Module Seven: Introduction to Tithe
Applotment
Introduction to Tithe Applotment
In this module
you will learn about the Tithe Applotment records, and
how you can use them in your research.
"Ireland
is a land of poets and legends, of dreamers and
rebels. All of these have music woven through and
around them. Tunes for dancing or for weeping, for
battle or for love."
- Nora Roberts
What is the Tithe Applotment?
The Tithe Applotment
was a tax to support the state church, the Church of
Ireland. Although the Church of Ireland represented only 11%
of the population, all landholder of every religion were
required to pay the tithe. In the absence of early censuses,
the Tithe Applotment is used in genealogical research as a
census substitute.
This was a tax on
farmers, so if your ancestor was a town dweller, landless
laborer, or a laborer on a Church farm, they would not be
listed. It is,however, the most complete census of the Irish
people in the early 1800s. The Tithe Applotment records
cover the period from 1823-1839.
"There were huge
inequities in how much of a tithe was to be paid by a given
landowner. So much so that those who were the poorest ended
up paying the most - i.e., your average potato farmer. This
is a good thing, however, for those millions of use whose
ancestors WERE the poorest of the poor! Keep in mind - these
tithes were to be paid by those working the land, the
tenants. The amount of tithe imposed was based on the
quality of the land with regards to raising crops. Thus the
land owner who, more often than not, used any portion on the
land kept for his own use as, say horse grazing or house
gardens, and did not grow crops, and so was taxed at a lower
rate than his tenants. (Tithe Applotment Books and
Finding Your Irish Ancestors;
http://www.articlesbase.com/genealogy-articles)
The Tithe Applotment provides basic information about the landholder. It can be used in conjunction with Griffith's Valuation and church records to extend your family tree.
This is a typical page of the Tithe Applotment. It shows the townland, lot number, the occupier, and information about the size and value of the land.
Read more about the Tithe Applotment.
How Do I Search the Tithe Applotment?
The Tithe Applotment has now become available online at the National Archives of Ireland. The indexes and scanned pages can be searched for free.
Module Seven Assignments
Assignment One: This is a page from the Tithe Applotment for Ballingarry parish, where we found Jeffrey Carey in Commons townland. Who do you find with the surname Carey in this townland? What could this mean?
Assignment Two: Search for your own ancestors in Tithe Applotment.