Ireland Landed Estate Court Files - FamilySearch Historical Records

Ireland

What is in This Collection?
During the 1840s, Ireland suffered a massive famine. Many tenants died, and others emigrated, hoping to find relief. As a result, landlords lost their major source of income, and their estates went into debt, culminating in a high number of foreclosures. It is estimated that between the years 1850 and 1858 around 8,000 estate foreclosures were handled.

In 1849, an act was passed which established the Encumbered Estates Court. This court handled the sale and accounting of bankrupted estates. In 1858, the Landed Estates Court was established. This court handled both unencumbered and encumbered estates.

These records were created to provide a detailed accounting of bankrupted estate sales. These records are generally reliable.

This collection covers records for the years 1850 to 1885.

These records consist of maps, which are hand-drawn, and tenant lists which are typed on preprinted forms. The records are divided by county and lot.

Image Visibility
Whenever possible, Family Search makes images available for all users. However, ultimate rights to view images on our website are granted by the record Custodians. The Ireland Landed Estate Court Records collection is available to the Family History Library, FamilySearch Centers, and to members of the supporting organization, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. The images can be viewed at a FamilySearch Center near you.

For additional information about image restrictions, please see the Restrictions for Viewing Images in FamilySearch Historical Record Collections page.

What Can These Records Tell Me?
Lot map records may contain the following information:


 * Estate owner and title
 * Parish
 * County
 * Surveyor’s name and address
 * Ordinance sheet number

Tenant list records may contain the following information:


 * Tenant’s full name
 * Number on the map
 * Quantity of land
 * Irish plantation rents
 * Annual rent
 * Gale days (the day on which rent is due)

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

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.

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.