Aghalee Civil Parish , County Antrim, Northern Ireland Genealogy

Guide to Aghalee Civil Parish, County Antrim, Northern Ireland 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 Aghalee. The information is based on locations and records before 1922.

History
Aghallee (also spelled Aghanalee), is a civil & ecclesiastical parish in the upper half-barony of Massareene and is in the Diocese of Dromore. The vicarage forms part of the union of Magheramesk.

In the Roman Catholic divisions Aghallee forms part of the union or district of Aghagallon, or Ballinderry.

Localities
Contiguous parishes are: Aghagallon, Magheramesk, and Ballinderry in County Antrim and Bangor parish in County Down.

To discover the town-lands that are within this parishes boundaries go the following website:

http://www.thecore.com/seanruad/

Maps and gazetteers
Read more about maps and gazetteers.

Cemeteries
There is a graveyard in Aghalee Parish church yard, but no information known about any index to the headstones there. Should someone know of any list of persons buried in this graveyard, we invite you to add some information here.

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.

The Roman Catholic Parish of Aghagallon, Aghallee and Ballinderry has records of baptism, marriage, and death beginning in 1828. There missing dates: July 1848 to May 1872. Record availability is as follows: Original registers are in local custody. The National Library of Ireland has a microfilm copy the original register. Following are the particulars: Baptisms cover April 1, 1828 to December 20, 1880; Marriages cover May 25 1828 to November 8, 1880 and Burials are available from March 29, 1828 to July 5, 1848 and May 25 1872 to December 25 1880. The reference for these records is: Pos. 5467. The Public Record Office of Northern Ireland has copies of records for this parish as well. Baptisms: 1828-1889; Marriages: 1828-1889; Burials are available 1828-1846 and 1873-1881. The reference for this set of records is MIC. 1D/6.63. Lastly, the Ulster Historical Foundation has available Baptism records 1828-1900, Marriage records 1828-1900 and Burial records 1828-1900.

Church of Ireland
The Parish Church of Aghalee also serves the civil parishes of Aghagallon and Megheramesk. Ecclesiastically, the three are one united Church of Ireland parish. The name of the church is Holy Trinity. Augallon is an alternate spelling for Aghagallon; Magheramisk is an alternate spelling for Magheramesk. The contents of the records are: Baptisms, 1812-1881; Marriages, 1812-1845; Burials, 1811-1874. This parish information relates to the records available through the Family History Library, Salt Lake City, Utah. The microfilm number is 908817 items 2-3. The earliest records available from the local parish are: Baptisms, 1782; Marriages, 1782; Burials, 1782.

Presbyterian
There are no known Presbyterian congregations within the boundary of Aghalee parish, but the closest congregations are located in Ballinderry civil parish and Magheragall civil parish.

Methodist
The Methodists did not begin to develop their own churches until around 1816. Before that date large numbers of Presbyterians and members of the Church of Ireland had formed local Methodist societies, but their baptisms, marriages, and burials were entered into the registers of their parent church. From 1816 some Wesleyan Methodist groups began to do their own baptisms. But other Methodist groups such as Primitive Wesleyan's would not allow their ministers to administer these sacraments so their baptisms are still found in the Church of Ireland and Presbyterian registers.

Society of Friends
To discover what is available on the Quaker population in this part of County Antrim contact:

Religious Society of Friends 4 Magheralave Road Lisburn BT28 3BD County Antrim internet:http://www.quakers-in-ireland.ie/home/ E-mail: e-mail: [mailto:qhist@eircom.net qhist@eircom.net]

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.

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.