Handout – Ireland’s Thom’s Directories

 

This series of annual directories of Ireland are now online and can provide some truly helpful information for genealogists.  Content includes:

  • British Foreign and Colonial Directories
  • Parliamentary Directory
  • Peerage, Baronetage and Knightage Directory 
  • Naval and Military Directory 
  • Statistics of Great Britain and Ireland 
  • Government Offices' Directory
  • University, Scientific and Medical Directory
  • Law Directory 
  • Ecclesiastical Directory
  • Banking Directory
  • Postal Directory 
  • County and Borough Directory 
  • Lieutenancy and Magistracy of Ireland
  • Post Office Dublin City and County Directory
  • Listings of landowners of 1,000 acres upwards
  • Several hundred pages detailing various state officials.
  • Civil, military, and religious officials
  • Listing of clubs, societies, and institutions.

 

Whew!  That is a lot of material. The series originated around 1836 and continued up until 1945.  Some years are not yet available online, and content varies slightly by supplier.  

 

This content is available from three primary sources:

 

FIndmypast:  https://www.findmypast.com

Includes national directories like those by Pigot, Slater, and Thom back to 1793.  

 

Navigation:

Open FIndmypast

Select “Search”

Select “Directories & Social History”

Select “Directories & Alamanacs”

Check “Ireland” from Country menu

Check“Ireland, Thom;s Directory, 1844 – 1900”

Compose your specific search requests.

 

  1. Ancestry: https://www.ancestry.com

Mostly Thom’s records 1836 – 1947

 

Navigation:   Open Ancestry in your browser

Navigate to the “Card Catalog”

Enter “Thom” in Keyword menu and hit enter

Select “Ireland, City and Regional Directories, 1836-1947

Enter your search requests.

 

  1. Ask About Ireland: https://www.askaboutireland.ie

 

My favorite source of easy navigation is Ask About Ireland.  This is a joint venture project funded by a group of museums, libraries and archives in Ireland.  

 

Navigation: Open askaboutireland.ie in your browser

Select “Griffith’s Valuation”

Select “Thoms”

Enter your search requests.

 

As always, “Where” information for Irish searches is extremely valuable is assisting your research.  

 

 

Ron Gilmore

Last Updated:      April 18, 2023