Finding an Irish Ancestor Using United States Records

Notes on Immigration
The Irish emigration to the United States spans several centuries. By far, the most significant ports for North America included, Boston, Philadelphia, Grosse Ilse, City of Quebec, Montreal in Province of Quebec, Baltimore, especially 19th Century New York, Portland Maine, New Orleans, Atlanta, San Francisco. Ports of embarkation and ports of call included Liverpool, Belfast, Waterford, Cork, Dublin, Southampton, Bristol, and London.

Due to the English Crown Government's austere laws, i.e. Penal Act of 1695, which drove many native Irishmen from their lands, and out onto the streets, it induced many able-bodied Irish to emigrant with their families, where means were possible. Catholic or Protestant families may show up in Catholic and Protestant records in the United States. Irish emigrant surnames appear in many types of genealogical records. For a more in-depth study on just which United States records the researcher should first seek, in order to learn the specific place of birth or their [Irish origins, you can view this article].

See the records listed below for more details.

How to Use This Page
The following records listed below can and may quickly assist researchers in finding more about their Irish immigrant ancestors in American records (see links). The wiki and these sources should be a useful guide.

British Military
For more indepth information on British Military for Ireland, try our wiki under [England Military Records]

Many Irish have joined the Military and this Military covers many branches.

British Army, Royal Air Force, Royal Marines, Royal Navy

Records of hospitals: Chelsea, Greenwich, Kilmainham

Online records
Ancestry.com offers the following important records databases from U.S. Military sources:

World War I Draft Registration Cards, 1917-1918 Military 24,016,021 U.S. World War II Draft Registration Cards, 1942 Military 7,108,005 U.S. World War II Army Enlistment Records, 1938-1946 Military 8,369,212 U.S. Veterans Gravesites, ca.1775-2006 Military 6,402,239 U.S. Civil War Soldiers, 1861-1865 Military 6,261,619 American Civil War Soldiers Military 4,252,125 U.S. Civil War Soldier Records and Profiles Military 4,257,810 Civil War Pension Index: General Index to Pension Files, 1861-1934 Military 2,078,784 U.S. Army, Register of Enlistments, 1798-1914 Military 1,378,006 U.S. Revolutionary War Rolls, 1775-1783 Military 425,724 Civil War Prisoner of War Records, 1861-1865 Military 1,565,511 U.S. Marine Corps Muster Rolls, 1798-1940 Military 11,989,087 American Civil War Regiments Military 6,508 U.S. Navy Cruise Books, 1950-1988 Military 86,206 U.S. National Homes for Disabled Volunteer Soldiers, 1866-1938 Military 391,018 WWI Civilian Draft Registrations Military 1,231,099 War of 1812 Service Records Military 582,271 Official records of the Union and Confederate Armies, 1861-1865 Military 193,819 Headstones Provided for Deceased Union Civil War Veterans, 1879-1903 Military 170,057 War of 1812 Pension Application Files Index, 1812-1815 Military 2 WWII U.S. Navy Aircraft Carrier Muster Rolls, 1939-1949 Military 1,041,701 Confederate Service Records, 1861-1865 Military 57,571 U.S. Rosters of World War II Dead, 1939-1945 Military 357,086 Roster of South Carolina Patriots in the American Revolution Military 1,043 Abstract of Graves of Revolutionary Patriots

Footnote.com
This outstanding website works cooperatively with The National Archives to digitize many of its vast records collections. Here's their impressive list of offerings online for United States military records:

Civil War IRS Records - PA NARA M787. Internal Revenue Assessment Lists For Pennsylvania, 1862-1866.

Civil War Service Records Compiled service records of soldiers in the Civil War, labeled with each soldier's name, rank, and unit, with links to revealing documents about each soldier.

Civil War and Later Veterans Pension Index NARA T289. Pension applications for service in the US Army between 1861 and 1917, grouped according to the units in which the veterans served.

Civil War "Widows' Pensions" UPDATED Approved pension applications of widows and other dependents of Civil War veterans who served between 1861 and 1910.

Confederate Amnesty Papers NARA M1003. Applications for pardon submitted to President Andrew Johnson by former Confederates excluded from earlier amnesty proclamations.

Confederate Citizens File NARA M346. Known as the "Citizens File," these original records pertain to goods furnished or services rendered to the Confederate government by private individuals or business firms.

Constitutional Convention Records NARA M866. Journals of proceedings, early drafts, and other papers relating to the formation of the US Constitution.

Continental Congress NARA M247. The correspondence, journals, committee reports, and records of the Continental Congress (1774-1789).

Continental Congress NARA M332. When the records of the Papers of the Continental Congress were first arranged in 1834, these documents were not included.

Court Slave Records for DC NARA M433. Records of the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia Relating to Slaves, 1851-63, including emancipation and manumission papers.

Custer's Court Martial NARA T1103. This 352-page publication contains documents relating to the 1867 court martial of George Armstrong Custer at Fort Leavenworth, Kansas.

