Genealogy: Finding your Irish ancestors
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Transcript of Genealogy: Finding your Irish ancestors
P R E S E N T E D B Y
E L A I N E J O N E S H AY E S
L A R A M I E C O U N T Y L I B R A RY S Y S T E M
Genealogy: Finding Your Irish
Ancestors
Irish Immigration History
American Colonial and Revolutionary Irish
Immigration:
According to the Dictionary of American History,“approximately 50,000 to 100,000 Irishmen came to
America in the 1600s, while 150,000 more Irish
arrived in the 1700s.”
A large group arrived between 1715-1775, many
were Presbyterians from Northern Ireland
(Ulster).
Irish or Scots-Irish?
These early Ulster immigrants came to be known in
America as the "Scots-Irish". Many were descendants of
Scots who had been settled in Ireland by the British
government during the 17th-century.
They at first referred to themselves simply as "Irish,"
without the qualifier "Scots." It was not until more than a
century later, following the surge in Irish immigration
after the Potato Famine of the 1840s, that the descendants
of the earlier Irish immigrants began to refer to
themselves as "Scots-Irish" to distinguish them from the
predominantly Catholic, new wave of immigrants from
Ireland.
Nineteenth Century Irish
Immigration
Irish immigration greatly increased in the
1820s.
From 1820 to 1860; 2 million Irish arrived in
the U.S. or Canada, 75% of these during the
Great Irish Potato Famine of 1845–1852.
Of the total Irish immigrants to the U.S. in
this time period, many died crossing the
ocean due to disease and dismal conditions
of what became known as coffin ships.
The Irish Potato Famine (1845 – 1852)
Caused by “blight”
Fungus from Mexico
Destroyed the entire
potato crop
Irish grew potatoes
because it was more
economical
You could grow three
times more potatoes
than grain on the same
land
Effects of the Famine on the Irish
Population
One and a half million died of starvation or disease.
Two million emigrated to the U.S. and Canada.
The population of Ireland decreased by half between 1845 and 1855.
In 1910, there were more people in New York City of Irish heritage than Dublin’s whole population.
A total of 36,278,332 Americans—estimated at 11.9% of the total population—reported Irish ancestry in the 2008 American Community Survey conducted by the U.S. Census Bureau.
The life of Irish famine immigrants in
America:
Most Irish immigrants were unskilled laborers and worked
at jobs many Americans felt were fit only for servants or
slaves.
Because of the economic downturn of the 1850s their
presence was resented by Americans who felt they were
competition for scarce jobs and a burden on the
government/charities.
Review of Beginning/General
Genealogy
Record What You Already Know. Start with yourself and work backwards.
Begin Your Research at Home and Talk to Relatives.
Look for Compiled (published) Information in Books and Databases.
Research Collateral Ancestors (the FAN club).
Look for Original Records in the US and Canada: Census Records
Vital Records
Obituaries
Social Security Death Index
Land and Probate Records
Military Records
Church Records
Best Places to Start Your Ancestor
Search
Ancestry.com or Ancestry Library Edition
Heritage Quest (access through
laramiecountylibrary.org)
FamilySearch familysearch.org
FindaGrave www.findagrave.com
RootsWeb www.rootsweb.ancestry.com
USGenWeb usgenweb.org
Cyndi’s List www.cyndislist.com/uk/irl
U.S. National Archives www.archives.gov
Google.com www.google.com
What’s in a name?
Surnames:
– O’ and Mc’ could be dropped from or added to your
ancestor’s surname. Example: Connor, Connors and
O’Connor.
– As long as it is phonetically the same, it is probably your
surname. Example: Maher and Meagher.
Given Names:
Use a Google search for variants of given names.
Example: Delia and Biddy both nicknames for Bridget.
www.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~irlmayo2/name_variations
.html
Place Name Spelling Variations
Place Name: Use www.seanruad.com to find spelling
variations of places.
– Fill in the county. Leave everything else empty.
– Then look for a place that phonetically matches yours
– If you still can’t find your place-name, try to find it using
Google.
Maps: Use Google and the words “Parish map County
……”
Examples:
Ballynocker or Ballynogher
Queens County also Laois, Leix, Laoghis
Finding Your Irish Immigrant Ancestor's
Place of Birth in Ireland
Ask Relatives and search through Diaries, Letters, Family Papers
Vital Records - Especially Death Certificates and Probate Records.
