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If you send me an email with your family details I'll send you a free assessment of where to look next. See my homepage for more details.
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Online Resources for All Ireland or multiple counties
Apart from the website of the archives and libraries, I have found the following useful in my research.
- 1911 census now available online at the national archives for Dublin only.
- The Family Search IGI The International Genealogical Index is part of the family history project of the Church of the Latter Day Saints. It includes the births and marriages registered in Ireland from 1864 to 1868, some parish records from the Cork-Kerry border and other, less reliable entries, entered by individuals.
- Townlands IreAtlas database is invaluable for searching for townland, civil parish, barony, county etc. It is particular on spelling and uppercase/lowercase so try variations.
- Poor Law Unions by county with workhouse pictures and history.
- Irish Times Ancestors site is very good for the free information. It does have some good county by county links, catholic parish maps and surname distributions to explore for free and suggestions of other resources both online and in archives.
- Ireland Old News has transcripts of old Irish newspapers from all around the country that are worth searching for your more newsworthy ancestors' names.
- Irish Obituaries more than 50 thousand people who were born or died in Ireland from Tiara.
- Failte Romhat (was Hayes1966) Great site with a Cork slant but it includes a searchable countrywide extract from the Griffiths valuation.
- Census Finder has links to various census information online.
- Leitrim-Roscommon 1901 census is a great site for these midland counties and has expanded to show transcriptions for Galway, Leitrim, Mayo, Roscommon, Sligo, Wexford and Westmeath. Also on this site are a surname database for Leitrim and Roscommon, a partial Griffiths valuation for Galway, Leitrim, Limerick and Roscommon and other gems.
- Ancestry is good for Antrim and Louth in particular. Also for legal documents if your ancestors were landed gentry.
- Celtic Cousins has links for Clare, Galway, Limerick, Mayo and Roscommon.
- Marriages in Walkers' Hibernian Magazine are also on celticcousins, 1771 to 1812.
- Central Signposting Index has a database of records from Armagh, Cavan, Donegal, Fermanagh, Leitrim, Limerick, Sligo, Tyrone and Wexford. They don't show you the actual data, just that a record exists and them you have to pay to get it.
- Dave Jassie's site has material from Armagh, Down, Antrim and Belfast City.
- Surname History. Want to know the history of an Irish surname? You may be surprised. This is also useful for checking alternate spellings of surnames.
- Irish Family History Foundation allows free searches of records from a number of county databases. You can pay extra to get the details of individual database records but it's quite expensive and you don't get the complete original either. They currently have records from Antrim, Armagh, Cavan, North and West Cork, Down, parts of Dublin, Fermanagh, Galway, Kildare, Kilkenny, Leitrim, Limerick, Longford, Mayo, Roscommon, Tipperary, Tyrone and Westmeath. Carlow, Donegal, Sligo and Wicklow are pending.
- Try Googling the name and county, townland or parish. This can throw up a lot of interesting websites and mailing lists, addresses, planning applications, Government papers, etc and is highly recommended
- Origins is a paid site that is worth checking out. You can see a copy of the original Griffith Valuation page, maps and other databases. There is free access at the National Library.
Emigration
- The Famine Irish Passenger record data file is a searchable database of 604,596 people who arrived in the US between December 1846 and December 1851. Online
- The National Archives has a transportation records database and petitions relating to convicts transported to Australia between 1791 and 1868.
- The Immigrant Ships Transcribers Guild lists half a million passengers who arrived in the United States of America since the 1600s up to 1929. Remember many Irish emigrants left via England so their departure port may be English.
- Castle Garden has access to a database of 10 million immigrant from 1830 to 1892.
- Ellis Island lists all people who came through Ellis Island between 1892 and 1924.
- Do you want to apply for Irish citizenship by descent? See the website of the Irish Embassy in Washington.
- Ancestry has recently added a huge (paid) database of US immigration records which is excellent.
Antrim
The Griffiths Valuation was taken in 1861-2 in Antrim.
- Ancestry has some good data. Ireland Householder's Index, County Antrim
- Antrim 1851 census record fragments survived the 1922 fire.
- Dave Jassie's site has material from Armagh, Down, Antrim and Belfast City.
- The terrific From Ireland website has Belfast 1901 census records.
