Family historians love census records. Censuses provide a snapshot of people, their families, and their communities over time. They can give us clues for births, marriages, and deaths. They help tell the story of our ancestors’ lives. If you have Irish roots, Irish census records can be a valuable resource for you. Becoming familiar with what is available and where to find it will help you make the most of Irish censuses in tracing your ancestors.
Ireland Censuses: What’s Available and Where Are They?
In Ireland, censuses were taken at irregular intervals until 1821, after which they were taken every ten years. The latest census to be released is the 1911 census. The next census, taken in 1926, is currently scheduled to be released in 2027 (after the 100-year waiting period).
Irish census records are available from 1740 and 1911. Many census records were lost when the Ireland Public Record Office was destroyed in 1922. Only fragments remain of those records. In addition, the government destroyed original census records from 1861 to 1891 after compiling statistics from them.
Because so many census records were destroyed, and because the information in different censuses can vary so widely, below is a summary of what you can find in each census and where you can access it.
Description: Census of Protestant householders
Coverage: Original returns were destroyed in 1922. Partial transcripts survived for counties Armagh, Antrim, Derry, Donegal, Down, and Tyrone.
Availability: Hard copies are held by the Public Record Office of Northern Ireland and the National Library of Ireland. No online source is known.
Description: Census taken to record religious affiliation (Catholic or Protestant)
Coverage: Most original returns were destroyed in 1922. Surviving returns cover the dioceses of Armagh, Cashel and Emly, Cork and Ross, and Waterford.
Some transcripts also survived, mainly for North Cork, Limerick, Londonderry, Louth, and Wicklow.
Availability: Ancestry.com or Family History Library films 100173 and 100220. Both of these sources are taken from a list of about 11,000 names created by A. T. Groves.
Description: Census of the total population of Ireland
Coverage: According to P. Froggatt in an article in Irish Historical Studies, the results of this census were defective and so were never printed or given to Parliament. Even before the destruction of the Public Record Office in 1922, few returns were known to exist.
Availability: No surviving returns are known to exist.
Description: A statistician by the name of William Shaw Mason asked clergy from the Church of Ireland and the Presbyterian Church to help correct 1813 census returns for their congregations. This collection contains the clergy’s correspondence and returns.
Coverage: Original returns were destroyed in 1922.
Availability: Extracts may exist in Irish genealogical collections.
Description: Census of the total population of Ireland. For each person, this census lists the name, age, occupation, and relationship to the head of the household. Also included are the acres held by the head of the household and the number of stories for each dwelling.
Coverage: Fragments remain for counties Antrim, Carlow, Cavan, Dublin, Fermanagh, Galway, Kilkenny, King's, Limerick, Mayo, and Meath.
Availability: FamilySearch historical records, FamilySearch films, Findmypast, National Archives of Ireland
Note: Not every repository has all fragments. If you don’t find a county in one repository, check another one.
Description: The 1831 census is a partial census, and records are available only for some Irish counties. For each person, this census lists the head of the household, the number of children and adults in the household, and the religious affiliation of each person.
Coverage: Counties Antrim and Londonderry
Availability: FamilySearch historical records, FamilySearch films, Findmypast, National Archives of Ireland
Note: Not every repository has all fragments. If you don’t find a county in one repository, check another one.
Description: Count of Catholics and Protestants initiated by Parliament member Daniel O’Connell
Coverage: Unknown
Availability: The FamilySearch Research Wiki notes that “many of these census lists have been published in various genealogical, historical, and archaeological periodicals in Ireland.” One such example is the County Kerry Genealogy website, which has transcriptions of census data for the parishes of Prior and Keelimila in County Kerry.
In addition, this census has two schedules that were completed, if applicable. One schedule lists absent members of the household. The second schedule lists members of the household who had died since the previous census.
Coverage: Originals for Killeshandra in County Cavan and some transcripts for counties Kilkenny, Monaghan, Cork, Fermanagh, and Waterford.
Availability: FamilySearch historical records, FamilySearch films, Findmypast, National Archives of Ireland
Note: Not every repository has all fragments. If you don’t find a county in one repository, check another one.
Description: Census of the total population of Ireland. This census lists the same information as the 1841 census.
Coverage: Original fragments for County Antrim and Clonee in County Fermanagh, some transcripts for County Monaghan, lists of heads of households for Dublin City and a ward in Belfast, some census extracts for County Kilkenny parishes
Availability: FamilySearch historical records, National Archives of Ireland
Description: Census of the total population of Ireland. For each person, this census lists name, age, sex, relationship to head of household, religion, occupation, marital status, birth county (except for foreign births, which give the country only), whether the individual spoke Irish, and whether the individual could read or write.
Coverage: Full
Availability: FamilySearch historical records, National Archives of Ireland
Description: The census lists the same information as the 1901 census and adds the following information for married women:
- Number of years married to current husband
- Number of children born
- Number of children still alive
Coverage: Full
Availability: FamilySearch historical records, National Archives of Ireland
What to Do If the Irish Census You Need Is Missing
It’s heartbreaking to think of lost census records. Fortunately, other records often contain at least some of the same information.
Census substitutes include records such as national school registers, commercial directories, land records, and more. The two most helpful census substitutes are the Tithe Applotments (1823-1837) and the Griffiths Valuation (1847-1864).
Irish census records and substitutes can open doors and solve puzzles. Keep them in your genealogy toolbox—they may help you find the family you’re looking for!
Find Your Ancestors in the Ireland Census
You can try using this search to see if your relative's name appears in the indexed census records from Ireland available on the FamilySearch website.
RootsTech Classes About Ireland
RootsTech is the world's largest genealogy conference. Expert genealogists from many disciplines share their tips and tricks. Here are some online RootsTech classes to help you untangle your Irish genealogy:
- Examining the Irish Census
- Getting Started with Research in Ireland
- On the Record: An Introduction to Civil Registration in Ireland
- Coming and Going: Tracing Your Irish Surname History
- Irish Genealogy Resources at the Virtual Treasury
Further Irish Research
If you want to dig deeper into your Irish ancestry, this guide will help you discover what FamilySearch has to offer to aid your journey. Take classes on Irish genealogy, explore the Irish record collections, and more!
Related Articles
At FamilySearch, we care about connecting you with your family, and we provide fun discovery experiences and family history services for free. Why? Because we cherish families and believe that connecting generations can improve our lives now and forever. We are a nonprofit organization sponsored by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. To learn more about our beliefs, click here.
The subject of this article and some of its material was taken from Craig Foster’s class, “Irish Census Records at the National Archives of Ireland Website,” at the 2019 BYU Conference on Family History and Genealogy.
