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Ireland Civil Registration: Difference between revisions

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Civil registration records are government records of births, marriages, and deaths. Because Irish civil registration records are indexed and cover most of the population, they are an important source of genealogical data, particularly of names, dates, and places of births, marriages, and deaths.  
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|Name=Ireland
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|Records=Civil Registration
|Rating=Standardized
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==Online Resources==
*'''1845-1958''' {{RecordSearch|1408347|Ireland Civil Registration Indexes, 1845-1958}} at FamilySearch - index
*[https://civilrecords.irishgenealogy.ie/churchrecords/civil-search.jsp IrishGenealogy] at Irishgenealogy.ie - index, images. Births: 1864-1921, Marriages: 1845-1946, Deaths: 1871-1971
*[http://www.rootsireland.ie/ RootsIreland] ($) Limited coverage for both the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland.
*[https://www.nidirect.gov.uk/services/go-groni-online GRONI] ($) Official government website. Access to both indexes and originals for Northern Ireland, 1922-present.
===Births===
*'''1620-1881''' {{RecordSearch|1584963|Ireland Births and Baptisms, 1620-1881}} at FamilySearch - index
*'''1864-1958''' [https://search.findmypast.com/search-world-records/irish-births-1864-1958 Irish Births 1864-1958] at Findmypast - index ($)
*'''1864-1958''' [https://www.ancestry.com/search/collections/2573/ Ireland, Civil Registration Births Index, 1864-1958] at Ancestry - index ($)
*'''1864-1972''' [https://www.irishgenealogy.ie Ireland Births Index and digital copies of Original Records, 1864-1921 (NI); 1864-1972 Ireland] at IrishGenealogy.ie - free


== General Historical Background  ==
===Marriages===
*'''1619-1898''' {{RecordSearch|1584964|Ireland Marriages, 1619-1898}} at FamilySearch - index
*'''1845-1958''' [https://search.findmypast.com/search-world-records/irish-marriages-1845-1958 Irish Marriages 1845-1958] at Findmypast - index ($)
*'''1845-1958''' [https://www.ancestry.com/search/collections/2572/ Ireland, Civil Registration Marriages Index, 1845-1958] at Ancestry - index ($)
*[https://search.findmypast.com/search-world-records/ireland-genealogical-office-manuscripts-marriages Ireland, Genealogical Office Manuscripts, Marriages] at Findmypast — index ($)


Before civil registration, churches alone kept the records of baptisms (births), marriages, and burials (deaths) in Ireland. On 1 April 1845 the government began registering non-Catholic marriages. On 1 January 1864 the government began registering all Irish births, marriages, and deaths.
===Deaths===
*'''1864-1870''' {{RecordSearch|1584965|Ireland Deaths, 1864-1870}} at FamilySearch - index
*'''1864-1958''' [https://search.findmypast.com/search-world-records/irish-deaths-1864---1958 Irish Deaths 1864-1958] at Findmypast - index ($)
*'''1864-1958''' [https://www.ancestry.com/search/collections/2534/ Ireland, Civil Registration Deaths Index, 1864-1958] at Ancestry - index ($)
*'''1989-2020''' [https://www.ancestry.com/search/collections/60631/ Scotland and Northern Ireland, Death Index, 1989-2020] at Ancestry - index ($)


