If you’re embarking on family history research, the National Archives of Ireland offers a wealth of resources to help you uncover your ancestry.
It is important to note that we do not hold birth, marriage, or death certificates. These records are available through the General Register Office (GRO). You can access older birth, marriage, or death certificate records on irishgenealogy.ie.
While we don’t hold these vital records, the National Archives of Ireland has many other valuable collections that can aid your research. Our archives include wills and testamentary records, census records, land and estate records, military service records, and court and legal records, all of which can provide rich insights into your family’s history.
How to begin family history research
Start by gathering basic facts about the individual or family of interest. Collect information from family sources, including letters and official documents like passports, which can reveal details such as name spellings, maiden names, locations in Ireland, and emigration dates.
Knowing when an individual left Ireland helps determine what records may exist and can assist in tracking movements within the country.
Key details you will need
To successfully identify an ancestor in the archives, you should know at least three key details:
- family name
- parish or townland they lived in
- approximate period they lived
These details significantly increase your chances of finding a connection.
Surname searches are useful if the surname is uncommon, as common surnames can yield long lists of unrelated individuals.
Online archives for family history research
We offer many digitised genealogy resources on our Genealogy website for free. Collections include census returns, land valuation records, wills, workhouse records, transportation records, estate records, and business records.
Some records, like the 1901 and 1911 censuses, are available online. However most collections must be consulted in person at the National Archives Reading Room.
What we offer
While we don’t have birth, marriage and death records, our collections include many other valuable resources for genealogical research:
- Wills and Testamentary Records: These documents can provide insights into your ancestors’ lives, their property, and family relationships.
- Census Records: We hold census records from various years, which can help you trace your family’s history and movements over time.
- Land and Estate Records: These records can offer information about land ownership and tenancy, which may be relevant to your family history.
- Court and Legal Records: These documents can reveal legal proceedings involving your ancestors, offering a glimpse into their personal and social circumstances.
Free Genealogy Service
We also offer a free genealogy service to assist you with your research. Our experienced staff can help you navigate our collections and provide guidance on how to find the information you need.
Learn about our free genealogy service
Challenges of archival research
Archival research can be complex and time-consuming, but you are getting to be a detective for your family history, so it can also be very rewarding.
To begin your research, you can visit our Reading Room, where our staff will be happy to assist you. Additionally, many of our records are available online, allowing you to start your research from home.
Further reading
These publications will give researchers an introduction and guide to Irish genealogical research, country-wide, with two specific to Ulster. They all address the most useful and common family history sources and will be relevant to anyone interested in Irish genealogy.
Begley, Donal (ed.), Irish Genealogy, a record finder (2nd impression, Dublin, 1987)
Grenham, John, Tracing your Irish ancestors, (8th edn., Dublin, 2012)
MacConghail, Máire and Gorry, Paul, Tracing Irish ancestors, a practical guide to Irish genealogy (Collins, 1997)
Maxwell, Ian, How to trace your Irish ancestors: an essential guide to researching and documenting the family histories of Ireland’s people (Begbroke, 2008)
Maxwell, Ian, Tracing your Northern Irish ancestors, a guide for family historians (Barnsley, 2010)
Maxwell, Ian, Your Irish ancestors, a guide for family historians, (Barnsley, 2008)
O’Neill, Robert K., Irish libraries, archives, museums and genealogical centres: a visitors’ guide (Ulster Historical Foundation, 2007)
Roulston, William, Researching Scots‐Irish ancestors: the essential genealogical guide to early modern Ulster, 1600–1800 (Ulster Historical Foundation, 2005)
Ryan, James G., Irish records: sources for family and local history (revised edn, Salt Lake City, 1997)