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Research Guide to Irish Genealogical Resources at the Connecticut State Library
General Resources | Place
name and Surname Resources | Griffith's
Valuation |
Connecticut Resources | Archival
Resources
Other Institutions with Relevant Collections | Links
This guide is an introduction to genealogical and historical items that may be useful to those researching Irish ancestry. For additional materials, try a keyword search for 'Irish Genealogy' ‘Irish Americans Genealogy' or ‘Connecticut history Irish' in the State Library's main catalog. If the county of origin is known, try a Keyword search for: Name of County, followed by the terms Ireland and Genealogy. For example: Cork Ireland Genealogy; Dublin Ireland Genealogy; Galway Ireland Genealogy; etc.
Selected items of interest are listed below.
Baxter, Angus. In Search of Your British and Irish Roots: A Complete Guide to Tracing your English, Welsh, Scottish, and Irish Ancestors. Baltimore: Genealogical Publishing Co., 1989 [CSL call number History Reference CS 414 .B38 1989].
Charles-Edwards, T. M. Early Irish and Welsh Kinship. New York: Oxford University Press, 1993 [CSL call number GN 585 .I7 C47 1993].
Duffy, Godfrey F. A Guide to Tracing Your Donegal Ancestors. Dublin, Ireland: Flyleaf Press, 1996 [CSL call number History Reference CS 497 .D66 D84 1996].
Fitzgerald, Thomas W. H. Ireland and Her People; a Library of Irish Biography, Together with a Popular History of Ancient and Modern Erin... 5 vols. Chicago: Fitzgerald Book Company, 1909-1911 [CSL call number DA 916 .F6].
Glazier, Ira A. and Tepper, Michael, eds. The Famine Immigrants: Lists of Irish Immigrants Arriving at the Port of New York, 1846-1851. 7 vols. Baltimore: Genealogical Publishing Co., 1983-1986 [CSL call number E 184 .I6 F25 1983]. Also available online as "Records for Passengers Who Arrived at the Port of New York During the Irish Famine... " from The National Archives and Records Administration (NARA) as part of the Access to Archival Databases (AAD).
Harris, Ruth-Ann M. and Donald J. Jacobs, eds. The Search for Missing Friends: Irish Immigrant Advertisements Placed in the Boston Pilot. Boston: New England Historic Genealogical Society, 1989-1999 [CSL call number F 73.9 .I6 S43 1989]. Also available online as "Search for Missing Friends: Irish Immigrant Advertisements placed in The Boston Pilot 1831-1920," from the New England Historic Genealogical Society's subscription web page NewEnglandAncestors.org. Available for use at the Connecticut State Library.
Heritage and Research Centers in Ireland – Plus Miscellaneous Genealogical Sources in Ireland. St. Paul, MN: Irish Genealogical Society, 1993 [CSL call number CS 483 .H48 1993]. An important work that tells about the centralized Irish Genealogical Project, along with giving addresses and holdings of the county genealogical centers.
Journal of the American Irish Historical Society. Boston: The Society, 1898-1941 [CSL call number E 184 .I6 A5]. The State Library holds volumes 1-14 (1898-1911), and 16-32 (1913-1941). Each volume contains an index.
McDonnell, Frances. Emigrants from Ireland to America, 1735-1743: A Transcription of the Report of the Irish House of Commons into Enforced Emigration to America. Baltimore: Genealogical Publishing Co., 1992 [CSL call number E 184 .I6 E45 1992].
Mitchell, Brian. A Guide to Irish Parish Registers. Baltimore: Genealogical Publishing Co., 1988 [CSL call number CD 1118.5 .A1 M58 1988].
_______________. Irish Passenger Lists, 1847-1871: Lists of Passengers Sailing from Londonderry to America on Ships of the J. & J. Cooke Line and the McCorkell Line. Baltimore: Genealogical Publishing Co., Inc., 1988 [CSL call number E 184 .I6 I69 1988].
O'Brien, Michael J. Irish Settlers in America: A Consolidation of Articles from the Journal of the American Irish Historical Society. 2 vols. Baltimore: Genealogical Publishing Co., 1979 [CSL call number E 184 .I6 O26 1979].
