptions (chapter 10) b. Newspapers (chapter 11) c. Directories (chapter 12) d. Wills (chapter 13) e. School registers (chapter 14) f. Occupation records (chapter 15) There are many places you can go to learn about your Irish ancestors, including the Internet, the Family History Library, Irish Heritage Centres, and various archives and libraries (chapters 16-19). You might even decide to take a trip to Ireland to find your Irish ancestors (chapter 20). Let’s get started! References and Selected Reading Faulkner, Frank. Irish Citizenship Handbook. 2d ed. Springfield, Mass.: Hungry Hill, 1994. Beautiful Irish Countryside. 1 Basic Principles I saw behind me those who had gone, and before me, those who are to come. I looked back and saw my father, and his father, and all our fathers, and in front, to see my son, and his son, and the sons upon sons beyond. And their eyes were my eyes. As I felt, so they had felt, and were to feel, as then, so now, as to-morrow and forever.... I was of them, they were of me, and in me, and I in all of them. —Richard Llewellyn, How Green Was My Valley Here are a few basic principles and practices of good genealogy that will help you trace your Irish roots. Refer back to these guidelines often and you will have more success finding your Irish ancestors: Begin at home Interview your relatives Go from the known to the unknown Collaborate, collaborate, collaborate Check published family histories Keep it simple Find your ancestor’s precise place of origin Document and organize your work Create a research plan Use multiple sources Research siblings too Learn the history and geography Set reasonable expectations Enjoy the journey Begin at Home Family history begins in the home.