Antrim Civil Parish, County Antrim, Northern Ireland Genealogy

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

History
Antrim is a market town, a parish and the head of a union. It is partly in the barony of Upper Antrim and partly in the barony of Upper Toome. Anciently, Antrim was called Entruim, Entrumnia, or Entrum Neagh. The living is a vicarage in the diocese of Connor.

In the Roman Catholic Divisions the parish forms part of the district of Drumaul, also called Randalstown. There are two meeting houses for Presbyterians and there are also two meeting places for Primitive Wesleyan Methodists. There is also one meeting place for the Society of Friends.

Localities
List the names of townlands in this civil parish List the names of the surrounding parishes List the names and give a description of a district, poor law union, etc.

Surrounding parishes consist of the following: Drummaul, Grange of Shilvodan, Connor, Donegore, Grange of Nilteen, Grange of Muckamore, and into county Down Shankill and Magheralin.

To find townlands in this parish, district, poor law union, etc. see the following website: www.seanruad.com

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
In Antrim there is a Church of Ireland cemetery.

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.

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Church records
Read general information about church records.

Catholic
Roman Catholic records begin in 1873. Following is a breakdown of records available at various repositories.

The National Library of Ireland has microfilm copies of baptisms January 19, 1874 to December 3, 1880.

The Public Record Office of Northern Ireland has microfilm copies of baptisms 1873 to 1881.

The Ulster Historical Foundation has indexed baptism records 1873 to 1900 and marriage records 1873 to 1900.

The original registers are held in the local parish

Church of Ireland
A Table of Church of Ireland Parochial Records and copies published by the National Archives and the Irish Family History Society show. Baptisms 1700-1755; Marriages 1700-1756 and Burials 1700-1754. The Public Record Office Northern Ireland has Baptisms 1785-1871; Marriages 1788-1845; Burials 1786-1871.

Presbyterian
There were three meeting houses in Antrim as follows: Antrim 1st (records begin 1670); Antrim Millrow (records begin 1726); Antrim High Street (records begin 1850).

The registers have been indexed by the Ulster Historical Foundation.

There are copies of these records held at the Public Record Office of Northern Ireland. PRONI copies begin in 1850 and consist of baptism and marriage records. The original registers are still in local custody.

In The Irish Ancestor Volume 1 No. 2 page 95-96, there is an article by Patrick Smythe-Wood "A Record of Presbyterians in Co. Antrim". In the article the arthor states:"There is in existence a remarkable book which is little known in the genealogical world. It is found at the library of the Presbyterian Historical Society and is entitled: Millrow Congregation, Antrim. A copy this periodical is in 941.5 B2i at the Family History Library, in Salt Lake City, Utah.

Methodist
The Methodists did not begin to develop their own churches until around 1816. Before that date large numbers of Presbyterians and members of the Church of Ireland had formed local Methodist societies, but their baptisms, marriages, and burials were entered into the registers of their parent church. From 1816 some of the Wesleyan Methodist groups began to do their own baptism. But other Methodist groups such as Primitive Wesleyan's would not allow their ministers to administer these sacraments so their baptisms are still found in the Church of Ireland and Presbyterian registers. In Brian Mitchell's A Guide to Irish Parish Registers, there is a note that in Antrim records begin in 1829. These records may be in local custody or in the Public Record Office of Northern Ireland.

Society of Friends
To discover what is available o n the Quaker population in this part of County Antrim contact: Religious Society of Friends 4 Magheralave Road Lisburn BT28 3BD County Antrim internet: http://www.quakers-in-ireland.ie/home/&amp;nbsp; E-mail: [mailto:qhist@eircom.net qhist@eircom.net]

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.

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School records
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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.

Web Sites
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