"Midnight Feasts" - Hunting for Irish Births
"Scene after the birth of a child" Wellcome Trust (Wikimedia Commons)
Birth Registration was made compulsory in Ireland in 1864 but compliance with the law varied widely in the early decades and many births went unregistered.
Remember, these links are not exhaustively comprehensive - just the main ones I have used myself or I can see have significant numbers of records from the relevant catalogues. Let me know your favourites and I will check them out for inclusion too.
You will also often find birth dates annotated in baptism registers so be sure to check out my Hunting for Baptisms recommendations too.
Remember, these links are not exhaustively comprehensive - just the main ones I have used myself or I can see have significant numbers of records from the relevant catalogues. Let me know your favourites and I will check them out for inclusion too.
You will also often find birth dates annotated in baptism registers so be sure to check out my Hunting for Baptisms recommendations too.
Civil Registration of Births
For more detailed information and practical advice, see my Civil Registration Districts and Civil Registration Records pages.
The main place to start is with the available indexes, transcripts and images of the civil birth registers. These are available both for free and via subscription on a number of sites. Be sure to make use of as many as you can as the indexes and search functions vary. Never just rely on one source to generate a list of candidates to investigate - cast your net as wide as possible.
Reference Pages & Sites
Registration District Browser (Shane Wilson)
Registration Districts of Ireland, 1871 (Michael Thompson)
Records
Civil Registration Indexes and Register Images, 1864-1920 (GROI) The only place to see images, but limited name searching. All Ireland up to 1920.
GRONI (on-line access to records - login required) For births in the counties of Northern Ireland over 100 years ago.
Roots Ireland (IFHF) (Subscription required) There are some transcripts of civil births on the various county pages on this site but check coverage.
These are essentially the same resource which you can search on up to 1958 (for the Republic of Ireland) and use middle names too. Transcripts only.
For more detailed information and practical advice, see my Civil Registration Districts and Civil Registration Records pages.
The main place to start is with the available indexes, transcripts and images of the civil birth registers. These are available both for free and via subscription on a number of sites. Be sure to make use of as many as you can as the indexes and search functions vary. Never just rely on one source to generate a list of candidates to investigate - cast your net as wide as possible.
Reference Pages & Sites
Registration District Browser (Shane Wilson)
Registration Districts of Ireland, 1871 (Michael Thompson)
Records
Civil Registration Indexes and Register Images, 1864-1920 (GROI) The only place to see images, but limited name searching. All Ireland up to 1920.
GRONI (on-line access to records - login required) For births in the counties of Northern Ireland over 100 years ago.
Roots Ireland (IFHF) (Subscription required) There are some transcripts of civil births on the various county pages on this site but check coverage.
These are essentially the same resource which you can search on up to 1958 (for the Republic of Ireland) and use middle names too. Transcripts only.
- Ireland Civil Registration Indexes, 1845-1958 (FamilySearch) Probably the original source for the subscription sites.
- Ireland, Civil Registration Births Index, 1864-1958 (Anc=£)
- Irish Births, 1864-1958 (FMP=£)
Other Birth Record Sources
These sources, whose titles suggest they contain births, may be for particular faiths or are not well enough cited to determine the original source, so take care.
Ireland, Births and Baptisms, 1620-1881 (FamilySearch) Some transcripts of civil births in this collection. Good for when you know middle names.
Ireland, Select Births and Baptisms, 1620-1911 (Anc=£) Very large collection vaguely sourced and will need corroboration. Mirrors Family Search?
Ireland, Society of Friends (Quaker) Births (FMP=£) Births from the mid-1600's up to 100 years ago.
These sources, whose titles suggest they contain births, may be for particular faiths or are not well enough cited to determine the original source, so take care.
Ireland, Births and Baptisms, 1620-1881 (FamilySearch) Some transcripts of civil births in this collection. Good for when you know middle names.
Ireland, Select Births and Baptisms, 1620-1911 (Anc=£) Very large collection vaguely sourced and will need corroboration. Mirrors Family Search?
Ireland, Society of Friends (Quaker) Births (FMP=£) Births from the mid-1600's up to 100 years ago.
Newspapers
Newspapers are a great source for tracking down births, but remember there was a cost to inserting the notices and therefore it is perhaps a relatively small proportion of the population that indulged in this habit.
Irish Times (Subscription required) This title does appear on other sites like the BNA, but it also has its own dedicated archive site.
Irish Newspaper Archives (Subscription required) Check for titles included.
Irish Newspapers on the British Newspaper Archive (Subscription required) May be accessible for free in British libraries.
Belfast Newsletter Births, Marriages & Deaths Notices, 1738-1925 (Anc=£) Nationally important publication, not just restricted to Belfast folk.
Ireland Newspapers, 1763-1890 (Anc=£) Unindexed collection which you can browse.
