Research Guide to Irish Genealogical Resources at the Connecticut State Library

The following sources may be helpful in planning search strategies. Due to time constraints, the library staff cannot search these materials on behalf of patrons. They may be utilized at the Connecticut State Library but may not be borrowed or sent on interlibrary loan.

Published Resources

Introductory Sources
Baxter, Angus. In Search of Your British & Irish Roots: A Complete Guide to Tracing Your English, Welsh, Scottish, and Irish Ancestors. Baltimore: Genealogical Publishing Co., 1989 [CSL call number CS 414 .B38 1989].

Duffy, Godfrey F. A Guide toTracing Your Donegal Ancestors. Glenageary, Co. Dublin: Flyleaf Press, 1996 [CSL call number HistRef CS 497 .D66 D84 1996].

Grenham, John. A Guide toTracing Your Irish Ancestors: The Complete Guide. Baltimore: Genealogical Publishing Co., 1992 [CSL call number CS 483 .G74 1992].

Handbook on Irish Genealogy: How to Trace Your Ancestors and Relatives in Ireland. Dublin: Heraldic Artists, [1973] [CSL call number CS 483 .H47 1973].

Holliot, Rosemary. "Genealogy in Ireland." The American Genealogist 52 (1976): 210-15 [CSL call number F 104 .N6 A64].

McCarthy, Tony and Tim Cadogan. A Guide toTracing Your Cork Ancestors. Glenageary, Co. Dublin: Flyleaf Press, 1998 [CSL call number HistRef CS 497 .C67 M33 1998].

Mitchell, Brian. Pocket Guide to Irish Genealogy. Baltimore: Clearfield Co., 1991 [CSL call number CS 483 .M57 1991].

Neagles, James C. and Lee, Lila. Locating Your Immigrant Ancestor. Washington, DC: Everton Publishers, Inc., 1975 [CSL call number HistRef CS 68 .N42].

O'Connor, Michael H. A Guide toTracing Your Kerry Ancestors. Second Edition. Glenageary, Co. Dublin: Flyleaf Press, 1990 [CSL call number HistRef CS 497 .K47 O25 1994].

O'Laughlin, Michael C. The Complete Book for Tracing Your Irish Ancestors. Irish Genealogical Foundation, 1980.

Ryan, James G. Irish Records: Sources for Family & Local History. Revised Ed. Salt Lake City: Ancestry Incorporated, 1997 [CSL call number HistRef CS 483 .R83 1997].

_______________ and Brian Smith. A Guide to Tracing Your Dublin Ancestors. Second Edition. Glengeary, Co. Dublin: Flyleaf Press, 1998 [CSL call number HistRef CS 497 .D87 R93 1998}.

Smith, Brian. A Guide to Tracing Your Mayo Ancestors. Glenageary, Co. Dublin: Flyleaf Press, 1997 [CSL call number HistRef CS 497 .M38 S65 1997].

Additional Sources
Charles-Edwards, T. M. Early Irish and Welsh Kinship [CSL call number GN 585 .I7 C47 993].

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].

Glazier, Ira A. and Tepper, Michael, eds. The Famine Immigrants: Lists of Irish Immigrants Arriving at the Port of New York, 1846-1851. Genealogical Pub. Co., 1983- [CSL call number E 184 .I6 F25 1983].

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].

Irish Genealogical Society. Heritage and Research Centers in Ireland. Irish Genealogical Society, Intl., 1993 [CSL cataloging in process] An important work that tells about the centralized Irish Genealogical Project, along with giving addresses and holdings of the county genealogical centers.

MacSlyght, Edward. The Surnames of Ireland. Barnes & Noble, 1969 [CSL call number CS 2415 .M24 1969].

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].

_______________. A New Genealogical Atlas of Ireland. Baltimore: Genealogical Publishing Co., 1986 [CSL call number G 1831 .F7 M5 1986].

O'Laughlin, Michael C. The Master Book of Irish Surnames. [CSL call number CS 2415 .043 1993].

Genealogical Resources
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.

The town or county of birth is usually not included in census and naturalization records; in most cases the entry will simply read "Ireland". Research guides to naturalization records, census records, and ships' passenger lists are also available.

In addition, it holds
Griffith, Richard. General Valuation of Ratetable Property in Ireland [microform]. Dublin, Ireland: Irish Microforms Ltd., c1978 [CSL call number SpecColl CS 497 .A1 G75 1978]. 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, description of the property, and the tax valuation and now serves as an important tool for Irish emigrant family research for the period that much of the emigration from Ireland took place.

Index of Surnames of Householders in Griffith's Valuation and Tithe Applotment Books [microform]. Dublin: Irish Microforms, Ltd., c1978 [CSL call number SpecColl 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.

Archival Resources
The items listed below are subject to the Rules and Procedures for Researchers Using Archival Records and Secured Collections Materials. See in particular the following Record Groups:

RG 10, Records of the Education Department. Includes some attendance reports and some passports and birth certificates of work permit applicants, 1870-1930.

RG 33:8, Ethnic Groups Survey.

Computer Resources
The beginning genealogist may save some time in finding records by consulting the Ancestral File and the International Genealogical Index (IGI). These CD-ROM products include information on individuals from throughout the world.

The 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.

The Ancestral File and the IGI are also available at LDS Family History Centers, other large genealogical libraries, and through the Family Search website.

Other Institutions with Relevant Collections
Balch Institute for Ethnic Studies Library
18 S. Seventh St.
Philadelphia, PA 19106-2314
(215) 925-8090
Fax (215) 925-8195

Connecticut Irish-American Historical Society
PO Box 120-020
East Haven, CT 06512

The Ethnic Heritage Center at Southern Connecticut State University
117 Wintergreen Building
501 Crescent St.
New Haven, CT 06515

Irish Genealogical Society International
PO Box 16585
St. Paul, MN 55116

National Archives - Northeast Region (Boston)
380 Trapelo Rd.
Waltham, MA 02452-6399
(781) 647-8104

National Archives - Northeast Region (New York)
201 Varick St.
New York, NY 10014
(212) 337-1300

New England Historic Genealogical Society
101 Newbury St.
Boston, MA 02116

Prepared by the History and Genealogy Unit, Connecticut State Library, 11-96.