irish genealogy tips, techniques, tales, and lessons learned

Ballycastle Enterprises, LLC1

Irish Genealogy

Tips, Techniques, Tales and Lessons Learned !

Michael Healy, M.Sc.


Welcome


Topics

Background– Irish Emigration 1840 - 1920

Irish government and church documents Lessons Learned

– Birthplace Locations, Databases, Translations, Names– Nuggets

Baltimore Irish Immigrant Life Wrap-up & Questions


Irish Emigration 1840 - 1920


Irish Emigration 1840 - 1920

> 4 million Irish people emigrated

> 3 million to America! Entry ports: Boston, New York,

Philadelphia, Baltimore Today, over 35 million

Americans claim Irish ancestry!


U.S. 2000 Census Map Extract

Irish


U.S. 2000 Census Map Extract

Irish

No Surprise Here !


U.S. 2010 Census Data


Irish Documents

Birth Certificates Baptism Certificates Marriage Certificates


Irish Birth Certificate


Irish Baptism Certificate


Irish Marriage Certificate


Lessons Learned

Birthplace Locations Online Database Errors Translations Children’s Names The O’ & Mac Factors The RIC A “Brick Wall” Study “Nuggets”


Birthplace Locations

Found in 1901 & 1911 Irish census records

Mother’s childhood home town/village

Document searches beyond census recorded home location are required


1911 Irish Census RecordMargaret Daly, Age 14, line 6


1911 Irish Census Record – Transcription Error Martin & Mary Healy (“Kealy”)


Translations: Place Names

Early 1800’s government translation project results: – Anglicized Irish place names– Different English spellings of same place name

Example:– Irish “cean” = head– Irish town Ceanearagh = “head of valley”– Ooops! Same town is recorded Canearagh on

census record and Keanearagh on birth record for same place


Children’s Name Patterns

1st son was named after the father's father2nd son was named after the mother's father3rd son was named after the father4th son was named after the father's eldest brother

1st daughter was named after the mother's mother2nd daughter was named after the father's mother3rd daughter was named after the mother4th daughter was named after the mother's eldest sister


Latin First Names

Complication of 19th Century Recording of First Names in Latin in Record Books

Some Common Latin-English First Name Translations:– Carolus - Charles – Demetrius - Jeremiah, Diarmuid, Darby – Gulielmus - William – Honoria - Nora – Jacobus - James – Joannes or Ioannes - John – Petrus - Peter – Thaddeus - Timothy


The O’ and Mac Factors!

O’Grady, O’Reilly, MacMahon, MacDonald,etc. O’ = “grandson of” & Mac = “son of” Surname prefixes dropped in America Search for both variations – with and without

prefix If available, use wild card * search

– For McCarthy or MacCarthy, search for M*Carthy


A “Brick Wall” Case Study

Search for “Thomas Hogan” A “Brick Wall” Search for “Hogan” Eureka! Found “Thos. Hogan” the correct one! Lesson: Searchable electronic databases today

contain same abbreviations taken from old handwritten forms


1913 Ellis Island Passenger ListMargaret (‘Margt.’) Daly, Age 19, line 8


Miscellaneous “Nuggets”

Irish Courtship “Train Immigration” Striking Gold ! Illegible Writing Down on the Farm A Defining Moment



Irish Courtship “Train Immigration” Striking Gold ! Illegible Writing Down on the Farm A Defining Moment



Irish Courtship

“Train Immigration” Striking Gold ! Illegible Writing Down on the Farm A Defining Moment



Irish Courtship “Train Immigration”

Striking Gold ! Illegible Writing Down on the Farm A Defining Moment



Irish Courtship “Train Immigration” Striking Gold ! Illegible Writing

Down on the Farm A Defining Moment



Irish Courtship “Train Immigration” Striking Gold ! Illegible Writing Down on the Farm

A Defining Moment


Bibliography

Grenham, John, Tracing Your Irish Ancestors, 3rd Edition, Genealogical Publishing Company, 2006.

Grenham, John, Irish Ancestors, A Pocket Guide to Your Irish Ancestors, Gill & Macmillan, 2004.

McCourt, Malachy, History of Ireland, Running Press, 2004 Mitchell, Brian, A New Genealogical Atlas of Ireland, 2nd Edition,

Genealogical Publishing Company, 2002. Ouimette, David, Finding Your Irish Ancestors, A Beginners Guide,

Ancestry, 2005. Woulfe, Patrick, Irish Names and Surnames, Genealogical Publishing

Company,1993.


Irish Citizenship

Citizenship by Descent is Irish Law since 1930’s A Person Born Outside Ireland Qualifies:

– Has At Least One Grandparent Born in Ireland– Provides Documentary Evidence– Completes Application Process

Foreign Births Register (FBR) Dual Citizenship Including Irish Passport More Info at www.MyAncestorsRecords.com


Certificate of Irish Heritage

New Irish Government Initiative in 2011 A Person Born Outside Ireland Qualifies:

– Shows Connection to any Irish ancestor– Provides Documentary Evidence– Completes Application Process

More Info at www.HeritageCertificate.ie


Irish Ancestor’s Data

Full name ( First, Last ) Ancestor’s Siblings’ Names

Relationship to Requestor Church, Parish of Baptism

Birthplace (Town, County) Church, Parish of Marriage

Birth Date (mm/dd/yyyy), or Ancestor’s Spouse’s Name

Approximate Birth Year Ancestor’s Children’s Names

Approx. Year Arrived in America

Ancestor’s U.S. Address (street, city, state)

Religious Denomination Ancestor’s Occupation

Ancestor’s Father’s Full Name U.S. Naturalization Year

Ancestor’s Mother’s Name

Ancestor’s Mother’s Maiden Name


Web Sites & Facebook

TheIrishPortal.com GoBallycastle.com MyAncestorsRecords.com MyIrishAncestor.com www.Facebook.com/IrishAncestors www.Facebook.com/IrelandPhotos www.Facebook.com/IrishAncestryTour


www.TheIrishPortal.com


Published eBooks - Genealogy

M.D. HealyM.D. Healy


Published eBooks – Ireland Mosaic



Published eBooks – Irish Pubs



IrelandPubBooks.com


IrishPubPosters.com


Wrap-up & Questions


The End

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