For civil registration purposes, Ireland is organized into districts. In each district, registrars record births and deaths, while ministers, priests or registrars register marriages.
==Microfilms==
{| border="1" width="70%"
|-
| style="background: rgb(240,240,240); -moz-background-clip: border; -moz-background-inline-policy: continuous; -moz-background-origin: padding" width="20%" align="center" |'''Event'''
| style="background: rgb(240,240,240); -moz-background-clip: border; -moz-background-inline-policy: continuous; -moz-background-origin: padding" width="29%" align="center" |'''[https://www.familysearch.org/en/library/ FS Library] or [https://www.familysearch.org/centers/locations/ FSC]'''
|-
|'''Births:'''
|(Click link then scroll down)
|-
|Republic of Ireland
|
'''{{FSC|452818|title-id|disp=1864–Mar 1881}};''' '''{{FSC|452818|title-id|disp=1900-1913}};'''    '''1930 -1955'''
|-
|Northern Ireland
|
<nowiki/>'''{{FSC|452818|title-id|disp=1864–Mar 1881}};'''<nowiki/>''' {{FSC|452818|title-id|disp=1900-1913}};'''  '''{{FSC|452995|title-id|disp=1922-1959}}'''
|-
|
|
|-
|'''Marriages: (Protestant only)'''
|(Click link then scroll down)
|-
|Republic of Ireland
|'''{{FSC|453112|title-id|disp=1845–1863}}'''
|-
|Northern Ireland
|'''{{FSC|453112|title-id|disp=1845-1863}}'''
|-
|
|
|-
|'''Marriages: (all marriages)'''
|(Click link then scroll down)
|-
|Republic of Ireland
|'''{{FSC|453112|title-id|disp=1864-1870}}'''
|-
|Northern Ireland
|'''{{FSC|453112|title-id|disp=1864-1870}};''' ''{{FSC|460797|title-id|disp=1922-1959}}''
|-
|
|
|-
|'''Deaths:'''
|(Click link then scroll down)
|-
|Republic of Ireland
|'''{{FSC|453510|title-id|disp=1864-1870}}'''
|-
|Northern Ireland
|'''{{FSC|453510|title-id|disp=1864-1870}}'''; ''{{FSC|453507|title-id|disp=1922-1959}}''
|}


Quarterly, the superintendent registrar of each district forwards copies of the district's registrations to the appropriate General Register office. The original records remain with the district registrar.  
==Historical Background==
*Before civil registration, [[Ireland Church Records|Church Records]] were kept on the island of Ireland to keep track of baptisms, marriages and burials. Protestant records often stretch back to the 18th century, while most Catholic records begin around the time of emancipation in 1829.
*In 1845, civil registration was begun in Ireland for non-Catholic marriages only, before being extended to births, deaths and marriages for people of all religions in 1864.
*A unified system of civil registration then operated until the partition of Ireland, after which Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland kept their own records with different formats and information.


Since 1922 registrations for Northern Ireland have been housed at Belfast, while those for the Republic of Ireland have remained in Dublin. Pre-1922 records for all of Ireland are in Dublin.
== Information Recorded in Civil Registers ==
{| width="70%" border="1"
|-
| width="10%" style="background: rgb(240, 240, 240); -moz-background-clip: border; -moz-background-inline-policy: continuous; -moz-background-origin: padding;" |'''Record Type'''
| width="12%" style="background: rgb(240, 240, 240); -moz-background-clip: border; -moz-background-inline-policy: continuous; -moz-background-origin: padding;" |'''Start Date'''
| width="53%" style="background: rgb(240, 240, 240); -moz-background-clip: border; -moz-background-inline-policy: continuous; -moz-background-origin: padding;" |'''Record Content'''
|-
|Births
|1864
|
* Child’s name
* Sex
* Birth date
* Birthplace
* Parents' names--including mother’s maiden name
* Father’s occupation and place of residence
* Informant’s signature, residence and qualification (often the relationship to the child being registered)
|-
|Marriages
|
1845, Non-Catholic 


== Information Recorded in Civil Registers  ==
1864, all religions


==== Births ====
|
* Marriage date
* Marriage place
* Names of bride and groom
* Ages--frequently given as “full age” meaning over 21
* Occupations
* Marital statuses
* Residences at the time of marriage
* Names and occupations of their fathers, and sometimes whether their fathers were deceased (this is not consistent)
* Signatures of the bride, groom, and witnesses.
* Denomination of the church where the marriage was performed


Birth registrations typically include the child's name, sex, birth date, and birthplace; the parents' names (including the mother's maiden name) and the father's occupation; and the informant's signature, residence, and qualification (often the relationship to the child being registered).


==== Marriages ====
Marriages were usually performed in the bride’s parish and were registered by the performing minister, priest or registrar. In the Irish Republic since 1956 both parties’ dates of birth and parents’ full names have been recorded in addition to the future intended town or country in which the couple intend to reside.
|-
|Deaths
|1864
|
* Name
* Occupation
* Age at death
* Marital status of deceased
* Date, place and cause of death
* Duration of illness
* Signature, qualification, and residence of the informant.


Marriage registrations include the marriage date, place, and denomination (for church marriages); the names of the bride and groom, their ages [too frequently given as "full age"], occupations, marital statuses, and residences at the time of marriage; the names and occupations of their fathers and often whether their fathers were deceased; and the signatures of the bride, groom, and witnesses. Marriages were usually performed in the bride's parish and were registered by the performing minister, priest or registrar. In the Irish Republic, since 1956 both parties' dates of birth and parents' full names have been recorded in addition to the future intended town or country in which the couple intend to reside.


==== Divorces ====
For a married or widowed woman a spouse’s name is sometimes recorded. Where a child has died, the child’s occupation is often given as “son or daughter of …”. In the Northern counties, the father’s names of unmarried adult females are often recorded. Since December 2005 in the Irish Republic the deceased’s date and place of birth and parents’ full names are recorded. In Northern Ireland, since 1973 death records have stated the deceased person’s date and place of birth.
|}


Although judicial divorce became possible in England &amp; Wales from 1857 this was not the case in Ireland. Divorce continued to be available only through a private act of parliament, which was in itself a rare occurance and one only available to the well-off. After the creation of the Irish Free State in 1922(later called renamed 'Ireland' and commonly referred to as the Republic of Ireland) this situation continued until judicial divorce was finally legislated for following a referendum in 1995.  
==Registration Districts==
The basis for civil registration in Ireland is the registration district, and all records are arranged by these districts. They usually include many villages, meaning the Index data alone cannot determine the precise place of an event. However the original may mention more specific localities, especially for residences.  


In Northern Ireland judicial divorce became available in 1939.  
The website of [https://www.johngrenham.com/ John Grenham] has a Place Search Feature that gives information about which administrative subdivisions a place is located in, including Registration Districts.  


Divorce records usually contain very brief details about the names of the parties and the date and place of the marriage being dissolved. However, court files relating to divorce proceedings may contain additional information on family members, their marital history (including marriage date and place), property, residences, and sometimes dates of events such as children’s births.  
[https://www.swilson.info/regdistmap.php S. Wilson] has a registration district search function, by county or district name, which will provide information on the district boundaries, parishes within the district, and adjacent districts with a map.  


Given the restriction upon divorce in Ireland some people chose to divorce in the jurisdiction of England &amp; Wales. Searches can be made for records there at:
[[Ireland, Civil Registration Guide, County/Volume Arrangement|Ireland, Civil Registration, County/Volume Arrangement]]. and  [[Ireland, Civil Registration, Additional Information About the Indexes|Ireland, Civil Registration: Additional Information About the Indexes]]. are useful articles for further information about using indexes and the way records are arranged in FamilySearch films. 


:'''Divorce Registry of the Family Division <br>Somerset House, Strand <br>London W.C. 2 <br>England'''
===1850 Civil Registration Districts===
Click to see a larger image.<br>
[[File:Ireland Civil Registration Districts.jpg|1000px]]<br>


Records of UK parliamentary divorce acts (up to 1921) can be found at:
==Research Tutorials==


:'''House of Lords Library <br>'''London, SW1A 0PW <br>England
*[https://www.familysearch.org/en/help/helpcenter/lessons/irish-civil-registration '''Irish Civil Registration''']
 
