County Cavan, Ireland Genealogy

Guide to County Cavan ancestry, family history and genealogy: birth records, marriage records, death records, census records, parish registers, and military records.

History
The Plantation of Ulster from 1610 saw the settlement and origins of several new towns within the county. Existing towns such as Cavan and Belturbet became over time more important as trading centres. Wars during the mid-seventeenth century that were aimed at trying to unsettle the Plantation only led to further plantations of English and Scottish settlers into the county and the beginnings of a thriving flax and linen industry. The Great Famine potato blight between 1845–49 hit parts of Cavan very hard. The winter of 1847 is particularly noted for the high levels of deaths nationally caused by diseases such as typhus and cholera. There were some instances of eviction that also occurred during the nineteenth century. There was one story where the local landlord in Mountnugent parish decided to evict over 200 people. The famous ballad "By Lough Sheelin Side" is based on this event witnessed by the local Catholic priest.

When the Ulster Union Council met on 9 June 1916, the delegates from Cavan learned that they would not be included in any "temporary exclusion of Ulster" from Home Rule; they agreed only with very great reluctance.

The population of County Cavan is roughly 76,092 people.

Archives and Libraries
County Cavan Genealogy Research Centre Cana House Farnham Street Cavan Town County Cavan Ireland TEL: (049) 4361094 FAX: (049) 4331494

Cavan County Library Farnham Street Cavan Town County Cavan Ireland E-mail: cavancountylibrary@tinet.ie or E-mail: cavancountylibrary@eircom.net

Includes Barron, Famham Estate, and other related papers. Also includes Griffith Valuation maps, legal papers, including rentals and wills for Cavan 18th and the 19th century. Also includes photography collections.

Public Record Office of Northern Ireland (PRONI) 66 Balmoral Avenue Belfast BT9 6NY Ireland E-mail: proni@dcalni.gov.uk

The above is the official repository for the public records of Northern Ireland. PRONI also collects records from private sources.

Census
Census for the 1841 parish of Killeshandra, survives and is available to search at:


 * online at Ancestry - access from home or from a library or family history centre.
 * in books or films, as described at FamilySearch.org


 * 1901 - at FamilySearch — index
 * 1911 - at FamilySearch — index

Church Records
Indexes to Church of Ireland Marriage License Bonds for the Diocese of Kilmore and Ardagh


 * 1623-1866 - at FamilySearch — index
 * 1701-1845 - at FamilySearch — index and images

Civil Registration

 * 1845-1913 - at FamilySearch — index and images
 * 1845-1958 - at FamilySearch — index and images

Civil Jurisdictions and Parish Research Information

 * List of County Cavan Civil Parishes
 * List of County Cavan Catholic Parishes

Directories

 * 1880 - at FamilySearch — index, images available on FindMyPast
 * 1884 - at FamilySearch — index and images

Land and Property

 * 1831 - 1856 - at FamilySearch — index and images

Maps
1885 County Map: Courtesy of London Ancestor

Military

 * 1914-1918 - at FamilySearch — index and images

Probates
Abstracts of Some Ardagh, Clogher and Kilmore Diocesan Wills. Alphabetical list of Wills proved from the above Diocese covering years 1739-1810. Article in The Irish Ancestor, vol.VI.no.2.1974, pages 112-121, Family History Ref. 941.5 B2i v5-6.


 * 1595-1858 - at FamilySearch — index

Societies
Family history societies often publish helpful journals, transcripts, compiled genealogies and host helpful websites. They may have ongoing projects to transcribe records and create indexes. Most societies publish queries in their journals and maintain lists of members’ research interests that may be helpful to you. You may want to join one of these societies, reap the benefits of their expertise and resources or support its efforts.

Websites

 * Cavan Resources and Help pages RootsChat Cavan Resources and Help pages. (Free).
 * FHLFavorites.info
 * Genuki
 * Genealogy-of-uk Ireland/Cavan/genealogy
 * cavan rootsireland
 * Genealogy links UK/ireland/cavan
 * from-ireland county/cavan
 * Irishpenpals county-cavan-genealogy
 * interment ireland/cavan