Find your ancestors in Irish Births 1864-1958

Government (civil) registration of births in Ireland began in 1864. The index to civil registration is available on Findmypast. The original registers are held by the General Register Office. You can view original civil registration documents at Irishgenealogy.ie

Mother's maiden name

Mother's maiden surname was not recorded in the Index to Civil Registration until 1929.

Record coverage

  • 1864-1921 - all 32 counties in Ireland
  • 1922-1958 - 26 counties of the Republic of Ireland only

Civil registration districts

The original civil registration districts were based on 160 medical dispensary districts and in many cases cross county boundaries. This means that in certain cases births will be recorded in a county other than that in which the person lived. You can find a list of the registration districts with their registration counties below.

Note that some districts were absorbed by others or changed name. These are as follows:

  • Parsonstown = Birr
  • Irvinestown = Lowtherstown
  • Donaghmore - after 1887 search: Roscrea and Urlingford
  • Glin - after 1892 search: Listowel and Rathkeale
  • Gortin - after 1889 search: Omagh and Strabane
  • Newport - after 1886 search: Westport


Registration districts

CountyRegistration District CountyRegistration District
AntrimAntrim LaoisCarlow
AntrimBallycastle LaoisDonaghmore
AntrimBallymena LaoisMountmellick
AntrimBallymoney LaoisRoscrea
AntrimBelfast LeitrimBallyshannon
AntrimColeraine LeitrimBawnboy
AntrimLarne LeitrimCarrick-on-Shannon
AntrimLisburn LeitrimManorhamilton
AntrimLurgan LeitrimMohill
ArmaghArmagh LimerickCroom
ArmaghBanbridge LimerickGlin
ArmaghCastleblaney LimerickKillmallock
ArmaghDundalk LimerickLimerick
ArmaghLurgan LimerickMitchelstown
ArmaghNewry LimerickNewcastle
CarlowBaltinglass LimerickRathkeale
CarlowCarlow LimerickTipperary
CarlowEnniscorthy LondonderryBallymoney
CarlowNew Ross LondonderryColeraine
CarlowShillelagh LondonderryLondonderry
CavanBailieborough LondonderryMagherafelt
CavanBawnboy LondonderryLimavady
CavanCavan LongfordBallymahon
CavanCootehill LongfordGranard
CavanEnniskillen LongfordLongford
CavanGranard LouthArdee
CavanKells LouthDrogheda
CavanOldcastle LouthDundalk
ClareBallyvaughan MayoBallina
ClareCorrofin MayoBallinrobe
ClareEnnis MayoBelmullet
ClareEnnistimon MayoCastlebar
ClareKilladysert MayoCastelreagh
ClareKilrush MayoClaremorris
ClareLimerick MayoKillala
ClareScariff MayoNewport
ClareTulla MayoSwineford
CorkBandon MayoWestport
CorkBantry MeathArdee
CorkCastletown MeathCelbridge
CorkClonakilty MeathDrogheda
CorkCork MeathDunshaughlin
CorkDunmanway MeathEdenderry
CorkFermoy MeathKells
CorkKanturk MeathNavan
CorkKillmallock MeathOldcastle
CorkKinsale MeathTrim
CorkMacroom MonaghanCarrickmacross
CorkMallow MonaghanCastleblaney
CorkMiddleton MonaghanClogher
CorkMillstreet MonaghanClones
CorkMitchelstown MonaghanMonaghan
CorkSkibbereen OffalyEdenderry
CorkSkull OffalyMountmellick
CorkYoughal OffalyParsonstown
DonegalBallyshannon OffalyRoscrea
DonegalDonegal OffalyTullamore
DonegalDunfanaghy OffalyBirr
DonegalGlenties RoscommonAthlone
DonegalInishowen RoscommonBallinasloe
DonegalLetterkenny RoscommonBoyle
DonegalLondonderry RoscommonCarrick-on-Shannon
DonegalMilford RoscommonCastlereagh
DonegalStrabane RoscommonRoscommon
DonegalStranorlar RoscommonStrokestown
DownBanbridge SligoBallina
DownBelfast SligoBoyle
DownDownpatrick SligoDromore West
DownKilkeel SligoSligo
DownLisburn SligoTobercurry
DownLurgan TipperaryBorrisokane
DownNewry TipperaryCallan
DownNewtownards TipperaryCarrick-on-Suir
DublinBalrothery TipperaryCashel
DublinCelbridge TipperaryClogheen
DublinDublin North TipperaryClonmel
DublinDublin South TipperaryNenagh
DublinRathdown TipperaryParsonstown
FermanaghBallyshannon TipperaryRoscrea
FermanaghClones TipperaryThurles
FermanaghEnniskillen TipperaryTipperary
FermanaghIrvinestown TipperaryUrlingford
FermanaghLowtherstown TipperaryBirr
FermanaghLisnaskea TyroneArmagh
GalwayBallinasloe TyroneCastlederg
GalwayBallinrobe TyroneClogher
GalwayClifden TyroneCookstown
GalwayGalway TyroneDungannon
GalwayGlennamaddy TyroneEnniskillen
GalwayGort TyroneGortin
GalwayLoughrea TyroneIrvinestown
GalwayMountbellew TyroneLowtherstown
GalwayOughterard TyroneOmagh
GalwayPortumna TyroneStrabane
GalwayScarriff WaterfordCarrick-on-Suir
GalwayTuam WaterfordClonmel
KerryCahersiveen WaterfordDungarvan
KerryDingle WaterfordKilmacthomas
KerryGlin WaterfordLismore
KerryKenmare WaterfordWaterford
KerryKillarney WaterfordYoughal
KerryListowel WestmeathAthlone
KerryTralee WestmeathBallymahon
KildareAthy WestmeathDelvin
KildareBaltinglass WestmeathGranard
KildareCelbridge WestmeathMullingar
KildareEdenderry WestmeathTullamore
KildareNaas WexfordEnniscorthy
KilkennyCallan WexfordGorey
KilkennyCarrick-on-Suir WexfordNew Ross
KilkennyCastlecomer WexfordShillelagh
KilkennyKilkenny WexfordWexford
KilkennyNew Ross WicklowBaltinglass
KilkennyThomastown WicklowNaas
KilkennyUrlingford WicklowRathdown
KilkennyWaterford WicklowRathdrum
LaoisAbbeyleix WicklowShillelagh
LaoisAthy