- Irish Family History Foundation allows free searches of records from a number of county databases. You can pay extra to get the details of individual database records but it's quite expensive and you don't get the complete original either. They currently have records from Antrim, Armagh, Cavan, North and West Cork, Down, parts of Dublin, Fermanagh, Galway, Kildare, Kilkenny, Leitrim, Limerick, Longford, Mayo, Roscommon, Tipperary, Tyrone and Westmeath.
Armagh
The Griffith's Valuation was taken in 1864 in Armagh.
- Central Signposting Index has a database of records from Armagh, Cavan, Donegal, Fermanagh, Leitrim, Limerick, Sligo, Tyrone and Wexford.
- Dave Jassie's site has material from Armagh, Down, Antrim and Belfast City.
- Irish Family History Foundation allows free searches of records from a number of county databases. You can pay extra to get the details of individual database records but it's quite expensive and you don't get the complete original either. They currently have records from Antrim, Armagh, Cavan, North and West Cork, Down, parts of Dublin, Fermanagh, Galway, Kildare, Kilkenny, Leitrim, Limerick, Longford, Mayo, Roscommon, Tipperary, Tyrone and Westmeath.
Carlow
The Griffiths Valuation was taken in Carlow in 1852 to 3.
- Carlow Records A mixed bunch.
Cavan
The Griffiths Valuation was taken in Cavan in 1856 to 7.
- Adrian's Co Cavan site has lists such as marriage bonds and flax growers.
- Central Signposting Index has a database of records from Armagh, Cavan, Donegal, Fermanagh, Leitrim, Limerick, Sligo, Tyrone and Wexford.
- Irish Family History Foundation allows free searches of records from a number of county databases. You can pay extra to get the details of individual database records but it's quite expensive and you don't get the complete original either. They currently have records from Antrim, Armagh, Cavan, North and West Cork, Down, parts of Dublin, Fermanagh, Galway, Kildare, Kilkenny, Leitrim, Limerick, Longford, Mayo, Roscommon, Tipperary, Tyrone and Westmeath.
Clare
The Griffiths Valuation was taken in Clare in 1855.
- Clare Library has a great list of sources to search online including 1901 census, 1855 Griffiths Valuation, 1846 Slater's Directory and Bassetts Directory principle towns 1880-1.
- Celtic Cousins has links for Clare, Galway, Limerick, Mayo and Roscommon.
Cork
The population of Cork peaked in 1841 at 854,000 and had fallen to 650,000 by 1851 through death and emigration. Note that the Griffiths Valuation was taken from 1851 to 1853 in Co Cork.
- Failte Romhat (was Hayes1966) Great site with all sorts of Cork records to view including Slater's, Pigot's directories and a recently improved searchable extract from the Griffiths valuation (countrywide) which is very useful.
- Ridgway Cork County Database collection This includes things like the 1796 Spinning Wheel Premiums, Soldiers discharged prior to 1853. You can search it from the homepage. (Seems to be a dead link)
- Ginni Swanton's County Cork Records. An eclectic collection including an index to wills to 1800 in the Cork and Ross Diocese.
- Mallow Archaeological Society has a database of Mallow names.
- Driscolls of Cork This website has a great collection of DRISCOLL family information based in Cork.
- People's Republic of Cork has nothing to do with family history but is great fun.
- The terrific From Ireland website has a selection of good Cork records.
- Irish Family History Foundation allows free searches of records from a number of county databases. You can pay extra to get the details of individual database records but it's quite expensive and you don't get the complete original either. They currently have records from Antrim, Armagh, Cavan, North and West Cork, Down, parts of Dublin, Fermanagh, Galway, Kildare, Kilkenny, Leitrim, Limerick, Longford, Mayo, Roscommon, Tipperary, Tyrone and Westmeath.
Donegal
The Griffith's Valuation was taken in 1857 in Donegal.
- Donegal Genealogy Resources has a compilation of hard to find Donegal records.
- Central Signposting Index has a database of records from Armagh, Cavan, Donegal, Fermanagh, Leitrim, Limerick, Sligo, Tyrone and Wexford.
Down
The Griffith's Valuation was taken in 1863/4 in Down.
- County Down Northern Ireland genealogy has a searchable database for Flax Grants, Tithe records, Griffiths and census.
- Dave Jassie's site has material from Armagh, Down, Antrim and Belfast City.
- Lecale History has material on the barony of Lecale in County Down.