O'Neill, Robert Keating. Irish Libraries: Archives, Museums & Genealogical Centres. Belfast, Ireland: Ulster Historical Foundation, 2002 [CSL call number History Reference Z 792.5 .A1 O54 2002].
Radford, Dwight A. and Kyle J. Betit. A Genealogist’s Guide to Discovering your Irish Ancestors: How to Find and Record Your Unique Heritage. Cincinnati, OH: Betterway Books, 1991 [CSL call number History Reference CS 483 .R33 2001].
Rich, Kevin J. Irish Immigrants of the Emigrant Industrial Savings Bank. 2 vols. Massapequa, NY: Broadway-Manhattan Co., 2001-2005 [CSL call number F 128.9 .I6 R53 2001].
Ryan, James G. Irish Records: Sources for Family & Local History. Revised Ed. Salt Lake City, UT: Ancestry Incorporated, 1997 [CSL call number History Reference CS 483 .R83 1997]. A great resource for Irish genealogy research. It contains a brief history of each county and an overview and explanation of the types of records available.
Smith, Brian. A Guide to Tracing Your Mayo Ancestors. Dublin, Ireland: Flyleaf Press, 1997 [CSL call number History Reference CS 497 .M38 S65 1997].
Place name and Surname Resources
Selected items of interest are listed below. Research should also check the library catalog under the subject headings "Names, Personal, Ireland" "Names, Geographical, Ireland" and "Heraldry, Ireland."
Burke, Bernard, Sir. Burke's Irish Family Records. London: Burke's Peerage, 1976 [CSL call number CS 490 .B82 1976].
Flanagan, Deirdre and Laurence Flanagan. Irish Place Names. Dublin, Ireland: Gill & MacMillan, 2002 [CSL call number DA 979 .F53 2002].
General Alphabetical Index to the Townlands and Towns, Parishes, and Baronies of Ireland, Based on the Census of Ireland for the Year 1851. Reprint. Baltimore: Genealogical Publishing Co., 1984 [CSL call number DA 979 .G46 1984].
Joyce, Patrick W. Atlas and Cyclopedia of Ireland. New York: Murphy and McCarthy, 1902 [CSL call number DA 975 .J68 1902].
_______________. The Origin and History of Irish Names of Places. Bowie, MD: Heritage Books, 1998 [CSL call number DA 979 .J7 1998].
Kelly, Patrick. Irish Family Names: with Origins, Meanings, Clans, Arms, Crests, and Mottoes. Detroit: Gale Research Co., 1976 [CSL call number CS 2415 .K4 1976].
Lewis, Samuel. A Topographical Dictionary of Ireland: Comprising the Several Counties, Cities, Boroughs, Corporate, Market, and Post Towns, Parishes, and Villages, with Historical and Statistical Descriptions. 2 vols. Baltimore: Genealogical Publishing Co., 1986 [CSL call number DA 979 .L48 1984].
MacLysaght, Edward. Irish Families and Their Names, Arms & Origins. Dublin, Ireland: Irish Academic Press, 1985 [CSL call number CS 2415 .M235 1985].
Mitchell, Brian. A New Genealogical Atlas of Ireland. Baltimore: Genealogical Publishing Co., 1986 [CSL call number G 1831 .F7 M5 1986].
O'Laughlin, Michael C. Book of Irish Families, Great & Small. Kansas City, MO: Irish Genealogical Foundation, 1997 [CSL call number CS 482 .O43 1997]. The origins of many Irish family surnames are discussed. Separate volumes under the same title were also published for the counties of Clare [CSL call number CS 2419 .C53 O43 1996]; Cork [CSL call number CS 2419 .G34 O43 1996]; Dublin [CSL call number CS 2419 .D87 O43 1999]; Galway, [CSL call number CS 2419 .G34 O43 1998]; Kerry [ CSL call number CS 2419 .K47 O43 1994]; and Limerick [CSL call number CS 2419 .L56 O43 1997].
