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It’s estimated that nearly forty million Americans descend from the Emerald Isle, making Irish genealogy a popular hobby nationwide. But given Ireland’s somewhat tragic history – famine, civil war, and a devastating fire – you’re lucky to find many surviving records with which to start your research. Still, you can trace your roots back to Ireland with some basic knowledge of the resources that do exist. We’ve listed five of those resources below:

Or you can start searching now at Ancestry.com

Top Five Irish Resources:

• Census Records: Ireland’s oldest surviving census dates from 1901. Earlier census records were lost in a fire that destroyed Dublin’s Public Record Office in 1922. However, you might try the U.S. Federal Census which, depending on the year, might include an ancestor’s birthplace and year of immigration.
  Search the U.S. Federal Census



• Immigration Records: Ships’ passenger lists and naturalization records can include facts about your ancestors ranging from birthplace and port of departure to destination in America. The New York Passenger Lists Index is particularly helpful since more than one million Irish immigrants entered the United States through ports in New York.
  Search the U.S. Immigration Collection



• Parish Records: Irish churches, both Catholic and Protestant, preserved many of Ireland’s surviving vital records – including birth, marriage, death, and burial records. Parish registers are also some of the oldest known records for Ireland, many of them dating from the late Middle Ages.
  Search Irish parish and probate records



• Griffith’s Primary Valuation: From 1847 to 1864, the Irish Valuation Office conducted a land occupation survey for the purpose of determining taxes. Virtually the next best thing to a census, the Griffith’s Valuation included about one million landowners and tenant farmers along with descriptions of their respective properties.



• Civil Registration: Ireland’s civil registration records (births, deaths, and marriages) date back to the nineteenth century. A large collection covering 1845 to 1921 has been indexed and is now available at the General Register Office at Joyce House in Dublin.

Where to Find Them:

• Ancestry.com: Ancestry.com houses the largest assortment of family history records on the Web. Included in their collection are several databases devoted to Irish genealogy.
  Visit Ancestry.com



• LDS Family History Library: Based in Salt Lake City, the Family History Library is the largest repository for Irish records in the United States. The LDS Church also operates small satellite centers across the country where you can order microfilmed copies.
  Visit the LDS Family History Library



• National Archives of Ireland (NAI): With headquarters in Dublin, the NAI houses census, civil registration, and immigration records. You’ll also find estate and tax records such as Griffith’s Primary Valuation.
  Visit the National Archive of Ireland



• National Library of Ireland (NLI): In addition to their genealogical records, the NLI offers an assortment of documentary materials such as manuscripts, periodicals, and photographs.
  Visit the National Library of Ireland



• Public Record Office of Northern Ireland (PRONI): Located in Belfast, the PRONI offers much of the same information as the NAI.
  Visit the Public Record Office of Northern Ireland

Are you ready to find your Irish ancestors?
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