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Maps in Ireland are useful to conduct genealogical research. The island is smaller than most think at about 84,400 square kilometers (32,500 square miles). It is made up of 32 counties (including Northern Ireland), 12 cities, and more than 60,000 townlands, 2,500+ civil parishes and 300+ baronies.[1]
Traditionally, Ireland was divided into four provinces, and currently it is split into two jurisdictions, the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland. These regions divide into the counties and identifying your family's county of origin is key to finding your roots. After the county level comes parishes (both civil and religious) and townlands, even more granular.
Townlands of origin are helpful to locate land or tax-related records and you can correlate with parish maps to locate potential church records. Starting at the county level is often necessary before getting to a townland or parish of origin.
Research your ancestors on MyHeritage
Historical ContextHistorical Context
Some of the earliest known inhabitants of Ireland were the Celts (specifically, Celtic-speaking groups known as the Gaels). They introduced the Gaelic language and brought with them a gradual diffusion of their culture and settlement with tribal settlements.
Before the Normans arrived in 1169, Ireland was divided into smaller tribes or dynasties and the map was divided into four provinces (Connacht, Leinster, Munster, and Ulster), four kingdoms, ruled by King Brendan of the Kingdom of Munster.[2]
One of the earliest maps or representations of Ireland was from Greek-Egyptian cartographer Claudius Ptolemy around 140 AD.[3] He depicted an island where it is located today. Some of the first printed maps of Ireland as a separate entity began around the 16th century.
Where To Find Maps of IrelandWhere To Find Maps of Ireland
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The following resources are helpful to find maps of Ireland for genealogy research:
- National Library of Ireland (NLI) Map Collection: This vast collection of maps includes both rare and modern maps. That include some maps online but visiting in person in Dublin is the best way to access its impressive collection.
- Irish Townland and Historical Map Viewer: This Historic Viewer displays location-based data on townlands, markers, roadways, national monuments, and historic architectural sites in Ireland.
- PRONI Historical Maps Viewer: An historic viewer for Northern Ireland, including county, parish, and townland boundaries.
- John Grenham's Surnames Project: Look at a surname of interest, variations, or two surnames together on an interactive map of Ireland; this is especially useful if you don't know where in Ireland your family is from.
- Irish Townlands: This site helps find specific homeland or parishes as you navigate land records and places of origin.
- Maps of Ireland: This website is dedicated to all kinds of maps of Ireland, from the north to the south, the east to the west. You can find links to city maps, mapping tools and planners, and activities and attractions.
See alsoSee also
Explore More abut Maps in IrelandExplore More abut Maps in Ireland
- Topographical Dictionary of Ireland, Volume 2 on MyHeritage
- Are you using maps in your Irish research? by Moughty on Irish Family Roots
- How to look for records of Irish maps c.1558-c.1610 by Research Guides, The National Archives
- Irish Migration Patterns and How They Affected Irish Genealogy by Amy Dahlberg-Chu on MyHeritage Blog
References
- ↑ Irish Townlands. Open-source maps of Ireland.https://www.townlands.ie/
- ↑ The Four Provinces of Ireland. Dickinson College Commentaries. https://dcc.dickinson.edu/images/map-four-counties-ireland
- ↑ Have you seen the first known map of Ireland from 140AD? Irish Central https://www.irishcentral.com/roots/history/ptolemy-oldest-map-ireland