Cuyahoga County Birth Returns (OH) These are birth returns for Cuyahoga County, Ohio (primarily the City of Cleveland), for 1871-1908. Browse by year and surname.

Dachau Entry Registers NARA M1938. The entry registers for Dachau list prisoners by name and number. Later registers also include birthdate, birthplace, and nationality.

Danish West Indies - Slavery and Emancipation NARA M1883. These records cover the institution of slavery and the emancipation of slaves in the Virgin Islands during Danish rule, 1672-1917.

Gorrell's History - AEF Air Service FREE NARA M990. Historical narratives, reports, photographs, and other records that document administrative, technical, and tactical activities of the Air Service in the American Expeditionary Forces during World War I.

Homestead Records - Broken Bow, Nebraska NARA M1915. These are images of the original land entry case files from the Records of the Bureau of Land Management for Nebraska's Broken Bow Land Office, 1890-1908.

Homestead Records UPDATED Land entry case files from various land offices in Nebraska from the Records of the Bureau of Land Management. They are scanned from textual records.

Massachusetts Printed Vital Records Births, marriages, and deaths retrieved from various pre-1850 sources are published in these classic volumes known as the "Tan Books" for many Massachusetts' cities and towns. Massachusetts Vital Records Original early documents from Massachusetts towns, including vital records, town meeting minutes, statistics, and some church records. Massachusetts Vital Records Index 1841-1895 Massachusetts State-Wide Indexes are published every five years and reference all vital records submitted to the state by towns and cities of the Commonwealth after 1841.

Massachusetts Vital Record Transcripts Handwritten copies of vital records from 178 Massachusetts towns, extracted from original town manuscripts.

Mormon Battalion Pension Files NARA T1196. The Mormon Battalion was formed in Council Bluffs, Iowa, in 1846, to support the US troops in California during the Mexican War. Navy Survivors' Certificates NARA M1469. These files document the name, age, residence, date and place of birth of Navy veterans submitted between 1861 and 1910.

Navy Widows' Certificates NARA M1279. Approved pension applications of widows and other dependents of U.S. Navy veterans who served between 1861 and 1910. Passport Applications, 1795-1905 NARA M1372. Images of handwritten letters and application forms for US passports, 1795-1905.

Pennsylvania Archives FREE The Pennsylvania State Archives published 10 series of historical records (138 volumes) covering the initial colonial settlement through the Civil War. Revolutionary War Pensions NARA M804. Revolutionary War Pension and Bounty-Land Warrant Application Files.

Revolutionary War Prize Cases - Captured Vessels NARA M162. Prize cases heard on appeal from Colonial and state courts by the Continental Congress and the Court of Appeals in Cases of Capture.

Revolutionary War Rolls NARA M246. Muster rolls, payrolls, strength returns, and other miscellaneous personnel, pay, and supply records of American Army units, 1775-83.

Revolutionary War Service Records NARA M881. Compiled service records of soldiers who served in the American Army during the Revolutionary War, 1775-1783.

Southern Claims Commission In the 1870s, southerners claimed compensation from the US government for items used by the Union Army, ranging from corn and horses, to trees and church buildings.

Texas Birth Certificates Official birth certificates from the Texas State Board of Health, Bureau of Vital Statistics, for the years 1903-10 and 1926-29.

Texas Death Certificates Official death certificates from the Texas State Board of Health, Bureau of Vital Statistics for the years 1890-1976.

Town Records - Goffstown NH Published annual reports for the town of Goffstown, Hillsborough County, New Hampshire, selected years 1890-1900.

Town Records - Hancock NH Handwritten records for the town of Hancock, NH; also includes church records and Records of the Union Association of Ministers, 1812-1839.

Town Records - South Boston, VA Minute books for the City of South Boston, Halifax County, Virginia, for the years 1905-1925 and 1949-1999.

US Expeditionary Force, North Russia NARA M924. In 1918 and 1919, US forces participated in security operations in North Russia, near the ports of Murmansk and Archangel. Utah Territorial Case Files NARA M1401. Judicial records originating in the seats of the four US districts prior to Utah statehood: Salt Lake City, Ogden, Provo, and Beaver.

Vietnam Veterans Memorial Every-name searchable image of The Vietnam Veterans Memorial, the "Wall," in Washington, DC.

War of 1812 Prize Cases, Southern Dist Court, NY NARA M928. Case files and prize records relating to maritime property seized at the country's leading port and commercial center, 1812-16.

NARA A3355. Lists and Registers of German Concentration Camp Inmates, compiled 1946-1958, documenting the period 1942-1945.

WWII JAG Case Files, Pacific - Army NARA C73. Trial documents relating to Japanese prisoners of war and crimes committed during World War II.

WWII JAG Case Files, Pacific - Navy NARA C72. Trial documents relating to Japanese prisoners of war and crimes committed during World War II.