*[https://familysearch.org/help/helpcenter/lesson/787 '''Finding Ancestry in Ireland Civil Registration Records''']
As mentioned above, judicial divorce began in England &amp; Wales in 1858. Files relating to the court proceedings for divorce records are confidential for 75 years. Records older than 75 years can be consulted at the National Archives in London and indexes for the period 1858 to 1937 are available there.
*'''[https://www.familysearch.org/en/help/helpcenter/lessons/strategies-for-using-civil-registration-in-the-british-isles-part-3-ireland Strategies for Using Civil Registration in the British Isles Part 3: Ireland]'''
 
*
To learn more about divorce records, visit the following Web sites.
 
*[http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/catalogue/Leaflets/ri2289.htm www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/catalogue/Leaflets/ri2289.htm]  
*[http://www.1837online.com/Trace2web/resources/divorcerecords/ www.1837online.com/Trace2web/resources/divorcerecords/]
*[http://www.genealogy.about.com/cs/vitaluk/index.htm www.genealogy.about.com/cs/vitaluk/index.htm]
 
==== Deaths ====
 
Death certificates give only the name, occupation, age at death, and marital status of the deceased; duration of the illness; date, place, and cause of death; and signature, qualification, and residence of the informant. For a married or widowed woman a spouse's name is sometimes recorded. Where a child has died, the child's occupation is often given as "son or daughter of...". In Northern counties, the father's name of unmarried adult females are often recorded.
 
Civil registrations of deaths are of limited genealogical value because they:
 
**Do not normally contain parentage or birth information.
**May be inaccurate (the informant may not have known the information requested).
**May not contain enough information to distinguish your ancestor from others with the same name. This cannot be emphasised enough.
 
Nonetheless, a death certificate is usually the only civil record for persons born or married before government registration began in 1864.
 
Since December 2005 death records in the Irish Republic record the deceased's date &amp; place of birth and parents' full names. In Northern Ireland, since 1973 death records have stated the deceased person's date &amp; place of birth.
 
== Locating Civil Registration Records ==
 
Civil registration records are kept at the superintendent registrars' offices in the districts. Duplicates are kept at the General Register offices. The General Register Office for the Republic of Ireland has birth, marriage, and death indexes and corresponding records, including registrations of Irish subjects at sea, abroad, or in the military through 1921 for all of Ireland. The office's post-1921 records cover Republic of Ireland counties only. The address is:
 
:'''General Register Office<br>'''Joyce House <br>8-11 Lombard Street East <br>Dublin 2 <br>IRELAND (EIRE) <br>Internet: http://www.groireland.ie/
 
The General Register Office of Northern Ireland has birth, marriage, and death records, including registrations of Irish at sea, abroad, or in the military from 1922 on for Northern Ireland only. The address is:
 
:'''General Register Office <br>'''Oxford House <br>49/55 Chichester Street <br>Belfast BT1 4HL <br>NORTHERN IRELAND <br>Internet: http://www.groni.gov.uk/
 
When requesting a registration certificate by mail from these offices, include:
 
##A check or money order for the search fee.
##The full name and sex of the person sought.
##The names of the parents, if known (only when requesting a birth record).
##The approximate date and place of the event.
 
== Indexes to Civil Registration Records  ==
 
Indexes can help you find a registration entry for your ancestor. Before 1878, registration indexes were arranged alphabetically by year. Since 1878, indexes have remained alphabetical but have been divided by each quarter of the years (e.g. 'January, February &amp; March' etc.). Most registration indexes list only the name of the individual registered and the district, volume, and page number of that person's registration entry. The death indexes also list the individual's age at death. In the LDS films the Republic of Ireland post-1927 birth indexes include the mother's maiden name. However, since tghe LDS filmed the indexes the mother's maiden surname now appears in the Birth Index since 1903. In searching for an index entry, knowing the name of the district and at least an approximate year in which the birth, marriage, or death occurred will reduce your search time.
 
