Ireland, Civil Registration - FamilySearch Historical Records

Ireland

What is in This Collection?
This collection of Ireland Civil Registration includes birth records for the period 1864-1913, marriages for 1845-1870, and deaths for 1864-1870. The original documents and volumes are held at the General Register Office in Ireland.

Irish civil registration records are indexed and cover most of the population.

What Can These Records Tell Me?
The following information may be found in these records:

Birth
 * Date and place of birth
 * Name of Child
 * Full name and dwelling place of father
 * Full name (including maiden name) of mother
 * Rank or profession of father
 * Signature
 * Qualification and residence of informant
 * Date of registration
 * Signature of the registrar
 * Registration district
 * Superintendent registrar's district
 * County

Marriage
 * Registrar's district
 * Place of marriage
 * When married
 * Full names of bride and groom
 * Age
 * Marital status
 * Rank or profession of bride and groom
 * Residence at the time of marriage
 * Father's full name
 * Father's rank or profession
 * Signatures of the bride and groom
 * Witnesses to the marriage

Death
 * Registration district
 * Superintendent registrar's district and county
 * Date and place of death
 * Name and surname of deceased
 * Sex
 * Marital status
 * Age at last birthday
 * Rank, profession, or occupation
 * Certified cause of death
 * Signature, qualification, and residence of informant
 * When registered
 * Signature of registrar

Coverage Table
To view a coverage table listing the available records in this collection see: Ireland, Civil Registration, Coverage Table (FamilySearch Historical Records).

How Do I Search This Collection?
Before searching this collection, it is helpful to know:
 * The name of the person you are looking for
 * The approximate date of the event

How Do I Analyze the Results?
Compare each result from your search with what you know to determine if there is a match. This may require viewing multiple records or images. Keep track of your research in a research log.

I Found the Person I Was Looking For, What Now?

 * Save or print a copy of the image if possible
 * Use the estimated age given in a marriage or burial record to calculate an approximate year of birth
 * Use the information to find the individual in census records
 * Continue to search the index to identify children, siblings, parents, and other relatives. Note that family members often appear on an individual's vital records, such as in the role of witnesses to a marriage

I Can’t Find the Person I’m Looking For, What Now?

 * When looking for a person with a common name, look at all the entries for the name before deciding which individual is correct. Use other information, such as place of birth, age, occupation, or names of parents, to determine which candidate is the correct person
 * Check for variants of given names, surnames, and place names
 * It was not uncommon for an individual be listed under a nickname or an abbreviation of their name
 * Note that some women reverted to their maiden name when their husband died, and therefore could be buried under their maiden name
 * Vary the search terms. For example, search by either the given name or surname to return broader list of possible matches
 * Try expanding the date range; this is especially useful in searching baptismal records, as it was not unusual for a child to be baptized weeks or even months after birth
 * Search the records of nearby locations
 * Look at the actual image of the record to verify the information found in the online description, if possible

Research Helps
The following articles will help you in your research for your family in Ireland.
 * Ireland Guided Research
 * Record Finder
 * Research Tips and Strategies

Citing This Collection
Citations help you keep track of places you have searched and sources you have found. Identifying your sources helps others find the records you used.