Genealogy, Discovering our ancestors!

[AShruleEgan]

Here's another page for those with Irish roots.

http://www.freesurnamesearch.com/search/ir...land/index.html

[CelticRoz]

Thanks Mike! I put that on my favorites list too! I have a couple of Irish names I need to look up! You and Mailagnus are such a Godsend to me! Thank you for everything!

[CelticRoz]

Okay, I am feeling a bit dillusional right now cause I am really excited! I found a cousin who researched us back to 1528 England! One of my many great-grandfathers fought in the Jacobite rebellion of 1715 against Scotland! I was always for Scotland, myself. Seems like my ancestors were not. Anyway, he was killed in the Isle of Man during the rebellion.

[Catriona]

CelticRose
Just to point out that the Jacobite Rebellion was not Scots against English.... It was Jacobites against BRITISH forces.... ie as many, if not more, Scots fought as PART of the British army vs the Jacobites...

And I talk as someone who had a number of relatives fight at Culloden on the Jacobite side

I think you need to read British history before making statements like that.... after all, - the Union of the Crowns took place BEFORE the rebellions!

[CelticRoz]

Catriona! I was hoping you wouldn't see the above post. I discovered the family info at 2 am and was really excited that I had gotten that far into my family research that I posted before I should have. However, it was just a little while ago that I actually did some research on the topic and discovered what I had said last night was all wrong about the historical facts! I was so utterly embarrased and then came in here to see you saw my mistake! I was indeed mortified! I apologize profusely for having made any historical statements as I really don't know what I am talking about. I am trying to study British history but I have much to learn ......obviously. I am sorry if I offended you and anyone else by this huge mistake.

[AShruleEgan]

Here's a few more pages to look into your Irish roots.

http://www.cyberpursuits.com/gen/uk-ireland.asp

http://www.irishinnyc.freeservers.com/index.html

On this last URL, find some time to read about the Draft Riots in New York City in the 1860's. Really opens your eyes to how tough it was for the Irish in those days.

[Catriona]

CelticRose
British history (yes, the history of the whole of the islands,not just Scotland!) are a quagmire for the natives, never mind foreigners! BUT, you have to be aware that some of the posters on here are from staunchly pro-Government (as we prefer to call them) ancestral roots - ie perhaps Campbells, who were a highland clan which fought on the side of the Government. It is therefore something to be cautious about when making statements re 'Scots vs English' etc

You don't have to apologise to me (profusely or otherwise) - I just can't bear to see history distorted....

[CelticRoz]

Catriona! I appreciate so much you educating me. That's what I like about message boards is that you learn so much from everybody! Since I daydreamed too much when I was in school, I am paying for it now and trying to re-learn American history as well as study some British history too! While British history is so fascinating, it is very complex too.....at least to me. There are a lot of things I just don't understand and trying to put it all together. Wish I was in your classes, but then I would probably monopolize the class with all my questions!

Many thanks again!


Mike, thanks for those websites. I learned something just last night about one my great-grandmothers. She was born in Balleyhaken, Kings County, Ireland and came over to America on a ship with her parents. Her father got sick and died on the way and he was buried at sea. Sad, eh?

So far I have been able to get back as far as 1508 England on one side of the family and that is only because one of our family members was a historian and wrote a book about our family! I found all this out by being in contact with cousins on rootsweb.com and gencircles.com who shared all this info with me! I have been so excited!

[CelticRoz]

Well, I had a very delightful surprise today that I just had to share. I told you all that I had discovered there is a historian in my Whitaker family and he had written a book about our ancestors. Well, after much research I was able to get a hold of him in Asheville, NC and he still has some books available! He gave me his address to order them for me and one of my sisters! I am so excited! He also told me that since I live in Arizona that I should know that I have many cousins around me up in Utah who are Mormons! Wow! so I need to try to get a hold of them now! My other cousins who have this book told me it is wonderful and has pictures of our ancestors!

[AShruleEgan]

And just a few weeks ago, you were worried that you were going to have a hard time finding enough information on your family. Sounds to me, that you have been pretty consistent and successful in your search. Could be rainy and gloomy at your house and you should still be wearing a smile!!