Place-names in the indexes are for districts. In rural areas, many villages and parishes belong to one district. In urban areas, a city may be divided into several districts.
 
To identify the district in which your ancestor lived, use the following sources:  
 
''Alphabetical Index to the Townlands and Towns of Ireland, (1871 Census)'', which lists Irish localities and the districts that served those localities in 1871.


Ireland, Census Office, ''General Alphabetical Index to the Townlands and Towns of Ireland, (1901 Census,'' [London, England: Her Majesty's Stationery Office, 1901?]; FHL book Ref Q 941.5 X22g 1901; film 865,092, which lists Irish localities and the districts that served those localities in 1901.  
[[Image:City Hall, Belfast.jpg|thumb|right|322x233px|City Hall, Belfast.jpg]][[Image:Mother and child at home pg. 80.jpg|thumb|right|312x240px]]


''Civil Registration Districts of Ireland'', (Salt Lake City, Utah: Genealogical Library, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, 1983; FHL book Reg 941.5 V2c, which provides maps and districts' names as they were in 1871.  
==Naval Records: Marriage Certificates==
These can be used to locate marriages where location is hard to establish. The records cover about 4% of the population.


If you find an index entry, you can use that entry to request a copy of the original record from:  
Record type:


**The General Register Office in Dublin if the event was recorded before 1922 or took place in the Republic of Ireland, or
*Transcripts of marriage certificates.  Note:  A regulation required married officers to submit marriage certificates as a condition of eligibility of their wives for widow's pensions.
**The General Register Office in Belfast if the event took place in or after 1922 in Northern Ireland.
*Time period:  1801-1902.


If you cannot find an index reference, consider the following reasons:  
Contents:
 
**Late registrations of births and deaths are indexed separately at the end of each index volume.
**Surnames are often spelled differently than expected.
**Surnames with prefixes, such as O'Brien or McDonnell, may be listed without their prefixes (Brien, Donnell).
**Events are filed by the date they were registered, not the date they occurred and may therefore be indexed in a later volume. (For example, a birth on 20 December 1879 which was registered on 6 January 1880 will be listed in the January-March volume of 1880.)
**Indexes were hand-prepared and may contain errors, such as copying mistakes (for example, the interchange of T and F) and missed entries.
**Occasionally, people were registered under a variation of their first name, other than that recorded at the time of their birth or death. For instance Ted for Edward or Molly for Mary.
**In error, some marriages have been indexed by the name of only one party.
**If a wsoman was married previously, then her surname in the marriage index might at a later marriage be her surname from a previous marriage and not her maiden surname.
**Vital information provided by the family ('''particularly age at death''') is often incorrect.
**People with prolific first names or surnames are sometimes difficult to distinguish in the index.
**Children born before their parents were married may be listed under the mother's maiden name.
**Some children are simply listed as male or female if they were not named by the time of registration.
**Some events were not registered, even though registration of births, marriages and deaths was required by law.
 
If, after considering the above factors, you cannot find a civil birth, marriage, or death certificate for your ancestor, you may want to search church or other records.
 
== Records at the Family History Library  ==
 
The Family History Library has microfilm copies of the civil registration ''indexes'' of births, marriages, and deaths for Ireland and Northern Ireland through 1958 (through 1959 for Northern Ireland). The Library also has microfilm copies of:
 
*Pre-1871 marriage and death registers for both Ireland and Northern Ireland.
*Birth registers from 1864 through to March 1881 and from 1900 through to 1913 for both Ireland and Northern Ireland.
*Birth registers for the Republic of Ireland from 1930 through to 1955.
*Birth, marriage, and death registers for Northern Ireland from 1922 through to 1959.
*Some registrations of Irish subjects at sea, abroad, and in the military.
 