Irish Newspapers (FMP=£) Check filters for titles included.
The Irish Newspaper Transcript Archive, ffoliott Collection, 1756-1850 (FMP=£) Limited in scope but useful for Cork.
Newspapers are a great source for tracking down births, but remember there was a cost to inserting the notices and therefore it is perhaps a relatively small proportion of the population that indulged in this habit.
Irish Times (Subscription required) This title does appear on other sites like the BNA, but it also has its own dedicated archive site.
Irish Newspaper Archives (Subscription required) Check for titles included.
Irish Newspapers on the British Newspaper Archive (Subscription required) May be accessible for free in British libraries.
Belfast Newsletter Births, Marriages & Deaths Notices, 1738-1925 (Anc=£) Nationally important publication, not just restricted to Belfast folk.
Ireland Newspapers, 1763-1890 (Anc=£) Unindexed collection which you can browse.
Irish Newspapers (FMP=£) Check filters for titles included.
The Irish Newspaper Transcript Archive, ffoliott Collection, 1756-1850 (FMP=£) Limited in scope but useful for Cork.
Overseas Births
Perhaps the Irish-related birth you are seeking took place overseas e.g. siblings in emigrant families or children of soldiers serving overseas. Or you may be following an emigrant family forward seeking foreign born siblings or descendants.
Foreign newspapers are an excellent source.
British Newspaper Archive (Subscription required) May be accessible for free in British libraries.
British Newspapers (FMP=£) Check filters for titles included.
Papers Past (New Zealand)
Trove Digitised Newspapers (Australia)
New York Herald (browse by year)
New York Times Archive (Subscription required)
Newspapers.com (Subscription required) Generally North American titles but some other countries too.
Church and civil registration in major destinations for Irish emigrants should also be considered. Here are a few suggestions - not exhaustive.
British Armed Forces and Overseas Births and Baptisms (FMP=£) Interesting collection for overseas births of c.2m records. Sources listed!
India
Many Irish men joined the East India Company and, later, the British Army, so perhaps they married abroad and had children? A very few even took Irish wives with them, like my ancestors. See also my page "Fighting in a Foreign Field - India".
Scotland
The important year to remember is 1855, when Scotland brought in Statutory Registration. Early birth records also recorded the date and place of the parents' marriage, which can be a great clue for tracing the family back to Ireland if they married before emigrating. See also my "Settling under the Saltire - the Irish in Scotland".
Here are some more unusual indexes which might shed some light on illegitimate births.
England & Wales Civil Registrations - Birth Indexes
The following collections cover many counties as well as selected transcript sources.
United States of America
Narrow your search by state and/or faith. Also swot up on your geography as there are many county level collections e.g. Cook County, Illinois covers most of Chicago. See also my page on "American Pie - the Irish in the USA."
Canada
Narrow your search by state or province. See also my page on "Empire Builders - the Irish in Canada".
Australia & New Zealand
Collections for most Australian states and territories across both subscription sites but nothing other than a copy of the NZ official BMD site on either, which is free to query on the link below. See also my page on "Down Under - the Irish in Australia & New Zealand".
Perhaps the Irish-related birth you are seeking took place overseas e.g. siblings in emigrant families or children of soldiers serving overseas. Or you may be following an emigrant family forward seeking foreign born siblings or descendants.
Foreign newspapers are an excellent source.
British Newspaper Archive (Subscription required) May be accessible for free in British libraries.
British Newspapers (FMP=£) Check filters for titles included.
Papers Past (New Zealand)
Trove Digitised Newspapers (Australia)
New York Herald (browse by year)
New York Times Archive (Subscription required)
Newspapers.com (Subscription required) Generally North American titles but some other countries too.
Church and civil registration in major destinations for Irish emigrants should also be considered. Here are a few suggestions - not exhaustive.
British Armed Forces and Overseas Births and Baptisms (FMP=£) Interesting collection for overseas births of c.2m records. Sources listed!
India
Many Irish men joined the East India Company and, later, the British Army, so perhaps they married abroad and had children? A very few even took Irish wives with them, like my ancestors. See also my page "Fighting in a Foreign Field - India".
- British India Office Births and Baptisms (FMP=£) Document images available for some records.
- India Births & Baptisms, 1786-1947 (FamilySearch) No original source stated.
Scotland
The important year to remember is 1855, when Scotland brought in Statutory Registration. Early birth records also recorded the date and place of the parents' marriage, which can be a great clue for tracing the family back to Ireland if they married before emigrating. See also my "Settling under the Saltire - the Irish in Scotland".
- Scottish Old Parish Registers & Statutory Births (ScotlandsPeople=Pay-per-view) See my Scotland Records & Resources page.
