Irish Census Records

The earliest surviving census of the island of Ireland is the 1901 census. Although censuses were kept in Ireland beginning in 1821, they were nearly all destroyed. Some fragments survive, such as the 1831 census of County Londonderry (Derry). Census fragments from 1831 and 1841 for Ireland are available on CD-Rom:  Ireland, 1831 and 1841 Census Index CD-Rom (Family Tree Maker CD #197)

There is no overall index to the 1901 or 1911 census yet. Some counties have been indexed in publications or by the county-based heritage centers. The 1901 and 1911 censuses for all of Ireland (including those counties now in Northern Ireland) are available at the National Archives of Ireland in Dublin. There are also microfilm copies of the 1901 and 1911 censuses available at the Family History Library in Salt Lake City. If you'd like these searched for your family, contact us.

Although the 1851 census of Dublin City was destroyed, a finding aid that extracted head of households from the 1851 census of Dublin City has been published on CD-Rom by the Trinity College Dublin based company Eneclann:  The 1851 Dublin City (Ireland) Census, Chart’s Index of Heads of Households (Irish Records Index Vol. 3). Compiled and edited by Sean Magee, published September 2001, Dublin. This CD-Rom lists over 60,000 names and addresses (with some occupations) from the comprehensive list of heads of household that Dr. D.A. Chart of the Public Record Office produced for Dublin City. Also included on this CD-ROM are scanned images of the 1847 Ordnance Survey Town Plans of Dublin City.

There are numerous sources which can be used as census substitutes for Ireland including freeholder’s lists, voters’ records, tax records, and petitions. The two tax records that are used most commonly as 19th century census substitutes for Ireland are Griffith’s Primary Valuation and the Tithe Applotment Books (see the descriptions of these sources under “Tax Records”). An index to Griffith’s Primary Valuation is available on CD-Rom as is an index to the Tithe Applotment Books of the six Northern Ireland counties:

Another source to consider searching is the following Irish petition that can be used as a census substitute, produced on CD-Rom by Eneclann:

The William Smith O'Brien Petition 1848 (Irish Records Index Vol. 2 ) Compiled and edited by Ruth Lawler, published March 2001, Dublin.

This CD-Rom includes both Roman Catholics and Protestants. After the failure of the 1848 rising, leader William Smith O'Brien was sentenced to death. This petition was collected to gain clemency for O’Brien. His sentence was commuted, and he was transported to Australia for life. The petition was signed by over 80,000 people from throughout Ireland as well as Liverpool, Manchester, and other parts of England, between 1848 and 1849. The CD-ROM contains over 80,000 names, addresses and occupations.

There are also several surviving eighteenth century census transcripts and substitutes, including:

1. 1740 Census of Protestant Householders
2. Ireland 1766 Religious Census (including all religions) $
3. Irish Flax Growers List 1796 $
4. 1841/1851 Census Abstracts (Old Age Pensions)