My file is now up to 683 names of relatives going back to 1793. And I still have many holes to fill.

It is amazing the general history of the world that you come across just trying to research your family. They sure didn't discuss some of these things in my history classes in school. Maybe if they had taught some of the things that I have read in the last few weeks, history class might have been interesting.

[CelticRoz]

Very very true, Mike! Now I am trying to research my grandmothers who married the Whitakers and I am not getting very far on them. I just happened to be lucky in what I have found so far because I have a historian in the family Otherwise, I may not have gotten as far as I have. But I will keep it up as I am sure you will too.

Please share what you find, okay? I don't want to be the only one excited or downcast on this forum!

[AShruleEgan]

I had the pleasure of making someone very happy last night. Not sure how this woman tracked me down but she was looking for information about one of the families associated with us.

I had information on about 50 names for the family she was researching, going back to the late 1800's. I think, if I was standing in the same room, all the X's and O's on her e-mail would have been planted on me.

Just goes to show you, fun can be had from all directions.

[AShruleEgan]

This ia some very important information I came across that explains why so little records exist in Ireland. This can save you a lot of time trying to search for information that doesn't exist anymore.


The first properly organised census in Ireland commenced in 1821, and, thereafter, with some exceptions, a census was taken every ten years. Unfortunately, most of the 1841-1891 returns were pulped into waste paper during the First World War or were destroyed later during the Irish Civil War. However, returns for a small number of parishes have survived.

PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE of NORTHERN IRELAND (PRONI)


1821
This census was organised by townland, civil parish, barony and county and took place on 28 May 1821. Almost all the original returns were destroyed in 1922, with only a few volumes surviving for Co. Fermanagh PRONI Reference Number MIC 5A and MIC 15A.



1831
Once again this census was organised by townland, civil parish, barony and county. It also includes the name, age, occupation and religion of the occupants. Very little of this census survives, with most of the remaining fragments relating to Co. Londonderry;
MIC 5A/6 Barony of Coleraine;
MIC 5A/6 and 7 City of Londonderry;
MIC 5A/8 Barony of Loughlinsholin;
MIC 5A/9 Barony of Tirkeeran.



1841
The government census, taken on 6 June 1841, followed the same general pattern as that of 1831, however, the returns were compiled by the householders themselves rather than government enumerators. Unfortunately, no part of the census for Northern Ireland has survived. However, the 1841 census was the earliest to be of use when the Old Age Pensions were introduced in the early twentieth century, and copies of the household returns from 1851 were sometimes used as proof of age. The forms detailing the results of the searches have survived and are available PRONI Reference Number T.550. There are also some individual returns in MIC 15A.

1851
Taken on 30 March 1851, this government census added a column for religious affiliation. Most of the surviving returns relate to Co. Antrim. The comments above on transcripts of the 1841 census also apply to 1851. PRONI Reference Number MIC 5A/11-26. There are also individual census returns for various parts of the Province in MIC 15A.

1861, 1871, 1881 and 1891
The census records for 1861 to 1891 were destroyed by order of the government during the First World War. Nothing survives for the Northern Ireland area and so alternative sources, Census Substitutes. must be used for information about the population.

[CelticRoz]

Hi Mike! Nice research you have there. So far I can confirm one great grandmother who was born in Ireland born in 1701 and then emigrated to America when she was a young girl. Am anxious to get my historian cousin's book sent to me to find out more. However from what you have written, I might find some information on her yet...maybe.

Right now I am stuck on a Rebecca Jane Allison who was an indentured servant for the Underwood family in North Carolina. She has married my 3rd great-grandfather, Silas Whitaker. I can't find anything on her except that she was born in North Carolina, but want to take it further back then that. I talked with one of my cousins last night who is a member of both genealogy.com and ancestry.com, so I might just have to put the money out and join at least one of them if I want to take any of this further.

And that is pretty exciting you were able to help one of your relatives last night. That happened to me too with one of my distant cousins recently too.

[lighthouse]

[SIZE=1][COLOR=BlueViolet]Rose,
I to am intrested in this topic. I wish to learn more but have to find a starting place. just looking up names and tracing it down I have Murry, Murphy, and MacDonald all. Where do you start to do a search. Any help will be great! Darlene