Family and Local History
[Bill Macafee's Website]

1901/1911 Online Census of Ireland
c.1860 Griffith's [Tenement] Valuation
1851 Census Returns Co. Antrim
1831 Census Returns Co. L/Derry
1820s/30s Tithe Applotment Books
1803 Agricultural Census N. Antrim
 

Home Page

The purpose of this website is to to provide a research tool for anyone interested in researching their ancestors in Ireland paricularly within that part of Ulster covered by the County of Londonderry and the adjoining parts of Co. Antrim [North & Mid Antrim]- see map of area covered. The website also tends to concentrate on the period covering the nineteenth and early twentieth centuries - read more.

In the top menu there is a link to Administrative Divisions in the top menu that provides details of the location and extent of the Baronies, Parishes, Poor Law Unions, DEDs, etc. within Co. Londonderry and North and Mid Antrim from the seventeenth to the early twentieth centuries - plus databases containing details of the administrative divisions for each individual townland within this area.

The key link in the top menu is the Sources link where you will find pages covering Births, Death & Marriages, Census Records, Valuation Records and Other Records. As well as explanatory/background papers, maps and databases that I have prepared, there are links to, what I think, are the most relevant websites on the worldwide web.

One source, Census Records, generates so many links that these are to be found in the right and left-hand menus. Only the 1901/1911 and 1851 Census Records are proper censuses. Both of these are now online. The other links are to what are generally known as census substitutes. I have created databases from these census substitutes using standardised surnames which make it easier to search for an ancestor - read more. These databases, when used in conjunction with the 1901/1911 online census will allow you to identify where particular names are to be found within this general area at various times from the seventeenth to the early twentieth century

The Case Studies link in the top menu provide working examples of the process of researching families and localities in North Antrim and Co. Londonderry, particularly in the nineteenth and early twentieth centuries. Further examples can be found on my CD ROM:  RESEARCHING DERRY & LONDONDERRY ANCESTORS: A practical guide for the family and local historian which covers the entire county of Londonderry - click here for more details of the CD. By way of example, I have included three case studies of families from the CD.

At the Further Reading link in the top menu you will find a bibliography of books and publications [both hard copy and electronic] relevant to the study of Family and Local History and a list of useful addresses. Note that The Gelvin Historical Society, Dungiven have published a new book GELVIN: the Home Place. For more details click here.

Most of the records on this web site, and indeed on the CD, have been sourced from the Public Record Office (PRONI), Belfast and are reproduced with the kind permission of the Deputy Keeper of Records, Public Record Office of Northern Ireland. As before, feel free to contact me if you see any glaring mistakes or omissions on the site or you think I have got a surname or a townland name wrong in any of the databases.

About the Author

 

Contact me

[w.macafee@btinternet.com]
1796 Flaxgrowers' List
1766 Religious Census
1740 Protestant Householders' Returns
1660s Hearth Money Rolls
1660s Subsidy
Rolls
1630 Muster Rolls
 
Copyright 2011 W.Macafee.