_______________. The Irish Book of Arms: Full Color Coats-of-Arms and Family History, including Irish and Settler Families from England, Scotland, Wales... Kansas City, MO: Irish Genealogical Foundation, 2000 [CSL call number CR 1682 .O3 2000].
Between 1848 and 1864 land in Ireland was surveyed in order to establish the local tax rates that were to be paid by landholders and leaseholders. The Valuation shows each landholder or householder, a description of the property, and the tax valuation. It now serves as an important tool for Irish emigrant family research for the period that much of the emigration from Ireland took place. Griffith's Valuation is available online through the subscription database, Origins Network, for use at the State Library.
For more information on Griffith's Valuation, see:
Reilly, James R. Richard Griffith and His Valuations of Ireland. Baltimore: Printed for Clearfield Company by Genealogical Pub. Co., 2000 [CSL call number DA 950.23 .G75 R45 2000]. A guide to understanding and using the Griffith's Valuations.
Microfiche copies of Griffith's Valuation are also available for use at the State Library. See:
Index of Surnames of Householders in Griffith's Valuation and Tithe Applotment Books [microform]. Dublin, Ireland: Irish Microforms, Ltd., c1978 [CSL call number Cage CS 497 .A1 G75 1978 Index]. This index is a list of the surnames of all the persons given in Griffith's Primary valuation and in the tithe applotment books, covering the period of approximately 1824-1860.
Griffith, Richard. General Valuation of Ratetable Property in Ireland [microform]. Dublin, Ireland: Irish Microforms Ltd., c1978 [CSL call number Cage CS 497 .A1 G75 1978]. Arranged by County.
Brady, Mary Louise Baldwin. Connecticut Roots: Pilgrim & Puritan Planters and Irish Famine Immigrants. Baltimore: Gateway Press, 2006 [CSL call number CS 71 .B8132 2006]. The Table of Contents is available through our online catalog.
Burke, Margaret McNamara. New Haven Irish 1850–1940 and a Social History of the Heaney Family. Thesis, M.A. Southern Connecticut State University, 1996 [CSL call number F 104 .N69 I6 1996b].
Clouette, Bruce. "Getting their Share": Irish and Italian Immigrants in Hartford, Connecticut, 1850-1940. Thesis, Ph.D., University of Connecticut, 1992 [CSL call number F 104 . H39 A25 1992b].
Hogan, Neil. The Cry of the Famishing: Ireland, Connecticut and the Potato Famine. East Haven, CT: Connecticut Irish-American Historical Society, 1998 [CSL call number DA 950.7 .H64 1998].
_______________. The Wearin’ O’ the Green: St. Patrick’s Day in New Haven, Connecticut, 1842–1992, New Haven, CT: Connecticut Irish American Historical Society, 1992 [CSL call number F 104 .N69 I6 1992].
Shanachie. East Haven, CT: Connecticut Irish-American Historical Society, 1992 [CSL call number F105 .I6 S53]. Journal of the Connecticut Irish American Historical Society. Scattered issues are available at the State Library.
Stone, Frank A. The Irish – In Their Homeland, in America, in Connecticut: A Curriculum Guide. Storrs, CT: University of Connecticut, 1975 [CSL call number History Reference AG83wep no. 1].
The History and Genealogy Unit of the Connecticut State Library holds a number of genealogical indexes to births, marriages, deaths, and burials; microfilmed federal census records for Connecticut; and microfilmed early land records for all of Connecticut's 169 towns. Research guides to naturalization records, census records, and ships' passenger lists are also available.
The Connecticut State Library does not hold original or microfilmed Catholic church records. Researchers seeking Catholic records should contact the Diocesan archivist at the Chancery Office, 134 Farmington Ave., Hartford, CT 06105; telephone: (860) 541-6491; website: http://www.archdioceseofhartford.org/archives.htm.
