Locating Irish Origins North American Research Marie Daly, Senior Genealogist Voice of Marie E. Daly, Senior Genealogist Keys to Success Widen your search Include relatives, friends, neighbors Look at context Learn local history Discount spelling Consider alternate data 1
Getting Started Start with yourself & work back in time Interview your relatives Start with 1940 census & work back to immigrant Look for births, marriages & deaths Rose Fitzgerald Kennedy in 1939 (Courtesy of JFK Library) 1940 census 1940 Federal Census, Eastchester, Westchester Co., NY 1920 census 1920 Federal Census, Brookline, Norfolk Co., Mass. 2
1914 marriage record Parents of Rose Fitzgerald 1900 census 1900 census important columns Marriage data Immigration data Number of years married How many children; & still living Immigration year & citizenship status 3
Vital records - marriages 1870 census Naming patterns 1 st son paternal grandfather 1 st daughter paternal grandmother 2 nd son maternal grandfather 2 nd daughter maternal grandmother Not hard and fast rule Watch out for deceased children 4
1860 census Back to marriage records 1857 marriage of Thomas Fitzgerald & Rose Cox Church records Baptism of Michael Fitzgerald, 16 May 1864 Sponsors Edmund Fitzgerald & Bridget Fitzgerald 5
Linking immigrants back to Ireland Find exact origin in Ireland American records Citizenship records Gravestones Newspapers Business records Fraternal organizations Irish civil & church records Immigrant s parents are known Maiden name of mother is known Look for siblings also Naturalizations 6
Naturalization petition of Thomas Fitzgerald Naturalization petition of Thomas Fitzgerald Naturalization petition of Thomas Fitzgerald 7
20 th century passenger lists Page 1 Name of relative in Ireland 20 th century passengers lists Page 2 8
Name of contact in America Birthplace in Ireland Gravestone inscriptions Be wary of information Do not damage stone Look around at other stones Search on findagrave.com Chapel Hill Cemetery, Trescott, Maine 9
Newspaper records - obituaries Vital statistics Obituaries Repeal Society lists Missing Friends ads Newspaper records Repeal Society lists Vital statistics Obituaries Repeal Society lists Missing Friends ads Newspaper records Missing Friends ads Vital statistics Obituaries Repeal Society lists Missing Friends ads 10
Business records Bank records Emigrant Savings Bank Local Banks Include women Business agents Central New York?others Depositors at Emigrant Savings Bank, NYC Emigrant Savings Bank of NY Birthplace in Ireland Next of kin Arrival date & ship Finding bank records Event Date Historical Event 1853 03 19 WALTHAM SAVINGS BANK located at WALTHAM, MA was established as a State Savings Bank. 1987 10 01 WALTHAM SAVINGS BANK moved to 1 MOODY ST WALTHAM, MA. 1990 11 02 WALTHAM SAVINGS BANK was renamed to STERLING BANK and moved to 1 MOODY STREET WALTHAM, MA. 1994 08 16 STERLING BANK was acquired by FLEET BANK OF MASSACHUSETTS, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION. 1994 08 16 STERLING BANK was renamed to STERLING MAIN BR and became a branch of FLEET BANK OF MASSACHUSETTS, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION. 2000 06 17 Institution is closed. National Information Center, United States Federal Reserve System 11
https://beta.worldcat.org/archivegrid Business agents Masonic lodges Fraternal organizations Knights of Columbus County societies Catholic Order of Foresters Mass. Grand Lodge of Masons Mem. Cards americanancestors.org 12
Less common sources for Irish origins Some census records Some vital records Some probate records Some church records Letters & diaries Family records 1860 census, New Orleans, LA. Summary Widen your search to include relatives & friends Start with census & vital records & work back in time Use church records to identify relatives Look for records that detail the exact origin of your ancestor 13