Genealogy has become a mass pursuit. Researching family history or finding one's roots has become one of the most popular hobbies of our time. The best place to begin researching your family is with your family. Ask questions of family members whom you think might know a little bit more about the family history.
Consult old photographs on which names and dates may be noted as well as family gravestones and any documentation in which family information is recorded. It is important to write up all the information you collect together and make sure to record the date place and document where the information was found.
Click here for a full account of Genealogical Resources available in Waterford.
Census Returns
The earliest surviving census covering the whole of Ireland north and south is that of 1901. No census returns survive for 1821-1891 for Waterford only various partial copies for specific families or areas. Census returns for 1901 and 1911 are arranged by district electoral division and street name in urban areas and by townland name in rural areas.
The census returns for 1901 and 1911 for Waterford City and County are available on microfilm in the Local Studies Department. Various partial census returns for Waterford City are also available in book format.
Land Valuation Records
Tithe Applotment Books and Griffiths Valuation are two important census substitutes both are available in the Local studies Department.
Tithe Applotment Books.
The Tithe Applotment Books were compiled between 1823 and 1837 in order to determine the amount of tithes (taxes) due by occupiers of land to the Church of Ireland (The Established Church). The Tithe Applotment Books are organized according to parish and townland. The books do not refer to towns or cities but the records give a valuable insight into rural Ireland before the famine. The Tithe Applotment Books for County Waterford are available on microfilm.
Griffiths Valuation
Griffith's Valuation was carried out in Ireland 1847-1864. It was a survey undertaken to determine the amount of tax due by the owners and occupiers of a property to the local authority. The Primary Valuation provides a census of all who held property in the year or years when the survey was made, It can be a valuable genealogical source. Griffith's Valuations also provide number and letters of reference to a map. The map reference number is to the location of the tenement or plot on the 6" to I mile Ordnance Survey Maps of the 1830s. Griffith's Valuation and maps can also be accessed online at www.askaboutireland.ie.