Barking up the wrong tree?

Marzellejen

Hello, I new here after finding this site via the BBC family history pages. It is a wonderful find so well done. I have managed to get as far back as I can here in England by internet searching. So I am now looking at births around the 1820-30s in Ireland, but exactly where is the question? Luckily (cos I believe it's unusual) the forename of the rellie in question is George and they were RC. I have found a few George McEvoys on the Griff Val and a few days ago I found ( on rootsirelnd) a George McEvoy with sons, with names I am searching, in Offaly. This might sound idiotic, but then I am a real novice, but how do i now make the link to confirm they are my rellies? I do so hope you can help and a visit to Ireland is possible. Have you any idea why RC family would choose George as a christian name in that era?

pinkypinky

Hi & Welcome,

Firstly, I don't think George is a particularly rare name. E.G, I searched the 1901 census for men whose first name was George, were catholic and aged 70 +, there are 303.

You may or may not know that we don't have civil birth records in Ireland for that period. To find someone, you need to know their name, religion and what parish they came from.

The first thing I'd suggest is checking every English census to see if they put in more information than just "Ireland". Often, particularly with later censuses, they'd write in a county or a town as well. Sometimes it's crossed out but still legible. Without a location, it's always going to be guess work. You were right to check Griffiths Valuation but you still need something to confirm it. Naming patterns are a good start. Do you have George McEvoy's marriage certificate? That would give you his father's name and then you might be able to narrow it down a bit.

Sorry not to be more helpful but try these suggestions and come back, we might get somewhere.

Marzellejen

pinkypinky wrote: »

Hi & Welcome,

Firstly, I don't think George is a particularly rare name. E.G, I searched the 1901 census for men whose first name was George, were catholic and aged 70 +, there are 303.

You may or may not know that we don't have civil birth records in Ireland for that period. To find someone, you need to know their name, religion and what parish they came from.

The first thing I'd suggest is checking every English census to see if they put in more information than just "Ireland". Often, particularly with later censuses, they'd write in a county or a town as well. Sometimes it's crossed out but still legible. Without a location, it's always going to be guess work. You were right to check Griffiths Valuation but you still need something to confirm it. Naming patterns are a good start. Do you have George McEvoy's marriage certificate? That would give you his father's name and then you might be able to narrow it down a bit.

Sorry not to be more helpful but try these suggestions and come back, we might get somewhere.

Hello and thank you. I have indeed been through the English census and unfortunately all I have found is Ireland. A few years ago I asked a researcher to have a look for me in Ireland and it was he who told me that George was not a common name for a catholic. What I do Know that is Patrick McEvoy is on the 1851 census in Newcastle-u-tyne and the line theron comes down to me. He had a brother, James who was on the 1861 census staying with him. I have his marriage cert and his father is George. Patrick's birth is 1827 but could be earlier later?

shanew

worth noting that the rootsireland website (Irish Family History Foundation) you mentioned does not have records for all Ireland, plus not all parishes have records for the early years, and not many rural RC parishes have records before 1830.

Another online source of parish records is www.irishgenealogy.ie (free), which currently includes RC records for Dublin City, Co. Kerry and South west Co. Cork & City (along with CofI records for Dublin City, Kerry, and Carlow).

p.s I'd agree that the name George is not that common for Catholic families, but not that rare either - I've two RC Georges among my ancestors.


Shane

Marzellejen

Thank you, Shane

shanew

what's George's occupation on his son's marriage cert ?


Shane

Marzellejen

it doesn't say, I'm afraid

shanew

And that's a regular English Civil cert ?

very strange.. it's usually included. Maybe he didnt remember or know his father's current occupation. It's also possible that George was deceased by the time of the marriage - certs dont always include this detail.



Shane

Marzellejen

Shane, he was deceased, sorry.

Marzellejen

Patrick McEvoy married a Jane Hart in a Catholic chapel in Newcastle-upon-Tyne in 1854. So his father, George would have died before then.
Thanks, Jen

shanew

I think most of the Griffith's valuation details for Co. Offaly were dated 1854 - so George would probably not be included.



Shane

Marzellejen

If Patrick had a brother, George, after his father, could that be him on the Griff val?

shanew

he might be a little young, but it's certainly a possibility... I think it might appear under his widow's name initially.




Shane

Marzellejen

what month would the Griff Val be taken?

shanew

Each section has a publication date, which was generally within a month or two of the actual survey for that location. I suspect slightly different dates would apply to different areas within the county.

The free Griffith's website on AskAboutIreland only gives the year of publication - not the full publication date. The only website I've seen the full publication date on is the pay-website at OriginsNetwork (Eneclann)


Shane