Handout – Ireland’s Name Books

 

Introduction

 

Ireland’s Name Books were created during the Griffith’s Valuation of Ireland (1830-1865) as only one set of the 30,000 documents produced during the process.  Initially intended to determine the appropriate place name of a specific location, the books grew to contain much more including, genealogies, family names, historical information, architectural sites, market locations, ancient manuscript research, letters etc.  These books provide a unique insight into the lives and times of Ireland during a tragic period of massive disruption. 

 

  1. Website: www.askaboutireland.ie – provides online access to the Griffith’s Valuation including, valuation records, maps, Name Books and Thom’s Directories.
  2. PRONI – Public Records Office for Northern Ireland – Belfast repository for the Name Books for Northern Ireland - www.nidirect.gov.uk.  These books are not yet online.
  3. National Library of Ireland – Dublin – navigate to www.catalogue.nli.ie  where you can select digital only and search for “Name Books”.  This will bring up a result of 780 items, the first 4 of which are the online Name Books for the counties of Armagh, Derry, Donegal and Cavan.
  4. Further NLI, you can search https://catalogue.nli.ie/Author/Home? Where author=Ordnance+Survey+of+Ireland.  You can filter by region to pick a particular county and view what is available. 
  5. Inquisitions - https://www.british-history.ac.uk/inquis-post-mortem/
  6. Annals of the Four Masters – online versions of the six volumes by John O’Donovan: www.askaboutireland.ie>reading-room>digital-book-collection>digital-books-by-subject>history-of-ireland>O’Donavan: Annals of the Four Masters
  7. Book – Frances McGee – 2018 “The Archives of the Valuation of Ireland 1830-1865”
    ISBN 978-1-84682-136-3
    233 pages, 2018, Four Courts Press
  8. Book – Richard Griffith and His Valuation of Ireland - By James Reilly and published by Clearfield Company, 2000, ISBN 0-8063-4954-9 - An odd-sized paperback book (8.5x11), this publication is an absolute treasure trove for anyone researching their Irish ancestors circa 1826-1852 using Griffith’s Valuation as a data source.
  9. Book - Patricia Boyne – John O’Donovan (1806 – 1861) a biography ISBN 0-86314-140-4 1987, 166 pages, 1987, Boethius
  10. Book – Michael O’Clery, “Annals of the Kingdom of Ireland, by the Four Masters, From the Earliest Period to the Year 1616”, ISBN 978-1-397-70208-1, 565 pages, Forgotten Books, a translation by John O’Donovan.

 

Ron Gilmore

Email:           rvg3@me.com

Website:       rgenealogy.ca

Last Updated:      April 4, 2023