The film numbers for the indexes and&nbsp;records are found in the&nbsp;library catalog through the following:
 
*[http://www.familysearch.org/eng/library/fhlcatalog/supermainframeset.asp?display=titledetails&titleno=452818&disp=Quarterly+returns+of+births+in+Ireland%2%20%20&columns=*,0,0 Birth records&nbsp;1864-1881 and 1900-1913, with index to births 1864-1921]
*[http://www.familysearch.org/eng/library/fhlcatalog/supermainframeset.asp?display=titledetails&titleno=452995&disp=Birth+records+of+Northern+Ireland%2C+192%20%20&columns=*,0,0 Birth records of Northern Ireland&nbsp;1922-1959 with indexes]
*[http://www.familysearch.org/eng/library/fhlcatalog/supermainframeset.asp?display=titledetails&titleno=453112&disp=Marriage+records%2C+1845%2D1870%2C+with+%20%20&columns=*,0,0 Marriages 1845-1870, with indexes to marriages 1845-1921]&nbsp;
*[http://www.familysearch.org/eng/library/fhlcatalog/supermainframeset.asp?display=titledetails&titleno=460797&disp=Marriage+records+of+Northern+Ireland%2C+%20%20&columns=*,0,0 Marriage records of Northern Ireland, 1922-1959]
*


== Further Reading  ==
*Name of bride and groom
*Date and place of marriage
*Information about naval service (PRO-classes [http://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/details/r/C530174 ADM 30/57], [http://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/details/r/C4726070 ADM 13/70]-[http://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/details/r/C4726071 71] and [http://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/browse/r/r/C4726186 ADM 13/186]-192).


''Irish Civil Registration - Where Do I Start?'' (No. 2 in 'Exploring Irish Genealogy' series) by Eileen O'Duill &amp; Steven C. ffeary-Smyrl. Published by the Council of Irish Genealogical Organisations, Dublin, 2000. [http://www.cigo.ie www.cigo.ie]  
Location:
[http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/ The National Archives]<br>
Ruskin Avenue<br>
Richmond, Surrey<br>
TW9 4DU<br>
England


== External Links ==
==Overseas and Military Civil Registration==
For guidance in searching for Irish ancestors who were born, married, or died overseas, please see the "Overseas and Military Civil Registration" section under [[England Civil Registration]].


*http://www.ireland.com/ancestor/
==Additional Information==
*[http://www.groni.gov.uk/ http://www.groni.gov.uk/]  
For more information about the indexes, see [[Ireland, Civil Registration, Additional Information About the Indexes|Ireland, Civil Registration: Additional Information About the Indexes]].  
*http://www.ireland.com/ancestor/browse/records/state/
For tips on searching the indexes, go to [[Tips on Searching the Civil Registration Indexes]].  
*http://www.from-ireland.net/gene/district.htm


[[Category:Ireland]]
{{Place|Ireland}} 
[[Category:Ireland Vital Records]]

Latest revision as of 12:08, 20 March 2024


Ireland Wiki Topics
Flag of Ireland
Ireland Beginning Research
Record Types
Ireland Background
Ireland Genealogical Word Lists
Cultural Groups
Local Research Resources

Online Resources

  • 1845-1958 Ireland Civil Registration Indexes, 1845-1958 at FamilySearch - index
  • IrishGenealogy at Irishgenealogy.ie - index, images. Births: 1864-1921, Marriages: 1845-1946, Deaths: 1871-1971
  • RootsIreland ($) Limited coverage for both the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland.
  • GRONI ($) Official government website. Access to both indexes and originals for Northern Ireland, 1922-present.

