Ireland Prison Registers - FamilySearch Historical Records

Image Visibility
Whenever possible, FamilySearch makes images available for all users. However, ultimate rights to view images on our website are granted by the record custodians. The England, Ireland, Prison Registers collection is available to the Family History Library, FamilySearch Centers, and to members of the supporting organization, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. The images can be viewed at a FamilySearch Center near you.

Record Description
This collection will include records from 1790 to 1924.

This is a compilation of prison records from collections held in the National Archives of Ireland. Most of the surviving prison records from the 26 counties of the Republic of Ireland are included in this collection. This project was done in cooperation with www.findmypast.ie.

For a full list of prisons in Ireland and their dates of operation, see the article on the FindMyPast website, Irish Prison registers 1790-1924.

Record Content
Prison registers usually include the following information:


 * Name of inmate
 * Last Residence
 * Place of birth
 * Occupation
 * Age
 * Crime committed
 * Name of Victim
 * Name and address of next of kin
 * Marital Status
 * Date crime committed

How to Use the Record
To begin your search, it would be helpful if you knew the following information:


 * Name of ancestor
 * Place of birth and approximate year of birth
 * Last residence

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 look at several images and compare the information about the individuals listed in those images to your ancestors to make this determination.

When searching: 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 and age, and family relationships. 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.

For tips about searching on-line collections see the on-line video at FamilySearch Search Tips and Tricks.

Using the Information
When you have found the information that you are looking for, the following information will help you in your research:


 * The age of the ancestor can be calculated for a birth year.
 * The place at the time of imprisonment may be your ancestors residence if he is found on a census.
 * If the registrant wrote down where he or she was born, use that information to search in the civil registration records for the parents.

Unable to Find Your Ancestor?
If you unable to find your ancestor, the following might be able to help you in your search:

Search for a nickname. Prisoners may have been registered in prison under a nickname instead of their real name.

Known Issues with This Collection
For a full list of all known issues associated with this collection see the attached Wiki article. If you encounter additional problems, please email them to [mailto:support@familysearch.org support@familysearch.org]. Please include the full path to the link and a description of the problem in your e-mail. Your assistance will help ensure that future reworks will be considered.

Related Websites

 * FindMyPast.ie (Ireland's FindMyPast website)
 * National Archives - Prison Registers
 * Irish Genealogy Toolkit
 * Irish Genealogy

Related Wiki Articles

 * Ireland
 * Ireland Maps
 * Ireland History
 * Ireland Gaol (Jail) Registers (FamilySearch Historical Records)

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: