Ireland Tithe Applotment Books - FamilySearch Historical Records

Ireland

What is in This Collection?
This collection includes records between 1814 and 1855 of Tithe Applotments (a type of tax record). Tithes were taxes imposed upon land owners, tenant farmers, or anyone who occupied agricultural lands. These taxes were paid to the Church of Ireland to support the church. The books identified those who paid the tithes and the acreage they managed.

In 1823, the Tithe Composition Act was passed in Ireland, requiring this tax. As a result of it, agricultural land had to be valued. The law appointed commissioners to determine the land value for each parish in each county in Ireland. Once the value was established, whoever occupied the agricultural land was expected to pay it. The tax was based on the average price of wheat and oats for the seven years before 1823. Rates were also affected by the quality of the land. Therefore, the tax was not assessed equally on all land.

The law caused great resentment by those who were not members of the Church of Ireland. The tax was subsequently abolished in 1869.

The books were first held by the Irish Land Commission. In the 1940s, they were transferred to the Public Record Office of Ireland and the Public Record Office of Northern Ireland. About 40% of the Heads of Household population is recorded in these books.

The books are either handwritten on preprinted pages or handwritten using the same format as the preprinted pages.

General Information About These Records
Because most pre-1901 census records were destroyed after the Irish Civil War bombing on 30 June 1922 (when a massive explosion and fire demolished the building and the other records), the Tithe Applotment Books are a valuable genealogical collection. Although the books do not have complete lists of residents (only the head of household), they are the only countrywide survey for the time period that survives.

The information in these records verifies residency for heads of households and how long they lived in places.

What Can These Records Tell Me?
The following information may be found in these records:
 * Town
 * Landholder’s Name
 * Amount of Land Held
 * Amount of Tithe to be Paid
 * Landlord’s Name
 * Assessment of the Economic Productivity of the Land

How Do I Search This Collection?
To begin your search, it would be helpful if you knew the following information:
 * Name of Ancestor
 * Last residence

View the Images
View images in this collection by visiting the :
 * 1) Select County
 * 2) Select Parish and date to view the images.

How Do I Analyze the Results?
Compare each result from your search with what you know to determine if there is a match. This may require viewing multiple records or images. Keep track of your research in a research log.

I Found the Person I Was Looking For, What Now?

 * Use the information to search in civil and church records for births, marriages, and deaths

I Can’t Find the Person I’m Looking For, What Now?

 * There may be more than one person in the records with the same name
 * You may not be sure of your own ancestor’s name
 * Your ancestor may have used different names or variations of their name throughout their life
 * When looking for a person who had a common name, look at all the entries for the name before deciding which is correct
 * Titles may be clues to property ownership, occupations, rank, or status within the community
 * Be aware that, as with any index, transcription errors may occur
 * Check for variant spellings of the names

Research Helps
The following articles will help you in your research for your family in Ireland.
 * Ireland Guided Research
 * Record Finder
 * Research Tips and Strategies

Citing This Collection
Citations help you keep track of places you have searched and sources you have found. Identifying your sources helps others find the records you used.