Ireland Public Records Search

Regions in Ireland You Can Search

Search Ireland Public Records Online

With the advent of the internet and online public record databases, anyone with a device and an internet connection can access Ireland public records. The process is relatively simple, you’ll want to start by collecting some basic information about the person that you want to know more about. You need to know their full name and their birth date or year of birth if possible. Then, using an online UK public records website you can enter the name into the search field and begin your research. When presented with results it’s imperative to make sure you can confirm that you’ve found the correct person by a secondary piece of information such as their date of birth since many people share the same name in Ireland. After you’ve accomplished that you can crack open all the juicy details that you’ve been looking for about a person’s past such as birth and death records, marriages, military service records, immigration and travel archives, parish records, addresses, census and register records and much more.

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The Public Record Office of Ireland

The Public Record Office (PRO) of Ireland is the country’s official archive that was open for public use in 1928 after being founded in 1924. Ireland’s PRO aims to preserve and provide genealogy and government records for public use. Also, it offers recommendations for the preservation and management of records from public or private sectors. This helps guarantee the protection of the records and their availability for generations in the future. Private archives at the PRO include records from churches and different businesses spanning over a thousand years. Moreover, the government records found at the PRO cover a wide variety of topics including agriculture, health, finance, environment, justice, and transport. Also, a vast collection of genealogical records is available from birth certificates, death certificates, marriage certificates to wills and property records. The PRO has compiled records that are viewed the most by its visitors and thus made them more accessible.

Hence, if you are searching for specific records that are not available on the National Archives of Ireland, you will surely find useful information at the PRO of Ireland. The records found the PRO of Ireland could be viewed by people looking to trace their family tree, find a specific person, or a possible lost family member. However, others may use the records to educate themselves on the cultural significance of the country and learn more about the history of various institutions present in it. The PRO is even open for people who want to browse their records to satisfy a curiosity or just enjoy their visit. Whatever your purpose may be, you will surely find what you seek in the pages of these archives.

Services Provided by the Public Record Office of Ireland

To access the records of Ireland’s PRO, you need to obtain a ticket to the Reading Rooms where you can view the documents. The PRO is located in Belfast, 2 Titanic Boulevard. Keep in mind that if you are visiting the office for the first time, you must carry photographic identification with you to enter. The services provided include free access to the microfilm room, which holds microfilm records that are over 200 years old. Also, there is a lecture room that is suitable for visits by groups such as students and their teachers. Employees and staff are always available and ready to offer assistance when needed to make your visit as beneficial and satisfying as possible. They may help create reproductions upon request and move records between the reading rooms and storage rooms. Requests or inquiries submitted either online, by mail, by phone, or in-person are accepted by the staff as well.

On the online platform for Ireland’s PRO, you can find links to electronic catalogs, street directories, images, historical maps, and name searching tools. The catalogs are organized according to a special system that assigns a unique reference number for each document. This number is needed to retrieve the record it corresponds to. Furthermore, a prefix or letter indicates whether the record belongs to the private or public domain. This information can guide you in your search before visiting the PRO.

Ireland Historical Records

You can use the Ireland National Archives to obtain information on historical records for your search whether you are a student or a scholar. The records are particularly useful for researching the history of Ireland from a political, economic, or social viewpoint starting with the 18th century. There are multiple sources available to guide your search on women’s history, teachers’ employment, education, hospitals, and family affairs to name a few. In case you are researching the history of government bodies, you should familiarize yourself with the government’s method of administration. This is because throughout history, government policies changed and as a result, the type of records registered differed. There is a two-part guide compiled by Herbert Wood, Assistant Deputy Keeper of Public Records, for the historical records deposited at the PRO. The guide was written in 1919 and thus provides information on records that existed before 1922, during which the PRO was destroyed.

Ireland Genealogy Research

The National Archives of Ireland are a great place to start your search on your family’s history. Many documents are available that can be immensely useful for your search. These include birth certificates, death certificates, marriage records, death records, wills, and many more. For example, death records indicate the name, age, marital status, and period of sickness. Also, the date, location, and cause of death are stated in addition to the informant’s signature, qualification, and dwelling. In case you are looking for a family member, the records can be of assistance by sometimes indicating the name of a married or widowed woman’s husband. More specifically, you can access letters and even passports that may contain full names, manes of parents, countries of origin, date of emigration, and the destination of emigration in Ireland particularly. Furthermore, newspapers can help you uncover more details about the person you are looking for. Most of the records present at the National Archives are from the 19th century to the 20th century.

The General Register Office in Northern Ireland (GRONI) contains a multitude of official documents that can be extremely useful. They can be searched online; however, for records that are not available on the website, you can always schedule a visit to the PRO in Ireland.

Ireland’s PRO is a great resource for researchers that ensures the preservation of the history of Ireland and the people who helped shape it. Whether you are searching for government department records or non-departmental private records, all types of archives can be made at your disposal. Staff is always ready to welcome your inquiries and help with your search strategy. All you have to do is come prepared to get the most out of your visit.

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