Geneology

[Kiltedmusiclover]

While we are talking about genealogy I have some questions.

Has anyone done any genealogical research for family in Ireland?

What is the best online site?

I have traced down a relative to his 1773 immigration from Ireland to

South Carolina. I have used Ancestry.com but it seems to be

tuned in to research in the USA.

[Cawdorian]

Most of my research has been completed using www.rootsweb.com. They seem to have the largest free collection of genealogy files on the net. If the information is available and posted the lines will go back across the pond. The site is very user friendly and allows you to display the information in many different formats.

H'mmm a 1773 migration from Ireland to South Carolina, sounds like you may have an Ulster Scot in your family tree. You can join the message board for your surname on rootsweb, many questions get answered on these message boards, you might meet a very helpful cousin who is researching the same family line.

Yes genealogy is addictive, however, it is usually cheaper than the kilt addiction. But like Ron said you can enjoy both addictions at the same time, they work very well together.

Jim

[jkdesq]

Hey David,

All the sites people mention are good resources. However, in my view, the best resource for finding Scottish forebears is http://www.scotlandspeople.gov.uk/. It is the official Government of Scotland website and is a fee site. Compared to other countries, not suprizingly, it is cheap -- how else would the get Scots to use it LOL.

Anyway, you pay 6 pounds for 30 credits. It costs one credit to view a list of names derived from a search and either 5 credits (if it is a .pdf image of the actual registry/census document) or 1 credit (if it is a typed up pseudo replica of the registry/census document). All births, marriages and deaths after 1855 are online. I haven't found an exception yet. Census for 1881, 1891 and 1901 have been online for awhile and I think they added more. For births and marriages prior to 1855, it is possible to find records from the "old parish records". I have never had much luck with these. So, this site you are guaranteed to find anything after 1855.

Another nice thing about Scottish research (as opposed to English) is the completeness of records. Births, marriages and death records always include information on the persons parents (ie. parents occupation, age (or if deceased) and, if live, residence). English information is not that helpful. With all these, it is very easy to be sure you have the right record and easy to jump back to the next generation.

Be careful though. The day I discovered Scotland's People, I spend about C$100 and about 5 hours on line. It was like a video lottery terminal. Happy ancestor hunting!

[jkdesq]

Here is another helpful resources when doing geneological research.
http://www.genuki.org.uk/big/Britain.html.

To add to my previous post, post-1855 are more helpful than you might think. As all deaths were registered after this date, it is possible to find information on people born in the late 18th Century. You can find marriages for people born in the 1830's. As places of birth, etc. are included, you can piece alot of things together.

[Alan H]

Two things. Beware Geneology.com. I get more spam,and I mean two-three messages a DAY from them since I did a trial membership.

There's a little problem with doing geneological research in Ireland. You see, at one point the English decided to bring all the family, court and parish historical records together into one place. They did that,though of course they missed some stuff. Then, around 1920 some Irish rebels decided that the building that housed those records would be a good place to attack. In the ensuring fire all those records were burnt to ashes.

So there's not a whole, whole lot to go on, I'm afraid. There IS stuff, but you'll be depending heavily on wills, probates and English taxastion records and surveys of surnames which won't be very specific. Researching THAT stuff is next to imossible on the internet....well, the surnames isn't but the other stuff is.

If your Irish ancestors date back to the 1700's and you can document all the ancestors between you and them , you've done a stunning good job. I know my Scots/Irish ancestor McKNight emigrated from Ulster in 1733,but I also know full well that to go much further back than that is going to be seriously difficult, so I haven't pursue'd it.

[highlander_Daz]

David as records in Ireland are spartan at best, whilst your ancesters went to the states many Irish came to Glasgow or the midlands in England many catholic churches keep very accurate records (although written in latin) so church records are very helpful.

[Cawdorian]

Alan,

You are absolutely correct, if you have traced your ancestor back to Ulster you have done a good job. I have one ancestor traced and documented back to Ulster, he came to the US about 1724, after that the records are almost non-existent. They found the birth record in Ulster, but that's it. Much of the information on the internet from that time period back is incorrect. The incorrect information seems to get posted over and over again.

Jim