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Advice needed

  • 21-04-2020 8:30am
    #1
    Closed Accounts Posts: 2,160 ✭✭✭


    Sorry to butt in but recently I've beem interested in tracing back family members.

    I'm nearly sure one of my direct ancestor's was born some time in the 1840s, how would I go about finding out exactly when or is it even possible?

    The census records pre-1901 seem to be non-existent and he died in the 1890s so he's not on any census.


Comments

  • Moderators, Society & Culture Moderators Posts: 11,291 Mod ✭✭✭✭Hermy


    Sorry to butt in but recently I've beem interested in tracing back family members.

    I'm nearly sure one of my direct ancestor's was born some time in the 1840s, how would I go about finding out exactly when or is it even possible?

    The census records pre-1901 seem to be non-existent and he died in the 1890s so he's not on any census.

    It's probably better to start a separate thread giving details of what you know of the person you're looking for.

    Genealogy Forum Mod



  • Registered Users Posts: 691 ✭✭✭CassieManson


    Sorry to butt in but recently I've beem interested in tracing back family members.

    I'm nearly sure one of my direct ancestor's was born some time in the 1840s, how would I go about finding out exactly when or is it even possible?

    The census records pre-1901 seem to be non-existent and he died in the 1890s so he's not on any census.

    If he died in the 1890's you could start by looking at the Civil records to find his death record - that will give his age and you can estimate date of birth from that. Of course age was not necessarily correct on death records but it's a starting point. You can then look at church records for a baptism. Catholic parish records can also be found here but these are more difficult to search.


  • Moderators, Society & Culture Moderators Posts: 6,609 Mod ✭✭✭✭pinkypinky


    Thread split.

    You can start with reading our sticky which has a thorough list of all the main areas.

    Genealogy Forum Mod



  • Closed Accounts Posts: 2,160 ✭✭✭Huntergonzo


    Hermy wrote: »
    It's probably better to start a separate thread giving details of what you know of the person you're looking for.

    No worries at all, cheers for that. Just looking for some general tips on what's the best place to start looking really.

    Oddly, his father, brother and son are all on the family headstone and he isn't. There doesn't seem to be any particular reason why this is the case and we assume he's buried there.


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 2,160 ✭✭✭Huntergonzo


    pinkypinky wrote: »
    Thread split.

    You can start with reading our sticky which has a thorough list of all the main areas.

    That's great thanks very much for all that.

    And my apologies, I should have started a thread myself.


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  • Moderators, Society & Culture Moderators Posts: 6,609 Mod ✭✭✭✭pinkypinky


    Sometimes people are buried with in laws.

    Genealogy Forum Mod



  • Closed Accounts Posts: 2,160 ✭✭✭Huntergonzo


    pinkypinky wrote: »
    Sometimes people are buried with in laws.

    This is true and I know where his wife was from and I'm keen to find her records as well but she died in the 1880s shortly after giving birth to my grandfather.

    I can't seem to find any real records of either of those great-grandparents, but I've only really started to look recently.


  • Moderators, Recreation & Hobbies Moderators Posts: 10,911 Mod ✭✭✭✭Ponster


    > I'm nearly sure one of my direct ancestor's was born some time in the 1840s, how would I go about finding out exactly when or is it even possible?

    Even with the advice above there's a good chance that all you're likely to find is a death cert which gives an approximate year of birth. With more luck they'll have died in the same parish that they were born and that the parish records are available and that you can dig up the correct birth cert. My experience pre-1864 when people didn't have birthcerts has been patchy at best.


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 2,160 ✭✭✭Huntergonzo


    Ponster wrote: »
    > I'm nearly sure one of my direct ancestor's was born some time in the 1840s, how would I go about finding out exactly when or is it even possible?

    Even with the advice above there's a good chance that all you're likely to find is a death cert which gives an approximate year of birth. With more luck they'll have died in the same parish that they were born and that the parish records are available and that you can dig up the correct birth cert. My experience pre-1864 when people didn't have birthcerts has been patchy at best.

    Thanks Ponster.

    It's my great grandparents I'm looking to get info on. He was almost certainly born in the 1840s and he died in 1894. Quite and awkward time period for records.

    I know his date of death but I don't have a death cert, I do have his will though and his father's will (that's how I know he was the eldest son).

    His wife (my great grandmother) unfortunately died shortly after giving birth to my grandad way back in the 1880s, so I don't know a lot about her.

    I've always wondered why neither of them are on the family headstone (my great great grandfather was the first buried there), and I'd like to add them on it, once I'm certain they're buried in the plot.


  • Moderators, Recreation & Hobbies Moderators Posts: 10,911 Mod ✭✭✭✭Ponster


    Good luck with the search. If ever you feel like you need someone else to take a look most people here are usually chomping at the bit to get looking up records and tracking down people. You can always PM folk if you don't want to make anything public.


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  • Closed Accounts Posts: 2,160 ✭✭✭Huntergonzo


    Ponster wrote: »
    Good luck with the search. If ever you feel like you need someone else to take a look most people here are usually chomping at the bit to get looking up records and tracking down people. You can always PM folk if you don't want to make anything public.

    Thanks very much ponster, I'm going to get stuck in hopefully over the summer when the lockdown is eased and see what turns up.

    I don't expect to find too much, far too much time has passed but if I can find birth years and confirmation of where they're buried then I'd be happy with that.


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