Full government records for the population of the entirety of Ireland were taken every decade from 1821 to 1911. A fire in the offices where the records were kept resulted in the records from 1821 to 1851 being burnt and all remaining records from 1861 to 1891 were destroyed under the command of the government. The only remaining records available from this period are the 1901 and 1911 records which are available to view at the National Archives located in Dublin or online at http://www.census.nationalarchives.ie/.

For a practical guide on how to trace your ancestors in Ireland, download or view a PDF version of our ‘Tracing your Ancestors’ brochure or follow some of the tips below.

To begin your journey of discovery, gather as much basic information as possible on your ancestor, such as:

• Name of ancestor who left Ireland

• Approximate date of birth

• County and parish of origin in Ireland

• Religious denomination

• Names of ancestor's parents

• Name of ancestor's spouse, date and place of marriage  

Irish genealogical sources

In general, Irish genealogical sources fall into four main categories which are mainly held in Dublin and Belfast, these are as follows:

• Civil records of Birth, Marriage and Death

• Church records of Baptism and Marriage

• Land/Property Valuation Records

• Census Returns 

Major repositories in Ireland:

The National Library of Ireland is situated on Kildare Street - just east of Dublin's main shopping street, Grafton Street. There is a free Genealogical Advisory Service at the Library making it the perfect place to start your research. The genealogist on duty will provide you with an overview of Irish genealogical records and explain how to locate finding aids and access records.

The  National Archives of Ireland are a 15 minute walk from the National Library taking you through the famous St Stephen's Green. The National Archives also has an advisory service staffed by a genealogist who will assist you in locating records such as Census 1901 and 1911, wills, Griffiths Primary Valuation, Tithe Appointment Books and the other holdings at the Archives.

The  Public Records Office of Northern Ireland is key to researching ancestors who were born or lived in Northern Ireland. It holds the Griffiths Valuation and Tithe Appointment books, as well as valuations books, will calendars and wills, estate papers and church records for most denominations.

The  General Register Office in Dublin holds all civil birth, marriage and death records from 1864 to 1921 for the whole island of Ireland. After that date all records concerning Northern Ireland are held in the General Register Office Belfast . Full birth certificates are available at both General Register Offices and a research facility is also provided.

The Valuation Office is located in the Irish Life Centre in Lower Abbey Street in Dublin. It houses maps and cancelled and current land books which are based on Griffith's Primary Valuation. The cancelled and current land books document all changes of occupancy of land and property from the time of the original survey to the late 20th century. They are extremely valuable to the family historian, as they can relate to a particular property. The Valuation Books for Northern Ireland are held in the Public Records Office of Northern Ireland in Belfast.

The  Registry of Deeds is located in Henrietta Street - immediately north of Dublin's main thoroughfare of O'Connell Street. It was established in 1708 to regulate land and property transactions. Registrations of deeds were not obligatory and mainly carried out by property owning classes such as land-owners, merchants and traders. A great deal of genealogical information can be extracted from deeds, as they often contain records of marriage settlements and wills, in addition to other property transactions. It is, however, unlikely that one would locate a registered.