Ireland Census, 1851 - FamilySearch Historical Records

Record Description
This collection will include records from the Ireland 1851 Census. The majority of the census returns were destroyed in 1922 but there are a few returns that remain for County Antrim. The census returns contains: name, age, occupation, relationship to the head of household, date of marriage, education/literacy, absent family members, family members who died since 1841 and other information. The census is arranged by town land, civil parish, barony and county and contains: name, age, and locality information. A barony, in Scotland, Ireland and outlying parts of England, constitutes an administrative division of a country, usually of lower rank and importance than a county. This collection was originally captured at the National Archives of Ireland and the index was created by FindMyPast.com.

Record Content


Census records may contain the following Information:


 * Given Name of all Family Members
 * Ages of Family Members
 * Relationship to the Head of the Household
 * Marital Status and Date
 * Educational or Literacy Status
 * Occupation of Head of Household
 * County and Township of Residence
 * Country of Origin
 * Religious Affiliation
 * Family Members who died since the previous Census

How to Use the Record
This section provides information on how to search the collection and tips on how to find records. As you are searching it is helpful to know such information as your ancestor's given name and surname, some identifying information such as residence, age, estimated [event] year, and family relationships.

Search the Collection
To search by index: Fill in the requested information in the initial search page. This search will return a list of possible matches. Compare the information about the ancestors in the list to what you already know about your ancestors to determine if this is the correct family or person. You may need to compare the information about more than one person to find your ancestor.

To browse by image: To search the collection you will need to follow this series of links: ⇒Select "Browse through images" on the initial collection page ⇒Select the "County" category ⇒Select the "Barony" category ⇒Select the "Parish" category ⇒Select the “Townland" category which takes you to the images

Search the collection by image comparing the information with what you already know about your ancestors to determine if the image relates to them. You may need to look at several images and compare the information about the individuals listed in those images to your ancestors to make this determination.

Tips to Keep in Mind

 * Use the estimated age to calculate a birth date.
 * When looking for a person who had a common name, look at all the entries for the name before deciding which is correct.
 * Remember that there may be more than one person in the records with the same name as your ancestor and that your ancestor may have used nicknames or different names at different times.
 * Check for variant spellings of the names.
 * Titles may be clues to property ownership, occupations, rank, or status within the community.
 * Be aware that, as with any index, transcription errors may occur.

Related Websites

 * National Archives of Ireland
 * Ireland Vital Records
 * Ireland Census Index
 * Irish Census Records

Related Wiki Articles

 * Ireland Census Fragments
 * Ireland Census
 * Ireland Maps
 * Ireland History
 * Ireland

Citations for This Collection
When you copy information from a record, you should list where you found the information; that is, cite your sources. This will help people find the record again and evaluate the reliability of the source. It is also good to keep track of records where you did not find information, including the names of the people you looked for in the records. Citations are available for the collection as a whole and each record or image individually.

Collection citation:

Record Citation (or citation for the index entry):

Image Citation: