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Family legend states that John’s great-grandmother, Emma Stafford, was the illegitimate daughter of an Irish aristocrat. John was born in England but is proud of his Irish heritage. He hopes this will be the chance to discover the truth about Emma’s parentage.
During his investigations John travels across England and Ireland in search of clues. But the more he learns, the faster the story starts to unravel. As the truth slowly emerges, John uncovers a story of illegitimacy, scandal and cover up. He starts to realise that the story he was told has become confused over time. Interestingly, one of his ancestors appears to have had a hand in muddying the waters for his own means.
Our online research guide Irish genealogy is a good place to start, or you can listen to our podcast on tracing your Irish ancestors here at The National Archives.
If you are researching relatives from Ireland start your investigation with your immediate family. They may point you towards relatives who still live in Ireland. Researching your ancestry may, like John’s story, involve travel to Ireland. This may be necessary as far more information is available locally in Ireland.
The National Archives does not hold records locally created in Ireland. You will not find Irish birth, marriage death or census records at The National Archives.
The main family history sources for Ireland are not at The National Archives but are in Ireland itself.
For records of birth, marriage and death in Ireland, you should get in touch with the General Register Office of Ireland, and for Northern Ireland, the General Register Office of Northern Ireland.
Irish Census records of 1901 and 1911 are available to access at the National Archives of Ireland (bear in mind that few early returns survive). You can see a copy of the 1901 census on microfilm at the Public Record Office of Northern Ireland.
If you discover that an ancestor was a teacher, you might find it useful to read our online research guide on records of teachers.
Ancestors with a criminal past? Read the chapter on ancestors and the law in our family history guide, or look at our research guide to tracing 19th and 20th century criminals.
You can get information on Irish ancestry from your home using Moving Here. The website lists the main sources available for research, both within the UK and outside. It also provides historical context for the records.
Wills are a very useful source for family history, and can reveal some hidden facts about your ancestors, their professions and family relationships.
