Researching Ancestors in Co.Armagh: A Practical Guide for the Family and Local Historian: 1 - Softcover

Maxwell, Dr. Ian

Softcover

ISBN 10: 0901905895 ISBN 13: 9780901905895

Publisher: Ulster Historical Foundation, 2000

Synopsis

Armagh the smallest county in Northern Ireland, has a rich, colourful and even tempestuous history. War, famine and emigration over the last four centuries have all contributed to forming the distinctive character of its people. The constant struggle between Planter and Gael that has characterised the county since the Plantation in the early 17th century may be seen in, for example, the almost equal division of the most popular surnames. The county town, the city of Armagh, is the ecclesiastical capital of both the Catholic and Protestant religions on the island. By the end of the 18th century the county became one of the most prosperous and the most densely populated in Ireland. Its turbulent history has taken its toll on the evidence that remains. Many records were lost, including those in the destruction of the Public Record Office in Dublin in 1922; much has, however, survived to aid the dedicated family or local historian and is accessible in the detailed catalogues and user-friendly searching aids in the Public Record Office of Northern Ireland. Ian Maxwell writes both as an historian and an archivist eager to encourage researchers to use the fullest range of sources available. An exceptional feature of this book are the reference appendices. These include a breakdown of administrative divisions listing some 1,400 townlands and also unofficial placenames which disappeared from official use after the standardisation of placenames in the 1830s. Also provided for each townland are the civil parish, barony and poor law union plus the vital district electoral division details that greatly facilitates the researcher using sources such as census returns and property valuation records. Other appendices provide crucial archival references to tithe and valuation records and civil and Catholic parish maps are included. Such reference appendices will be a feature of further books in this series of county guides for the family and local historian.

About this title

About the Author

Ian Maxwell is a graduate of Queen's University, Belfast, where he completed his Ph.D. on Sir Wilfred Spender in 1991. He was a Records Officer at the Public Records Office of Northern Ireland, 1991-96, and during this time as head of the Public Search Room he pioneered a series of leaflets on genealogy which are now available on the internet. Ian now works in Policy and Communications, Roads Service. He has written two books: Tracing your Ancestors in Northern Ireland and Researching Armagh Ancestors.

Edition details

• Publisher: Ulster Historical Foundation
• Publication date: 2000
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 0901905895
• ISBN 13: 9780901905895
• Binding: Paperback
• Number of pages: 192