Accredited Genealogists Ireland publishes new guide to Irish Civil Registration

Accredited Genealogists Ireland (AGI) has published a new resource sheet, An Introduction to Civil Registration in Ireland, offering researchers and family historians an accessible overview of one of the most important sources for Irish genealogical research.

The guide examines the development of civil registration from its early origins through to the introduction of full state registration of births, deaths and marriages on 1 January 1864.

It explains how the system evolved, the legal and social factors that shaped it, and why civil records remain central to family history research today.

The publication explores milestones including the registration of non-Catholic marriages from 1845, the impact of legal controversies surrounding Presbyterian marriages, and the eventual establishment of a comprehensive registration system in 1864.

It also addresses common misconceptions, including the belief that civil records were destroyed in 1922. In fact, civil birth, death and marriage records survive and are among the most valuable sources available to researchers.

Commenting on the publication, Michael Walsh, President of Accredited Genealogists Ireland, said: “Civil registration records are the foundation of much Irish family history research. This guide explains not only when these records began but why they were created and how they came to play such a central role in helping people trace their Irish ancestors today.”

The resource sheet is the first in a series examining Irish civil records, with future publications exploring birth, marriage and death records in greater detail, including the challenges and anomalies researchers may encounter.

An Introduction to Civil Registration in Ireland is available from the Accredited Genealogists Ireland website at https://accreditedgenealogists.ie/resources/

Accredited Genealogists Ireland (AGI) is the accrediting and representative body for professional genealogists on the island of Ireland. AGI members are experts in their field who, alongside private client research, are highly regarded advocates, authors, lecturers and media contributors within the genealogical community.

“All AGI members adhere to the AGI Code of Practice, details of which can be found at accreditedgenealogists.ie “