Obituaries and Tombstone Inscriptions
Naturalization Records and Immigration Passenger Records
Biographies in County Histories
Church Records & Biographies in Church Histories
Military Records (including WWI Draft Cards)
Social Security SS-5 Application Forms
Irish Census Records
Census from 1821-1851 were largely destroyed by
fire.
Census from 1861-1891 were pulped by the
British government to save space during World
War I.
Those from 1901 and 1911 have survived and can
be searched on websites such as The National
Archives of Ireland
www.census.nationalarchives.ie.
Their was no Irish census in 1921, and later
Other Ways of Finding Your
Ancestor’s Birthplace in Ireland
Boston Pilot Missing Friends Database
infowanted.bc.edu and Ancestry.com/Ancestry
L.E.
Griffith's Valuation of Ireland
www.askaboutireland.ie/griffith-valuation
Surname Distribution
www.irishtimes.com/ancestor
Tithe Applotments
www.familysearch.org
Finding Records in Ireland
You need to do all your U.S. research first to find what county, parish or townland your ancestors were from.
You’ll need to know at least the county of origin and at least two surnames. Names of other family members will help narrow the search and give you collateral ancestors to research.
Some knowledge of Irish history will help narrow your search. You will likely need to search both British and Irish Archives for records especially pre-1922 records. Check the national archives/public records offices in Dublin and Belfast along with local county and/or church archives.
Irish Research Websites
Irish Genealogy www.irishgenealogy.ie
Irish Heritage Centres www.irish-roots.net
National Archives of Ireland http://www.nationalarchives.ie
UK National Archives www.nra.nationalarchives.gov.uk/nra
Cemeteries in Ireland www.historyfromheadstones.com
Public Records Office of the Republic of Ireland http://www.proni.gov.uk
General Registers Office Ireland http://www.groireland.ie
Free Websites for Finding Irish
Ancestors
Irish Genealogy Toolkit www.irish-genealogy-toolkit.com
Ellis Island www.ellisisland.org
Castle Garden www.castlegarden.org
Immigrant Ship Transcribers Guild www.immigrantships.net
GENUKI www.genuki.org.uk
Townlands Database www.seanruad.com
Failte Romhat www.failteromhat.com
Ireland & UK GenWeb www.iukgenweb.org
Republic of Ireland BMD Exchange vicki.thauvin.net/chance/ireland/bmd
Not Free Irish Ancestry Websites
FindMyPast (available in the LCLS library)
Irish Origins www.irishorigins.com
Irish Times www.irishtimes/ancestor
RootsIreland www.rootsireland.ie
Ancestry (available in the LCLS building)
Irish Townland Maps www.pasthomes.com
Irish Newspaper Archives www.irishnewsarchive.com
Books Available in the
LCLS Genealogy Collection
The Famine immigrants : lists of Irish immigrants arriving at the port of
New York, 1846-1851. GEN 929.3415 FAMI V.1-7
Ireland : 1841/1851 census abstracts. GEN 929.3417 MAST CENSUS 1841-
1851
Irish emigrants in North America. Author: Dobson, David. GEN 929.3415
DOBS PT.1-3
Irish passenger lists, 1841-1871: lists of passengers sailing from Londonderry
to American on ships of the J & J. Cooke Line and the McCorkell Line. GEN
325.24160973 MITC
Irish pedigrees : or, The origin and stem of the Irish nation GEN 929.3'415
OHAR V.1 -2
Ships from Ireland to early America, 1623-1850 GEN 929.3'415 DOBS V. 1 -3
Ulster sails west: the story of the great emigration from Ulster to North
America in the 18th century… GEN 939.3416097 MARS
Search the WYLD catalog at wyld.state.wy.us/larm and refer to my Irish
.
Consider Visiting the Places
Your Ancestors Lived
Thanks for Attending
Consider:
Researching in the LCLS Genealogy Collection
In books, microforms and Ancestry Library Edition
Ask a Genealogy Volunteer or LCLS Reference
Staff for assistance
Checking out a Genealogy How-To Book
Dewey Decimal Call Number 929
Searching Heritage Quest online through the LCLS
website at laramiecountylibrary.org.