- Irish Family History Foundation allows free searches of records from a number of county databases. You can pay extra to get the details of individual database records but it's quite expensive and you don't get the complete original either. They currently have records from Antrim, Armagh, Cavan, North and West Cork, Down, parts of Dublin, Fermanagh, Galway, Kildare, Kilkenny, Leitrim, Limerick, Longford, Mayo, Roscommon, Tipperary, Tyrone and Westmeath.
Dublin
The Griffiths Valuation was taken in Dublin from 1848 to 1851.
- Shaws Dublin City Directory 1850
- Chapters of Dublin History has online history books.
- Dublin Heritage has a small database of transcribed church records.
- Irish Family History Foundation allows free searches of records from a number of county databases. You can pay extra to get the details of individual database records but it's quite expensive and you don't get the complete original either. They currently have records from Antrim, Armagh, Cavan, North and West Cork, Down, parts of Dublin, Fermanagh, Galway, Kildare, Kilkenny, Leitrim, Limerick, Longford, Mayo, Roscommon, Tipperary, Tyrone and Westmeath.
Fermanagh
The Griffiths Valuation was taken in Fermanagh from 1862.
- Fermanagh Gold has a selection of records and messages to search. Register your email first to get access. (Seems to be dormant now)
- Central Signposting Index has a database of records from Armagh, Cavan, Donegal, Fermanagh, Leitrim, Limerick, Sligo, Tyrone and Wexford.
- Irish Family History Foundation allows free searches of records from a number of county databases. You can pay extra to get the details of individual database records but it's quite expensive and you don't get the complete original either. They currently have records from Antrim, Armagh, Cavan, North and West Cork, Down, parts of Dublin, Fermanagh, Galway, Kildare, Kilkenny, Leitrim, Limerick, Longford, Mayo, Roscommon, Tipperary, Tyrone and Westmeath.
Galway
The Griffiths Valuation was taken in Galway in 1855.
- Galway Worldgen project has some useful transcriptions.
- Celtic Cousins has links for Clare, Galway, Limerick, Mayo and Roscommon.
- Leitrim-Roscommon 1901 census has expanded to show transcriptions for Galway, Leitrim, Mayo, Roscommon, Sligo, Wexford and Westmeath. Also on this site are a surname database for Leitrim and Roscommon, a partial Griffiths valuation for Galway, Leitrim, Limerick and Roscommon and other gems.
- Lalley has 24 parishes in North Galway in the Griffith Valuation.
- Irish Family History Foundation allows free searches of records from a number of county databases. You can pay extra to get the details of individual database records but it's quite expensive and you don't get the complete original either. They currently have records from Antrim, Armagh, Cavan, North and West Cork, Down, parts of Dublin, Fermanagh, Galway, Kildare, Kilkenny, Leitrim, Limerick, Longford, Mayo, Roscommon, Tipperary, Tyrone and Westmeath.
Kerry
The Griffiths Valuation was taken in Kerry in 1852.
- Kerry 1901 census for various parishes.
Kildare
The Griffiths Valuation was taken in Kildare in 1851.
- A few Kildare genealogy links.
- Irish Family History Foundation allows free searches of records from a number of county databases. You can pay extra to get the details of individual database records but it's quite expensive and you don't get the complete original either. They currently have records from Antrim, Armagh, Cavan, North and West Cork, Down, parts of Dublin, Fermanagh, Galway, Kildare, Kilkenny, Leitrim, Limerick, Longford, Mayo, Roscommon, Tipperary, Tyrone and Westmeath.
Kilkenny
The Griffiths Valuation was taken in Kilkenny in 1849-1850.
- Kilkenny Landowners 1876
- A few Kilkenny onlines records
- Irish Family History Foundation allows free searches of records from a number of county databases. You can pay extra to get the details of individual database records but it's quite expensive and you don't get the complete original either. They currently have records from Antrim, Armagh, Cavan, North and West Cork, Down, parts of Dublin, Fermanagh, Galway, Kildare, Kilkenny, Leitrim, Limerick, Longford, Mayo, Roscommon, Tipperary, Tyrone and Westmeath.
Laois
Laois used be be known as the Queen's County, sometimes also as Leix. The Griffiths Valuation was taken in Laois in 1851-2.
- Offaly Historical and Archaeological Society have some information on locations and people in Laois.
Leitrim
The Griffiths Valuation was taken in Leitrim from 1856.
