Ahoghill Civil Parish, County Antrim, Northern Ireland Genealogy

The following information is a starting point for records about the civil parish of Ahoghill. The information is based on locations and records before 1922.

History
Ahoghill is a parish that is partly in the barony of Lower Antrim, partly in the barony of Kilconway, partly in the barony of Upper Toome, but chiefly in the barony of Lower Toome.

Anciently the parish was called Maghrahoghill. The living is a rectory, in the diocese of Connor.

In the Roman Catholic divisions Ahoghill is the head of a union or district, comprising also Portglenone and has three chapels.

There are also places for worship for Presbyterians in connection with the Synod of Ulster at Ahoghill and Cullybackey.

Localities
Contiguous parishes are as follows: Portglenone, Craigs, Kirkinriola, Ballyclug, Connor, Drummaul, Grange of Ballyscullion. Ahoghill belongs to the Poor Law Union of Ballymena.

To discover the town-lands that are within Ahoghill parishes boundaries go to the following website:

http://www.thecore.com/seanruad/

Maps and gazetteers
Add a Web site link for a map or gazetteer site, and/or add a printed source. Read more about maps and gazetteers.

Cemeteries
The village of Ahoghill contains a Presbyterian graveyard and also a Church of Ireland graveyard. Gloonan has a Presbyterian graveyard. The village of Gracehill has a Moravian Chapel and a graveyard. Lismurnaghan has a Presbyterian chapel and graveyard. There is also a Roman Catholic Chapel and graveyard.

Census
The purpose of a census was to gather information about people who lived in an area. While the government began census taking in 1821, only fragments exist before 1901. Censuses for 1901 and 1911 are available. Read more about the records in the Ireland Census article.

Add information here about census substitutes that you know about.

Church Records
Read general information about church records.

Catholic
Roman Catholic records for the parish begin in 1833 and consist of baptisms, marriages, and burials.

The National Library of Ireland has available on microfilm Baptisms: 1833-1863; Marriages: 1833-1863; and Burials: 1833-1863, 1872-1880. The Public Record Office of Northern Ireland has Baptisms: 1833-1881; Marriages: 1833-1881; Burials: 1833-1847(but are full of gaps). The Ulster Historical Foundation has indexed the baptisms 1864-1900 and marriages 1866-1900.

Other records may be available through the Diocese of Down and Connor.

Church of Ireland
The earliest registers of Ahoghill begin in 1811. This year applies to baptisms, marriages, and deaths/burials. The records are held in local custody with baptisms covering the years 1811 to 1870; marriages covering 1811 to 1845; Burials cover the years 1811 to 1870. Copies of these registers are also available at the Public Record Office of Northern Ireland.

Presbyterian
There are three congregations in the civil parish of Ahoghill.


 * Ahoghill 1st Presbyterian Church. Records begin in 1841
 * Ahoghill 2nd Presbyterian Church. Also called Trinity Church. Records start in 1835
 * Ahoghill 3rd Presbyterian Church. Also called Brookside. Records begin in 1859.

Methodist
Name(s) of ecclesiastical parish, records, availability, archive, online indexes, notes.

Society of Friends
Name(s) of ecclesiastical parish, records, availability, archive, online indexes, notes.

Others
Name(s) of ecclesiastical parish, records, availability, archive, online indexes, notes.

Civil Registration
Government registration of births and deaths began in 1864. Registration of Protestant marriages began in 1845, with all marriages being registered by 1864. Go to the Ireland Civil Registration article to read more about these records.

Land records
The Registry of Deeds started in 1708. Land transactions were recorded, including immovable property passed on in a will and property given to a daughter at her marriage. Read more about these records in the Ireland Land and Property article.

Probate records
Probate dealt with the property of a deceased person. Read more about these records in the Ireland Probate Records article.

Ahoghill is within the probate district of Belfast.

School Records
Read more about these records in the Ireland Schools article. Add records for this parish.

Tax records
The valuation of property for tax purposes was started in the 1840s by Richard Griffith. A tax paid to the church, call Tithe Applotments, began in the 1820s. Read about these records in the Ireland Taxation and Ireland Land and Property articles. Add records for this parish that you know about.

Websites
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