Ireland Presbyterian Records - What else you can try
Back to Ireland Guided Research.
This page will give you additional guidance and resources to find information in Protestant records. Use this page if a record cannot be found on Ireland Protestant Guided Research page. If researching after 1864 (after 1845 for marriages), see Civil Records.
Additional Online Resources
Currently, there are no additional databases for Presbyterian birth records. See, Substitute records below to help locate birth information in other records.
Substitute Records
Additional Records
Substitute records may contain information about more than one event and are used when records for an event are not available. The accuracy of the record is contingent upon when the information was recorded. Search for information in multiple substitute records to confirm the accuracy of these records.
| Use these substitute records to locate information about your ancestor: | ||
| Why to search the records | ||
Guided Research |
Beginning in 1864, the government required the registration of all births, marriages, and deaths. Registration of non-Catholic marriages began in 1845. | |
| Census substitutes are lists of individuals in a specific place at a given time. Various lists have been compiled by church and civil authorities in Ireland. Due to the loss of many government census records, census substitutes are especially valuable. | ||
| Census records list the age and birthplace of the recorded individuals, allowing researchers to discover birth places and calculate birth years. The 1901 census is the earliest complete census. The 1911 census is the only other complete census. Most of the previous censuses (1821-1891) were destroyed in a fire in 1922. However, some fragments exist for the 1821-1851 censuses. | ||
| Monumental or tombstone inscriptions or other cemetery records may list birth, marriage, and death information. | ||
| Probate records may list death information, including dates and relations of the deceased. | ||
| May contain birth, marriage, or death notices. Obituaries also contain similar information. | ||
Finding Town of Origin
Knowing an ancestor’s hometown can be important to locate more records. If a person immigrated to the United States, try Finding Town of Origin to find the ancestor’s hometown.
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Tips for finding vital records
Successfully finding vital records in online databases or other repositories depends on a few key points. Try the following search suggestions:
- Add information. For common names, add more information to narrow the search such as approximate birth date or parent's names if known.
- Spelling variations. Your ancestor's name may be misspelled. Search with spelling variations for the first and last name of your ancestor.
- Search other party. Search for the parents or spouse.
- Know county. Because of the abundance of common names, knowing the county is important to narrow down the search. Go to Finding the Ireland County or Parish of Origin to learn how to find the county.
- Date range. Expand the date range of the search by 5 years.
- Check PRONI. The Public Records Office of Northern Ireland (PRONI) has copies of most Presbyterian records. See PRONI Guide to Church Records for more information.
Why the Record may not Exist
Records Start
Presbyterians entered Ireland, mainly Northern Ireland, in the early 1600s. Congregations started keeping records in the early 1800s.
Records Destroyed
Each congregation kept their own records; the survival of records depends on the congregation.