- Central Signposting Index has a database of records from Armagh, Cavan, Donegal, Fermanagh, Leitrim, Limerick, Sligo, Tyrone and Wexford.
- Leitrim-Roscommon 1901 census has expanded to show transcriptions for Galway, Leitrim, Mayo, Roscommon, Sligo, Wexford and Westmeath. Also on this site are a surname database for Leitrim and Roscommon, a partial Griffiths valuation for Galway, Leitrim, Limerick and Roscommon and other gems.
- Irish Family History Foundation allows free searches of records from a number of county databases. You can pay extra to get the details of individual database records but it's quite expensive and you don't get the complete original either. They currently have records from Antrim, Armagh, Cavan, North and West Cork, Down, parts of Dublin, Fermanagh, Galway, Kildare, Kilkenny, Leitrim, Limerick, Longford, Mayo, Roscommon, Tipperary, Tyrone and Westmeath.
Limerick
The Griffiths Valuation was taken in Limerick in 1853.
- Connors genealogy Limerick site has assorted records for some parishes and surnames.
- Celtic Cousins has links for Clare, Galway, Limerick, Mayo and Roscommon.
- Central Signposting Index has a database of records from Armagh, Cavan, Donegal, Fermanagh, Leitrim, Limerick, Sligo, Tyrone and Wexford.
- Leitrim-Roscommon 1901 census has a partial Griffiths valuation for Limerick.
- Limerick City Library have some online resources worth checking.
- Irish Family History Foundation allows free searches of records from a number of county databases. You can pay extra to get the details of individual database records but it's quite expensive and you don't get the complete original either. They currently have records from Antrim, Armagh, Cavan, North and West Cork, Down, parts of Dublin, Fermanagh, Galway, Kildare, Kilkenny, Leitrim, Limerick, Longford, Mayo, Roscommon, Tipperary, Tyrone and Westmeath.
Longford
The Griffiths Valuation was taken in Longford in 1854.
- Longford Records including some parish records, the Spinning Wheel List 1796, the Tithe Applotment Lists c1820 and the Griffiths Valuation.
- Genealogy of County Longford has some great church records.
- Irish Family History Foundation allows free searches of records from a number of county databases. You can pay extra to get the details of individual database records but it's quite expensive and you don't get the complete original either. They currently have records from Antrim, Armagh, Cavan, North and West Cork, Down, parts of Dublin, Fermanagh, Galway, Kildare, Kilkenny, Leitrim, Limerick, Longford, Mayo, Roscommon, Tipperary, Tyrone and Westmeath.
Louth
The Griffith's Valuation was taken in 1854 in Louth.
- Lots of Louth sources
- Ancestry has some specific Louth records. Louth, Ireland: Parish and Probate Records
Mayo
The Griffiths Valuation was taken in Mayo between 1856 and 1857.
- Leitrim-Roscommon 1901 census has expanded to show transcriptions for Galway, Leitrim, Mayo, Roscommon, Sligo, Wexford and Westmeath.
- Celtic Cousins has links for Clare, Galway, Limerick, Mayo and Roscommon.
- Leitrim-Roscommon 1901 census has expanded to show transcriptions for Galway, Leitrim, Mayo, Roscommon, Sligo, Wexford and Westmeath. Also on this site are a surname database for Leitrim and Roscommon, a partial Griffiths valuation for Galway, Leitrim, Limerick and Roscommon and other gems.
- Lalley has 5 parishes in Mayo in the Griffith Valuation.
- Deese Manus has lots of links and transcriptions around Castlebar and Westport.
- Irish Family History Foundation allows free searches of records from a number of county databases. You can pay extra to get the details of individual database records but it's quite expensive and you don't get the complete original either. They currently have records from Antrim, Armagh, Cavan, North and West Cork, Down, parts of Dublin, Fermanagh, Galway, Kildare, Kilkenny, Leitrim, Limerick, Longford, Mayo, Roscommon, Tipperary, Tyrone and Westmeath.
Meath
The Griffith's Valuation was taken in 1855 in Meath.
- There are very few online records for Meath.
Monaghan
The Griffiths Valuation was taken in Mayo between 1858 and 1860.Offaly
Offaly was formerly known as the King's County. The Griffith's Valuation was taken in 1854 in Offaly.
- Offaly Baronies Refers to civil parishes.
- Offaly Historical and Archaelogical Society have some resources on places and people including letters from the ordinance survey in 1838.
