Bekan Civil Parish, County Mayo, Ireland Genealogy

Guide to Bekan Civil Parish, County Mayo ancestry, family history, and genealogy. Parish registers, transcripts, baptism records, marriage records, and burial records.

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

History
BECAN, or BEKAN, a parish, in the barony of COSTELLO, county of MAYO, and province of CONNAUGHT, 4 miles (W. by N.) from Ballyhaunis; containing 5659 inhabitants. It is situated on the road from Claremorris to Frenchpark, and is principally under tillage, with the exception of a few grazing farms. Becan is the residence of J. Bourke, Esq., and Ballenville, of J. Crean, Esq. The river Robe has its source within the limits of the parish. It is a rectory and vicarage, in the diocese of Tuam, and is part of the union of Kiltullagh: the tithes amount to £127. 8. 5 ¼. The R. C. parish is co-extensive with that of the Established Church: the chapel is a plain thatched building, [builtat Bekan]. At Brackloon is a school of about 60 boys and 50 girls; and there are five private schools in the parish, in which are about 300 boys and 100 girls. There are some ruins of the old church, with a burial-place annexed, which is still used.

From: Samuel A. Lewis, A Topographical Dictionary of Ireland (1837); accessed at: http://www.libraryireland.com/topog/B/Becan-Costello-Mayo.php

Localities
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Maps and gazetteers
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Cemeteries
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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
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Catholic
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The Catholic parish of Bekan (variant spelling is Becan) includes the civil parish of Bekan.

Church of Ireland
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Presbyterian
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Methodist
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Society of Friends
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Others
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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.

Websites
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