WWII Naval Press Clippings NARA P2012. Newspaper clippings relating to the activities of the 13th Naval District and its personnel from World War II through 1960.

WWII Nuernberg Interrogation Records FREE NARA M1270. Transcribed interrogation records relate to the prosecution of war criminals in proceedings at Nuernberg, 1945-47.

WWII Submarine Patrol Reports NARA M1752. War patrol reports of active duty US Navy submarines relate the conditions of the subs, attacks against the enemy, and weather reports.

WWII US Air Force Photos FREE This series of photos documents an important era in US military aviation history, especially activities of the US Air Force during World War II.

The National Archives (NARA)
The National Archives provides the following rich repertoire of records:

Compiled Service Records:
Compiled service records consist of abstracts from muster rolls, returns, pay vouchers, and other records. They provide an ancestor's rank, unit, date enlisted and mustered out, biographical information, medical data.

Pension Applications and Pension Payment Records:
The National Archives also has pension payments and applications for veterans, and widows, and other heirs, from between 1775 and 1916, which may provide marriage certificates, birth records, death certificates, pages from family Bibles, family letters, depositions of witnesses, affidavits, discharge papers and other papers.

Bounty Land:
Bounty land warrant application files relate to claims based on wartime service between 1775 and March 3, 1855. If your ancestor served in the Revolutionary War, War of 1812, early Indian Wars, or the Mexican War, a search of these records may be worthwhile. Bounty land records often contain documents similar to those in pension files, with lots of genealogical information. Many of the bounty land application files relating to Revolutionary War and War of 1812 service have been combined with the pension files.

Numerous wars have been fought, providing researchers with records for the following war campaigns:


 * American Revolution
 * War of 1812
 * Mexican War
 * Civil War
 * Wars on American soil
 * Spanish American War
 * Philippine Insurrection
 * Boxer Rebellion
 * World War I
 * World War II
 * Korean War
 * Vietnam War

Census
The census records can show Irish by listing their birthplace. All the census records from 1841-1911 will show a birthplace of Ireland or a specific place in Ireland that the person was born.

For more indepth information on Census for England, try our wiki under [England Census]

The census of England is available online from 1841-1901 at these websites:

www.findmypast.co.uk/

www.thegenealogist.co.uk

www.ancestryinstitution.com

The census of England is available online for 1911 at this websites: www.findmypast.co.uk

The census of England is available online for 1841, 1861 and 1871 at this website:

www.britishorigins.com

The census of England is available online for 1841 and 1861 at this website:

http://search.labs.familysearch.org/recordsearch/start.html#p=allCollections;r=1

Family History Library
The Family History Library has the census of 1841-1901 on microfilm and for freeaccess of the above websites with many indexes of the census 1841-1901. The Library also has some pre-1841 census records for England that will have Irish listed. look at www.familysearch.org at the Family History Library Catalog

Church Records
For more indepth information on Church Records for England, try our wiki under England Church Records: [England Church Records

Church records are plentiful in England 1538-present. 1538 is when parish registers of the Church of England were required to be kept on parchment and the records in most parishes still exist. Other religions are known as Non-Conformists and good records have been kept. Since the higher percentage of the population of Irish were Catholic, the church records of the Catholic Church must be highly considered. The church records for all religions can encompass Births, Baptisms, Confirmations, Marriages, Deaths, Burials, Monumental Inscriptions, Minutes from meetings, business records, tithing, rates, payments, attendance, members, church histories. Our listing here is to direct to Births, Baptisms, Marriages, Deaths, and Burials under each religion shown.

How do you find the records and access them?

Online

Record Office, Repository or Library

Original Church

Civil Registration
For more indepth information on Civil Registration for England, try our wiki under [civil registration

Civil registration for England and Wales in available is some way in an index form from 1 July 1837 to the present.

Civil registration is the recording of birth, marriage and deaths in a certificate form.

Certificates can be obtained from:

www.gro.gov.uk

The cost is seven pounds or more depending on how quickly and if you have a reference to the certificate.

Indexes to the certificates can be viewed in many ways:

Free online index produced by volunteers is:

www.freebmd.org.uk  This index is incomplete has over 230 million records

Other indexes for pay include

www.ancestry.co.uk This index is very complete and offers better coverage of indexes. Easy quick searches for larger periods of time.

www.findmypast.co.uk This index is complete. This index is lacking in larger period of time searches. Takes longer to search, but can be done.

www.thegenealogist.co.uk The index is complete, but must be searched quarter by quarter for each year of interest.

Occupation
Occupations and finding work was necessary for the Irish to survive or have a better way of life. Many Irish came to England looking for work. The following link provides information on [England Occupational Records]

Probate
The wiki for England has been provided with links to probate records for each county. Search under the county and the probate records and this will lead to indexes and probate records of wills, administrations, act books, etc. This link takes you to the England page that show a map of all the counties of England. For probate click on the county of interest and then click on probate records. [England probate records]