Roscommon
The Griffith's Valuation was taken in 1857-8 in Roscommon.
- Leitrim-Roscommon 1901 census has expanded to show transcriptions for Galway, Leitrim, Mayo, Roscommon, Sligo, Wexford and Westmeath. Also on this site are a surname database for Leitrim and Roscommon, a partial Griffiths valuation for Galway, Leitrim, Limerick and Roscommon and other gems.
- Celtic Cousins has links for Clare, Galway, Limerick, Mayo and Roscommon.
- Irish Family History Foundation allows free searches of records from a number of county databases. You can pay extra to get the details of individual database records but it's quite expensive and you don't get the complete original either. They currently have records from Antrim, Armagh, Cavan, North and West Cork, Down, parts of Dublin, Fermanagh, Galway, Kildare, Kilkenny, Leitrim, Limerick, Longford, Mayo, Roscommon, Tipperary, Tyrone and Westmeath.
Sligo
The Griffith's Valuation was taken in 1858 in Sligo.
- Central Signposting Index has a database of records from Armagh, Cavan, Donegal, Fermanagh, Leitrim, Limerick, Sligo, Tyrone and Wexford.
- Leitrim-Roscommon 1901 census has a searchable database from the Synge (Elphin) census in the diocese of Elphin which is partly in Sligo.
Tipperary
The Griffith's Valuation of both North and South Riding of Tipperary was taken in 1850-1.
- Tipperary website that explains amongst other things, where you can search the closed catholic parish records of the Diocese of Cashel and Emly.
- Tipperary Gen Web page has a number of useful records.
- Irish Family History Foundation allows free searches of records from a number of county databases. You can pay extra to get the details of individual database records but it's quite expensive and you don't get the complete original either. They currently have records from Antrim, Armagh, Cavan, North and West Cork, Down, parts of Dublin, Fermanagh, Galway, Kildare, Kilkenny, Leitrim, Limerick, Longford, Mayo, Roscommon, Tipperary, Tyrone and Westmeath.
Tyrone
The Griffith's Valuation was taken in 1851 in Tyrone.
- Central Signposting Index has a database of records from Armagh, Cavan, Donegal, Fermanagh, Leitrim, Limerick, Sligo, Tyrone and Wexford.
- Irish Family History Foundation allows free searches of records from a number of county databases. You can pay extra to get the details of individual database records but it's quite expensive and you don't get the complete original either. They currently have records from Antrim, Armagh, Cavan, North and West Cork, Down, parts of Dublin, Fermanagh, Galway, Kildare, Kilkenny, Leitrim, Limerick, Longford, Mayo, Roscommon, Tipperary, Tyrone and Westmeath.
Waterford
The Griffith's Valuation was between 1848 and 1851 in Waterford.
- Waterford County library has excellent online links to search trade directories, death registers 1864 to 1901 and the Griffiths Valuation. Other libraries should follow this example.
Westmeath
The Griffith's Valuation was taken in 1854 in Westmeath.
- Leitrim-Roscommon 1901 census has expanded to show transcriptions for Galway, Leitrim, Mayo, Roscommon, Sligo, Wexford and Westmeath.
- Irish Family History Foundation allows free searches of records from a number of county databases. You can pay extra to get the details of individual database records but it's quite expensive and you don't get the complete original either. They currently have records from Antrim, Armagh, Cavan, North and West Cork, Down, parts of Dublin, Fermanagh, Galway, Kildare, Kilkenny, Leitrim, Limerick, Longford, Mayo, Roscommon, Tipperary, Tyrone and Westmeath.
Wexford
The Griffiths Valuation was taken in 1853 in Wexford.
- Central Signposting Index has a database of records from Armagh, Cavan, Donegal, Fermanagh, Leitrim, Limerick, Sligo, Tyrone and Wexford.
- Leitrim-Roscommon 1901 census has expanded to show transcriptions for Galway, Leitrim, Mayo, Roscommon, Sligo, Wexford and Westmeath.
If you would like to make a donation, however large or small, to pay for the costs in keeping this website up to date with the most recent information and tips, please click here. You can choose the amount. Credit cards can be accepted using Paypal.
Do you need a woman on the ground in Ireland? I can search the archives for you. If you send me an email with your family details I'll send you a free assessment of where to look next. See homepage for more details.
K Dempsey
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