Belfast 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
Belfast is a sea port, borough, market town, and parish, and the head of a union in the barony of Lower, but chiefly in that of Upper Belfast.

The parish was anciently called Shankill, now generally referred to as the parish of Belfast. the living is a vicarage, in the diocese of Connor and province of Armagh.

Belfast is the seat of the Roman Catholic see of Down and Connor, and the residence of the bishop. There are more than a dozen places of worship for Presbyterians. There are also two places of worship for Covenanters, two each for Primitive and Wesleyan Methodists, and one each for General Baptists, the Society of Friends, and Independants.

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.

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
Add references to indexes to gravestones or monumental inscriptions.

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

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

Dr. Hood, Susan. Letters From the Western Front.

Focus is on Dundela Parish with photos of St. Mark's church. Photo or Rev. Arthur Barton. A list of 10 soldiers whose letters have survived, giving name, rank, military affiliation, age, date letter was written, covering years 1878-1956. Article in Irish Archives: Journal of the irish Society for Archives. Journal 16, year 2009. Family History Library Ref. 941.5 B2ia pages 23-32

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

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.

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Abstracts of Wills, by many contributors. List of Heirs from Probate of Rev. William Batt, of Belfast, Co. Antrim, dated 29 Oct. 1851 proved Prerog. 13 July 1855. Article in The Irish Ancestor, vol. VI, no. 1. 1974 pages 62-63, Family History Library Ref. 941.5 B2i v5-6.

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.

Web Sites
Northern IrelandGenWeb: This site has additional links to other locations to research in this county.