See the Rules and Procedures for Researchers Using Archival Records and Secured Collections Materials. Not all materials are stored onsite; some may not be retrieved the same day. For additional information, please see Use of Offsite and Secured Collections. See in particular the following Record Groups:
RG 010, Records of the Education Department. See in particular Series 19, Age Documentation for Minor’s Work Permits, 1870-1930. Original documents used as proof of a minor’s age when applying for a work permit from the Department of Education. Most documents are from foreign born individuals, but some native born citizens had documents issued in a language other than English. Arranged alphabetically by surname and divided by language within each letter. Includes some attendance reports and some passports and birth certificates of work permit applicants. A finding aid to these records is available at the History and Genealogy Unit reference desk.
RG 033, Connecticut Work Projects Administration, 1935-1944. See in particular Series 8. Ethnic Groups Survey.
RG 033:8:25, Edited copy of papers on Ethnic Groups, 1936-1938. Short reports or monographs by field workers or editors on individual ethnic groups in different town or on various aspects of the life and culture of ethnic groups. For Irish materials, see Box 71.
RG 033:8:29, Files on study of organizations, 1936-1940. Includes edited copies of papers on ethnic organizations, together with lists, working papers, and related materials. For Irish organizations, see Boxes 85, 87.
RG 033:8:37, Bridgeport Office File, 1936-40. Includes reports of interviews with members of ethnic groups. For Irish materials, see Boxes 113 and 114.
RG 033:8:38, Hartford Office File, 1936-40. Includes newspaper clippings concerning Hartford ethnic groups, mounted in scrapbooks. For Irish materials, see Boxes 121, 122, 123, and 124.
RG 033:8:39, New Britain Office File, 1936-40. Includes edited copy, drafts, interview reports and working papers arranged by ethnic group. For Irish materials, see Box 128.
Balch Institute for
Ethnic Studies Library
18 S. Seventh Street
Philadelphia, PA 19106-2314
(215) 925-8090
Fax (215) 925-8195
Boston College University Libraries
Irish
Genealogy - Irish Studies
O'Neill Library, Room 304
140 Commonwealth Avenue
Chestnut Hill, MA 02467
(617) 552-8038
Connecticut Irish-American Historical Society
Mailing address:
PO Box 185833
Hamden, CT 06518
Archives:
The Ethnic Heritage Center at Southern CT State University
270 Fitch Street
New Haven, CT 06515
Irish Genealogical
Society International
1185 Concord Street North
Suite 218
South St. Paul, MN 55075
National
Archives - Northeast Region (Boston)
380 Trapelo Road
Waltham, MA 02452-6399
(781) 647-8104
National
Archives - Northeast Region (New York)
201 Varick Street
New York, NY 10014
(212) 337-1300
New England Historic Genealogical
Society
101 Newbury Street
Boston, MA 02116
Ancestry Library Edition. Contains over 1.5 billion names in over 4,000 databases, with a focus on North America. This is a subscription database that is available for use at the State Library.
Castle Garden. Free Searchable database of passengers who arrived in New York from 1830-1892.
Ellis Island / Port of New York Records. Free searchable database of passengers who arrived through Ellis Island from 1892 until 1924. Includes images of the original ship manifests.
FamilySearch. The website of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. A search on the website includes the Ancestral File and the International Genealogical Index (IGI). Ancestral File is a collection of thousands of names and pedigrees submitted to the Family History Library in Salt Lake City. The International Genealogical Index is an index of names extracted from church and civil records. It includes over 200 million names from records around the world, with concentrations in North America, Mexico, Great Britain, and Europe. Names are placed in the IGI by researchers or through name extraction programs. If your ancestor is in the IGI, you may be able to find the date and place of his or her birth, marriage, and/or death.
HeritageQuest Online. Contains U.S. federal census records, published genealogies, PERSI (Periodical Source Index), and other genealogical resources. This is a subscription database that is available for use at the State Library or remotely to Connecticut residents through iCONN.
Origins Network. Contains British, Scottish and Irish record collections, including Griffith's Valuation. This is a subscription database that is available for use at the State Library.
Suggestions for Beginning Genealogists - From the Connecticut State Library.
Prepared by the History and Genealogy Unit, Connecticut State Library, 11-96. Updated March 2009, © 2009.