Irish Genealogy and Irish Ancestry

both refer to the study of families and their lineage or pedigrees, resulting in a narrative or chart relating to a particular family history. This can be done through the collection of details from family and relatives and researching relevant historical records. The professional genealogist can enhance and shorten this process for you, delivering a guaranteed and certified product.

A distinction is sometimes made between the pursuit of Irish genealogy as described above and

Family History research

. Family history includes the search for additional details about the lives of ancestors in an historical context, such as the meanings and origins of Irish surnames, occupations, the topography and local history of the area where ancestors originated from, what it was like to live in Ireland in the 19th or 18th centuries and the how historic events impacted on individuals. It is like putting additional foliage on the branches of a Family Tree and is one of the benefits of engaging a Professional Irish Genealogist. As well as providing details of your ancestors lives with records of events such as births, deaths and marriages, we can also provide an insight into, for example, the reasons why and the circumstances under which your ancestors emigrated from Ireland. The pursuit of family history is born from a desire to carve out a place for a family in the larger historical picture. It is accepting responsibility to preserve one’s past for those who will follow in the future and, it is the self-satisfaction in accurate story telling.

Researching you Irish ancestry can be a highly enjoyable past time and I would advise anyone to conduct as much research as they can or, want to, on their own. It can be frustrating and time consuming and at some point you might consider the costs of engaging a professional to assist with your Irish Ancestry research outweighs the frustration and amount of resources it takes up. At this point using the expertise of a professional can be extremely rewarding. For more see here At that stage already – the don’t delay. Complete the Assessment Form and get Free advice on how successful further research might be .

Perhaps you are just starting your search or maybe wish to conduct most of the research on your own but need some assistance with retrieving copies of records and documents. We can provide simple transcripts or photocopies of all Irish records such as Birth, Marriage and Death certificates, Church and Land records. See the list of records we can provide on the Services page. In addition you may wish to determine or explore the origin of your name.

There are many sources offering a ‘meaning’ for Irish surnames. Some do offer details from reputable sources but they can often be generic and of indeterminable relevance for a particular surname. Any meaningful reference to an Irish name can only be made with additional family detail, such as the ancestor’s place of origin. We review and interpret current standard Surname texts, consult additional local information and check other texts and manuscripts such as Irish Annals for further history.