- Scotland, Parish Births & Baptisms, 1564-1929 (FMP=£) c.10m records sourced from several Scottish family history societies.
- Scotland, Modern & Civil Births, 1855-2019 (FMP=£) c.2.5m records sourced from "a variety of sources" - check vague description yourself.
Here are some more unusual indexes which might shed some light on illegitimate births.
- Scotland, Paternity Decrees, 1750-1922 (FMP=£) c.70k records naming fathers of illegitimate children. Original transcripts from Scottish Indexes.
- Scottish Paternity Index Same index on Scottish Indexes own website - full transcripts to purchase.
- Scotland, Antenuptial Relationship Index, 1661-1780 (FMP=£) c.32k records derived from Kirk Session Registers. Very limited scope.
England & Wales Civil Registrations - Birth Indexes
- FreeBMD Volunteer project covering 1837-1997. Not 100% coverage but getting there. Good for learning about changing Registration Districts too.
- England & Wales, Civil Registration Birth Index, 1837-1915 (Anc=£) Sourced from FreeBMD.
- England & Wales, Civil Registration Birth Index, 1916-2007 (Anc=£) Sourced directly from the General Register Office.
- England & Wales Civil Births, 1837-2006 (FMP=£) Original source not stated... You can search by mother's maiden name but not 100%.
- England and Wales Birth Registration Index, 1837-2008 (FamilySearch) Sourced from FindMyPast according to description?
- General Register Office Online Indexes You will need a free account. Searching can be laborious but mother's maiden names included in index.
The following collections cover many counties as well as selected transcript sources.
- ANCESTRY English Birth Collections (Anc=£)
- FINDMYPAST English Birth Collections (FMP=£)
- ANCESTRY Welsh Birth Collections (Anc=£)
- FINDMYPAST Welsh Birth Collections (FMP=£) Very little that is specifically Welsh and mainly just overlapping English collections.
United States of America
Narrow your search by state and/or faith. Also swot up on your geography as there are many county level collections e.g. Cook County, Illinois covers most of Chicago. See also my page on "American Pie - the Irish in the USA."
- ANCESTRY American Birth Collections (Anc=£)
- FINDMYPAST American Birth Collections (FMP=£)
- FamilySearch American BMD Collections Many births in here - narrow your search using state or county as first keyword in title.
Canada
Narrow your search by state or province. See also my page on "Empire Builders - the Irish in Canada".
- ANCESTRY Canadian Birth Collections (Anc=£) Good selection for Ontario, including Drouin collection in French.
- FINDMYPAST Canadian Birth Collections (FMP=£) Only a few collections with Ontario by far the largest.
- FamilySearch Canadian BMD Collections Several birth collections.
Australia & New Zealand
Collections for most Australian states and territories across both subscription sites but nothing other than a copy of the NZ official BMD site on either, which is free to query on the link below. See also my page on "Down Under - the Irish in Australia & New Zealand".
- ANCESTRY Australian & New Zealand Birth Collections (Anc=£) Most states represented, plus newspapers index.
- FINDMYPAST Australian & New Zealand Birth Collections (FMP=£) Again, something for most states.
- New Zealand Birth Search Same records on the official NZ BMD website where you can also search by parents' names.
- FamilySearch Australian & New Zealand BMD Collections Several birth collections listed.
Long Shots!
These are exactly as titled - you are perhaps very unlikely to find the birth you seek in these pages and databases, but you never know as there is plenty of biographical information listed in these sources.
"A Genealogical and Heraldic History of the Landed Gentry of Ireland" (Sir Bernard Burke & Arthur Charles Fox-Davies, 1912) Landed ancestors?
"Irish Landed Gentry" (John O'Hart, 1887) (e-book) Landed ancestors?
Alumni Dublinenses (1593-1846), Pub. 1924 (FMP=£, indexed) Trinity College Dublin students?
"Alumni Dublinenses (1593-1860), Pub. 1936" (TCD Digitised book) Trinity College Dublin students?
Kings Inn Admission Papers, 1607-1867 Lawyers and barristers?
These are exactly as titled - you are perhaps very unlikely to find the birth you seek in these pages and databases, but you never know as there is plenty of biographical information listed in these sources.
"A Genealogical and Heraldic History of the Landed Gentry of Ireland" (Sir Bernard Burke & Arthur Charles Fox-Davies, 1912) Landed ancestors?
"Irish Landed Gentry" (John O'Hart, 1887) (e-book) Landed ancestors?
Alumni Dublinenses (1593-1846), Pub. 1924 (FMP=£, indexed) Trinity College Dublin students?
"Alumni Dublinenses (1593-1860), Pub. 1936" (TCD Digitised book) Trinity College Dublin students?
Kings Inn Admission Papers, 1607-1867 Lawyers and barristers?
(c) Irish Geneaography - 2022
