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The Irish and Irish Americans

Finding Your Irish Roots

Irish-American genealogy uses the same basic resources as any other genealogical project and lists of those titles can be found elsewhere. In addition to printed books there are many excellent resources on the Internet which are listed on Cyndi's List of Genealogy Sites on the Internet.

The titles listed here reflect specifically Irish research and are all found at the Library.

Students Guide to Irish American  Genealogy

McKenna, Erin. A

Student’s Guide to Irish American Genealogy. Phoenix: Oryx Press, 1996. (016.973 M199s)
After a brief introduction to the history of Irish emigration the author discusses how to get started, researching in Ireland, interviewing your relatives, and how to put it all together.

Grenham, John.
Tracing Your Irish Ancestors. Baltimore: Genealogical Pub. Co., 1993 (929.1072 G865t 1993)
Some areas of research will be important for the vast majority of people and so the most basic genealogical sources are gathered together in part one of this book. A comprehensive series of maps covering all the Catholic parishes of Ireland is also included. Part two examines sources which have a narrower application, while part three is a reference guide which allows access to a range of research materials, including county by county source lists, printed family history, occupations and Church of Ireland records.

Baxter, Angus.
In Search of Your British & Irish Roots. 4th ed. Baltimore: Genealogical Pub. Co., 1999 (929.1072 B333ib 1999)
The author begins with step by step instructions on drawing up a family tree, and explains how to use sources close at hand. The search continues by correspondence with family history societies, records offices, and other organizations listed, before concluding with a possible, but not essential trip to the source, Britain or Ireland.

Black, J. Anderson.
Your Irish Ancestors: An Illustrated History of Irish Families and Their Origins. New York: Paddington Press Ltd., 1974. (REF 929.3041 B561y)
The opening section of this book is an illustrated history of Ireland, from the Bronze Age to 1921, with special emphasis on its kingdoms, earldoms, dynastic marriages, invasions, immigrations, and emigrations. The central section illustrates with portraits and describes in detail the origin and history of more than 300 Irish family names and their derivatives. The final section provides a guide for the amateur genealogist.

Falley, Margaret Dickson.
Irish and Scotch-Irish Ancestral Research. 2 vols. Evanston, Ill: The Author, 1962. (REF 929.1 F192i) Although first published in 1962, this set is still very useful, giving the basics of genealogical research in both America and in Ireland. Although the location of the materials listed has changed this is still one of the most complete guides.

MacLysaght, Edward.
Irish Families; More Irish Families; Supplement to Irish Families. New York: Crown Pub., 1960-72. (REF 929.1 M226i/REF 929.1 M226m/REF 929.1 M226is) The three books of this series deal at some length with approximately 2500 surnames, giving their meaning, the Gaelic (now called Irish) equivalent, origin in Ireland, England, or Scandinavia, and famous people with that name. Although there is no research content, this book is an excellent way to find out about Irish origins.

Mitchell, Brian.
A New Genealogical Atlas of Ireland. 2nd ed. Baltimore: Genealogical Pub. Co., 2002. (REF 911.415 M6923n)
The first step in any Irish research for the first half of the 19th century and before should be to identify the religious denomination and parish of your ancestor. This volume provides descriptions and maps of the parochial and civil administrative divisions to which all major Irish record sources are linked.

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