Module Five: Using Census Records
Using Census Records and Census
Substitutes
In this module you will learn about
Irish census records and census substitutes, and how
they can be used in genealogical research.
"Ireland
is a peculiar society in the sense that it was a
nineteenth century up to about 1970, and then it
almost bypassed the twentieth century."
- Author John McGahern
Understanding Irish Censuses
The
first full censuses in Ireland were taken in 1821.
However, the censuses were destroyed either by
government order or in the explosions in the Public
Records Office in 1921. The censuses that are available
now for researchers are the 1901 and 1911 censuses.
Read
more about the
Irish censuses.
Searching the 1901 Irish
Census
Even
if your Irish ancestors left Ireland after the potato
famine, they may have left family members behind. You
can use the census to locate family members in 1901, and
trace the land records of the family.
Read
more about the 1901
census.
Searching the 1911 Irish Census
The
1911 Irish census can also provide clues about Irish
family members left behind. The census became available
in 2009. Read more about the 1911
census.
How Do I Search the
Censuses?
To search the censuses, go to http://census.nationalarchives.ie/.
- Select Search the Census Records for Ireland 1901 and 1911.
- Select the census year.
- Enter the first and last name, and any information you have about the location.
What
is a Census Substitute?
In the United States an other
countries, census records are used as the backbone of a
genealogical search. In Ireland, many of these records
were destroyed, and other types of records, such as land
records or miscellaneous censuses are used to help
re-create the missing records. They are only available for
certain locations. In addition, some fragments exist for
the destroyed census records. Be sure to check your
location to see if you are lucky enough to be able to use
these.
These records start as early as
the 1600s. They include Griffith's Valuation, Tithe
Applotment, and Valuation Lists, which will be discussed
in more detail later in the course.
The other census substitutes
include the Pender Census of 1659, the Hearth Money Rolls,
Freeholder Lists, and others.
Read more about the
availability of census
substitutes.
Module
Five Assignments
Assignment
One: Search the 1901 census to locate James
Joyce. He lived in Dublin and was about 19 years old. His
father's name was John Stanislaus Joyce. Find the address
for the family. What kind of genealogical information can
you find about his family from this census?
Assignment Two: Search the 1901 and 1911 census to try and locate any of your family.