Explore the 1901 and 1911 Irish census records using our enhanced search platform. This guide will help you access individual and household records, view original documents, and troubleshoot common issues.
Start Your Search
Visit the Search the Census page.
You can search by:
- Census year (1901 or 1911) you can select either 1901 or 1911
- All years means that you will get results from both 1901 and 1911.
- Name (surname and/or first name)
- County, townland/street,
- District Electoral Division (DED)
- Age, sex, relationship to head of household, and more.
More search options
Use the More search options to refine your results:
- Combine multiple fields (e.g., name + DED + age) for more accurate matches.
- Use wildcards (e.g., Joh* for John, Johnson, etc.) to account for spelling variations.
- If unsure of a location, try searching by county only, then narrow down using filters.
- Add in a occupation to see what results you get for example if you select 1911 and put Lighthouse Keeper in the Occupation field you get 75 results!
Input as much or as little information as you have
The search form is designed to be flexible, perfect for both detailed research and exploratory searches.
Examples:
- If you only know a surname, try entering just that and selecting a county (e.g., Syms in Dublin).
- If you’re unsure of spelling, use a wildcard: Mich* could return Michael, Micheál, or Michan.
- If you know a street name but not the full name, search by street and census year to browse all residents.
This allows you to begin your search even with limited or uncertain information.
View the results
Click on a name in the results list to open their record.
You’ll see two tabs:
- View single record – Transcribed details for the selected person.
- View household record – All individuals listed at the same address.
Explore household members
In the household view, click on any name (e.g., a spouse or child). A blue underline will appear when hovering, indicating it’s a clickable link. This opens that person’s individual record.
View original documents
Look for a link to the original census form image.
Download and save
You can download census results for your records or further research.
Use the breadcrumb trail
At the top of the record page, use the breadcrumb trail to navigate back through:
- Street name
- District Electoral Division (DED)
- City or county
- Census year
This is helpful for exploring neighbouring households or understanding the local area.
Clear Form Fields Button
- If you want to start a new search or remove all previously entered information, click the “Clear Form Fields” This will reset the search form, allowing you to begin again with a blank slate—especially useful if you’ve tried multiple filters or want to change your search approach.
Report an error
If you spot a mistake in a transcription or encounter a technical issue, scroll to the bottom of the results page and click the “Report an Error” button. This allows you to submit corrections or flag problems directly to our team, helping us improve the accuracy and usability of the census records.
Search by Location
The Search by Location feature allows you to explore census records geographically. To begin, simply select the census year you’re interested in. Next, choose a county from the list provided.
Once you’ve selected a county, you’ll see an alphabetical list of District Electoral Divisions (DEDs). Click on any DED to view the Townlands and Streets within that area.
From there, one more click will take you to the list of residents for each townland or street, giving you direct access to the names, households, and details of the people who lived there at the time of the census.
Troubleshooting tips
Can’t find someone?
- Try alternate spellings or use wildcards (e.g., * or ?)
- Search by location only, then browse household names
- Check both 1901 and 1911 records
Missing information?
- Be sure to check the original document—some details (like marriage duration) are only visible there.
Link not working or image not loading?
- Try refreshing the page or using a different browser
- Ensure pop-ups are enabled for viewing document images