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The Tithe Applotment Books pre-date the official registration of births, marriages, and deaths, which didn't commence until 1864, and therefore are immensely important in terms of constructing not just an image of a particular family line but of wider social conditions in Ireland.

In 1823 it was decided that each landowner should pay a tithe to the Church of Ireland, including both Protestants and Catholics. To this end a valuation was carried out between the years 1823 and 1838.

Tithe surveys were undertaken in order to calculate the amount of tax payable by the landholders of Ireland for the upkeep of the Church of Ireland. Following the Composition Act of 1823, which decreed that tithes be paid in money rather than in kind (the tax was originally a tenth of the produce of a holding), a valuation survey was carried out in every civil parish in Ireland to determine how much each landholder should pay. Over the ensuing fifteen years this survey listed all landholders in a given parish.

There were huge inequities in how much of a tithe was to be paid by a given landowner. So much so that those who were the poorest ended up paying the most - ie: your average potato farmer. This is a good thing, however for those millions of us whose ancestors WERE the poorest of the poor! Keep in mind – these tithes were to be paid by those working the land, the tenants. The amount of tithe imposed was based on the quality of the land with regards to raising crops. Thus the land owner who, more often than not, used any portion of the land kept for his own use as say horse grazing or house gardens and did not grow crops, and so was taxed at a lower rate than his tenants.

Despite it's inequities, the Tithe Applotment Books are one of the best resources for these years as so very little census records survived the Dublin Records Office fire in 1922. The main knowledge gained from the books are a townland name, landholder's name, area of land, and tithes payable.

In 1831, these tithes became so unpopular that many were refusing to pay them. Clergymen in the churches were made to make lists of those who had refused - and these lists are now another source of information for those of us tracing our Irish family trees!

The Tithe Defaulters lists are mainly for Counties Kilkenny and Tipperary although there are also some lists for Counties Carlow, Cork, Kerry, Laois, Limerick, Louth, Meath, Offaly, Waterford and Wexford.

The Tithe Applotment Books are now deposited in the National Archives (Dublin) and the Public Records Office of Northern Ireland (PRONI).

About the Author:

Tracing your Irish ancestors in Ireland with the Tithe Applotment Books can bring you one step closer to finding your family in Ireland. Although scattered and fragmented, there are also many other records to aid in your search. Visit More Generations to learn about these records and find other resources that will help you bring your family tree to life.

Article Source: ArticlesBase.com - Tithe Applotment Books and Finding Your Irish Ancestors

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