• A gravestone inscription or newspaper obituary. These often give the person’s place of origin in Ireland.

• A death certificate or marriage certificate. In the US, these normally give the names of the parents.

• Immigration papers. After 1883, immigration papers gave quite accurate information about the person’s place of origin. However, earlier ones can be of use in indicating whether the person was married at the time, or the number of children that arrived in the US. These papers are kept in the National Archives in Washington DC.

• Census returns from the late 19th century can be a useful source of genealogical information.

• Naturalisation papers are kept in the courts where naturalisation took place. Although they are generally not as informative as the immigration papers, they can be of help.

• Will / Probate / Administration papers. These can be a useful source of more general family information.

• Family letters / bibles. Through talking to relatives, people often find that old papers are still in existence that can help with this research.

Genealogy