Ireland, Select Catholic Birth and Baptism Registers, 1763-1917

Source Information

Ancestry.com. Ireland, Select Catholic Birth and Baptism Registers, 1763-1917 [database on-line]. Lehi, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2014.
Original data: Celtic Catholic Registers. Digitized images. Dublin, Ireland: E-Celtic, Limited.

About Ireland, Select Catholic Birth and Baptism Registers, 1763-1917

This collection includes Catholic baptismal registers from 73 parishes in Ireland, with dates ranging from 1763 to 1912 (noninclusive; coverage will vary by parish). Children were typically baptized soon after they were born. The details found in baptismal registers vary but can include:

  • name
  • baptismal date
  • father’s name
  • mother’s name
  • godparents’/sponsors’ names
  • place

Although the Church of Ireland was the established state church from 1536 to 1870, Ireland’s population remained overwhelmingly Roman Catholic. According to the 1861 census, almost 78 percent of the population was Catholic; by 1891, this had risen to 89 percent. This fact makes Catholic parish registers, where available, particularly valuable sources for Irish family history, both before and after civil registration began in 1864.

Registers from the following parishes are included in this collection:

  • Addergoole
  • Allen
  • Annacarty
  • Armagh
  • Aughrim
  • Backs
  • Ballina (Ardnaree)
  • Ballina (Kilmoremoy)
  • Ballinakill
  • Ballon and Rathoe
  • Ballyadams
  • Ballybricken
  • Ballyconneely
  • Ballyfin
  • Baltinglass
  • Bangor Erris
  • Belmullet
  • Beragh
  • Caherlistrane (Donaghpatrick and Kilcooney)
  • Canice's (Finglas and St Margaret)
  • Cappawhite
  • Carlingford
  • Carlingford and Omeath
  • Carnaross
  • Castlebar
  • Castleconnor
  • Claddaghduff (Omey and Ballindoon)
  • Clifden
  • Coalisland
  • Cooley
  • Crossmolina
  • Darver
  • Donaghmore
  • Easkey
  • Emly
  • Golden
  • Golden and Kilpack
  • Inishboffin
  • Kilcloon
  • Kilcommon Erris
  • Kilcurry
  • Kilcurry (Bridgeacrin)
  • Kilcurry (Faughart)
  • Kilglass
  • Kill
  • Killala
  • Killursa
  • Kilmacshalgan
  • Knockmore and Rathduff
  • Lackagh
  • Lacken
  • Louisburgh
  • Louisburgh (Kilgeever)
  • Louth
  • Magherafelt
  • Malahide
  • Moneymore
  • Mountrath
  • Moy
  • Moy (Clonfeacle)
  • Mullingar
  • Naas
  • Portlaoise (Maryborough)
  • Rathangan
  • Rathvilly
  • Skreen and Dromard
  • Summerhill
  • Termonmaguirc
  • Tinryland
  • Tourlestrane
  • Tourlestrane (Kilmactigue)
  • Tullow
  • Westland Row

See our Latin glossary for help with some terms found in these records.