Births

Marriages

Deaths

Microfilms

Event FS Library or FSC
Births: (Click link then scroll down)
Republic of Ireland

1864–Mar 1881; 1900-1913; 1930 -1955

Northern Ireland

1864–Mar 1881; 1900-1913; 1922-1959

Marriages: (Protestant only) (Click link then scroll down)
Republic of Ireland 1845–1863
Northern Ireland 1845-1863
Marriages: (all marriages) (Click link then scroll down)
Republic of Ireland 1864-1870
Northern Ireland 1864-1870; 1922-1959
Deaths: (Click link then scroll down)
Republic of Ireland 1864-1870
Northern Ireland 1864-1870; 1922-1959

Historical Background

  • Before civil registration, Church Records were kept on the island of Ireland to keep track of baptisms, marriages and burials. Protestant records often stretch back to the 18th century, while most Catholic records begin around the time of emancipation in 1829.
  • In 1845, civil registration was begun in Ireland for non-Catholic marriages only, before being extended to births, deaths and marriages for people of all religions in 1864.
  • A unified system of civil registration then operated until the partition of Ireland, after which Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland kept their own records with different formats and information.

Information Recorded in Civil Registers

Record Type Start Date Record Content
Births 1864
  • Child’s name
  • Sex
  • Birth date
  • Birthplace
  • Parents' names--including mother’s maiden name
  • Father’s occupation and place of residence
  • Informant’s signature, residence and qualification (often the relationship to the child being registered)
Marriages

1845, Non-Catholic

1864, all religions

  • Marriage date
  • Marriage place
  • Names of bride and groom
  • Ages--frequently given as “full age” meaning over 21
  • Occupations
  • Marital statuses
  • Residences at the time of marriage
  • Names and occupations of their fathers, and sometimes whether their fathers were deceased (this is not consistent)
  • Signatures of the bride, groom, and witnesses.
  • Denomination of the church where the marriage was performed


Marriages were usually performed in the bride’s parish and were registered by the performing minister, priest or registrar. In the Irish Republic since 1956 both parties’ dates of birth and parents’ full names have been recorded in addition to the future intended town or country in which the couple intend to reside.

Deaths 1864
  • Name
  • Occupation
  • Age at death
  • Marital status of deceased
  • Date, place and cause of death
  • Duration of illness
  • Signature, qualification, and residence of the informant.


For a married or widowed woman a spouse’s name is sometimes recorded. Where a child has died, the child’s occupation is often given as “son or daughter of …”. In the Northern counties, the father’s names of unmarried adult females are often recorded. Since December 2005 in the Irish Republic the deceased’s date and place of birth and parents’ full names are recorded. In Northern Ireland, since 1973 death records have stated the deceased person’s date and place of birth.

Registration Districts

The basis for civil registration in Ireland is the registration district, and all records are arranged by these districts. They usually include many villages, meaning the Index data alone cannot determine the precise place of an event. However the original may mention more specific localities, especially for residences.

The website of John Grenham has a Place Search Feature that gives information about which administrative subdivisions a place is located in, including Registration Districts.

S. Wilson has a registration district search function, by county or district name, which will provide information on the district boundaries, parishes within the district, and adjacent districts with a map.

Ireland, Civil Registration, County/Volume Arrangement. and Ireland, Civil Registration: Additional Information About the Indexes. are useful articles for further information about using indexes and the way records are arranged in FamilySearch films.

1850 Civil Registration Districts

Click to see a larger image.
Ireland Civil Registration Districts.jpg

Research Tutorials

City Hall, Belfast.jpg
Mother and child at home pg. 80.jpg

Naval Records: Marriage Certificates

These can be used to locate marriages where location is hard to establish. The records cover about 4% of the population.

Record type:

  • Transcripts of marriage certificates. Note: A regulation required married officers to submit marriage certificates as a condition of eligibility of their wives for widow's pensions.
  • Time period: 1801-1902.

Contents:

Location: The National Archives
Ruskin Avenue
Richmond, Surrey
TW9 4DU
England

Overseas and Military Civil Registration

For guidance in searching for Irish ancestors who were born, married, or died overseas, please see the "Overseas and Military Civil Registration" section under England Civil Registration.

Additional Information

For more information about the indexes, see Ireland, Civil Registration: Additional Information About the Indexes. For tips on searching the indexes, go to Tips on Searching the Civil Registration Indexes.

v • d• e
Links to Ireland-related articles
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