Genealogy Resources
The digital records in the Virtual Treasury are replacements for originals lost in the fire which destroyed the Public Record Office of Ireland (PROI) in 1922.
These digital replacements are arranged in the same categories and groupings as the originals in the PROI were, which means it can be tricky to identify which records are most useful for family history research.
In this page we have gathered a number of items and records series which are particularly useful for genealogy. New replacements are coming on stream all the time so do return to this page to check for updates.
Unlike a commercial genealogy site, the records in the Virtual Treasury contain names mixed in with many other types of information, so be prepared to do some digital digging! Our help pages have short videos guiding you on how to do a search, how to find a name or word within a digital record, and how to browse an entire series. It can be helpful to look at these videos before starting.
Good luck with the research.
Highlights for Genealogy
You can search for a name using basic or advanced search, but can also browse through a volume or a series of records. Select the Browse button below the main search box, under the heading ‘Ready to explore?’. Scroll down the list to the repository you wish to view.
Click an arrow to unfold the contents, click any further arrows to view lower layers of records.
The image icon shows that images + descriptions are available.
A greyed-out image icon means that images are not available at that level. But images may be available by unfolding any arrow icons which appear.
When you select a record you want to examine, click the thumbnail image, or the ‘View Digital Content’ button, to jump to the digitised record. In the panel to the left of the image use the magnifying glass icon to open a search box.
Type in the name or word you want to find within this particular document. See the video above for how to search for text within a document.
Note: This search uses a computer-generated transcription. It will search for the exact spelling you have typed, but sometimes the human eye can be better at spotting unusual spellings or tricky handwriting.
Virtual Record Treasury of Ireland
1766 Religious Census- Gold Seam
While most of the original records from this early census were lost in the fire of 1922, partial copies exist – scattered in many archives and libraries. The 1766 Religious Census Gold Seam brings all surviving transcripts together in the Virtual Treasury. Some record only numbers of people in a parish, but many record the names of the head of the household, and a rare few record the names of individuals.
You can browse this collection here: 1766 Religious Census – Gold Seam
Dublin City Library and Archives
Rent Roll of the pavement tax for Merrion Square (1776)
This unusual volume lists 250 householders in Dublin’s prestigious Merrion Square in 1776. The link is to the first page, you can scroll through the entire volume by clicking the ‘Next’ button on the right hand side. To browse the full volume see a short video here
King’s Inns Library
Landed Estate Court Rentals (1850-1913)
These five volumes record the extent and ownership of landed estates being sold through the Encumbered Estates Court (IEC) and subsequent Landed Estates Court (LEC). They show lists of tenants names and maps of the estates. Some urban properties are also included.
The link is to the first page of the first volume, you can scroll through the entire volume by clicking the ‘Next’ button on the right hand side. To use Browse to see all five volumes watch a short video here
L. Brown Collection
Grand Jury Map Collection
These beautiful and detailed early 19th century maps relate to 16 Irish counties. They give a vivid impression of districts before the Great Famine.
The link is to the first of the Armagh maps, you can scroll to the following map by clicking the ‘Next’ button on the right hand side. To see the full list of counties, and browse the maps, check out this short video on using Browse
Longford County Library and Archives Service
Grand Jury Presentments, 1759-1806
Grand Jury case bills 1808-1907
Before 1898, local government was operated by County Grand Juries. Their records contain many names, from people involved in legal cases to those contracted to repair the roads.
The links are to the first pages of the first and second volumes. You can scroll to the next volume by clicking the ‘Next’ button on the right hand side. To browse the full Co. Longford collection see a short video here
To learn more about the Grand Jury system in Ireland download our publication: People, Place and Power
National Archives Ireland
Statutory Census of Ireland
The 19th century census records showing individual households were destroyed – with a few rare exceptions. Fragments from the 1813, 1821, 1841 and 1851 census survived.
The link is to the first surviving fragment from 1813, you can scroll to the next 1813 survivor by clicking the ‘Next’ button on the right hand side. To browse the full set of fragments see a short video here
Manuscripts of John Lodge (1692-1774), deputy keeper of the records, Birmingham Tower, Dublin Castle
This large collection of 25 volumes, contains many names. Created in the mid 18th century, John Lodge’s transcripts contain records dating back to the 1320s.
The link is to the first page of the first volume. Scroll through this very extensive series by clicking the ‘Next’ button on the right hand side. To browse the full volume see a short video here.
For more on Lodge’s transcript see here.
Prerogative Court
Wills are a wonderful source for family history research. This small series comprises transcripts of wills proved in the Prerogative Court of Armagh, 1664-1834. These digitised will are not yet word-searchable.
The link is to the first will, you can scroll through the series by clicking the ‘Next’ button on the right hand side. To browse the full volume see a short video here.
Private Accessions
This very mixed series of records contains many names spread across a wide variety of record types. The link is to the first record, you can scroll through the series by clicking the ‘Next’ button on the right hand side.
To browse the full series see a short video here.
1766 Religious census, Public Record Office of Ireland copy of return, parish of Ardcanny, dio. Limerick
The ‘Private Miscellaneous’ collection is large and diverse. This is an example of one record containing many names transcribed from the 1766 Religious Census. This digital records is not word-searchable yet, but the writing is reasonably clear.
To learn how to browse the full collection of NAI records in the Virtual Treasury see a short video here.
1798 Yeomanry Returns
These are rare survivors from the fire of 1922. They list local men, mainly from Co Carlow, who served with the yeomanry, a type of volunteer militia, to suppress the United Irishmen’s rebellion of 1798.
The link is to the first return, you can scroll through the entire series by clicking the ‘Next’ button on the right hand side. To browse the returns see a short video here.
National Library of Australia
Return of male convicts embarked on the ‘Friendship’ transport [1799 – 1800]
These pages list men from Ireland, sentenced to transportation to Australia aboard the ‘Friendship’ in 1799-1800.
The link is to the first page, you can scroll through the entire volume by clicking the ‘Next’ button on the right hand side. To learn how to browse other records from the National Library of Australia in the Virtual Treasury see a short video here.
Public Record Office of Ireland
Reports of the Deputy Keeper of the Public Records in Ireland [1869-1921]
The annual reports published by the Public record office of Ireland often contained extensive transcripts of records which were later destroyed in the fire of 1922. Transcripts cold contain extensive lists of names appearing in the records.
The link is to the first page of the first report, you can scroll through the entire volume by clicking the ‘Next’ button on the right hand side. To browse all reports see a short video here.
Registry of Deeds
Public Register, Transcript Books
Every property transaction recorded in these handsome volumes contain names. Our ongoing collaboration with the Registry of Deeds (now Tailte Éireann) has made six sample volumes available on the Virtual Treasury, containing tens of thousands of deeds and leases.
The link is to the first page of Book 1, you can scroll through the entire volume by clicking the ‘Next’ button on the right hand side. To browse all six sample volumes see a short video here.
Watch this space for more volumes coming online.
Royal College of Physicians of Ireland
Transcriptions from the ‘Prerogative Wills’ in the Record Office, Dublin, by Sybil Kirkpatrick
Sybil Kirkpatrick transcribed the wills of many Irish doctors, mainly from the 17th and 18th centuries. Her copy books can now be searched for their names.
The link is to the first page of the first copy book, you can scroll through the entire copy book by clicking the ‘Next’ button on the right hand side. To browse the full set of copy books see a short video here.
Tullynally House, Co. Westmeath
List of elector’s names and addresses in County Westmeath for the parliamentary election of 1797.
This list of local electors for Co. Westmeath contains the names of around 2,000 householders, and the districts where they lived. The text is not yet word-searchable, but the writing is reasonably clear and legible.
The link is to the first page of the first copy book, you can scroll through the entire copy book by clicking the ‘Next’ button on the right hand side. To browse the full set of copy books see a short video here.
Virtual Record Treasury of Ireland
Census of the population of the estates of William Tighe esquire in the county of Kilkenny, taken in 1831, and copied from the government returns [Inistioge]
This unique survivor from the lost census of 1831 is a full transcripts of the records submitted from Inistioge parish, Co. Kilkenny.
The estate included lands in the parishes of Inistioge, Clewen (or Clonamery), Dysartmoon, and Dungarvan.
Each entry runs across two pages. Use the small arrows at the bottom of the image viewer to scroll through the 70 pages.
For more information on this document, click here.
