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Westmeath (An Iamhí)

This research guide is designed to help you find your Irish ancestors in our genealogy print collection.  The McClelland Library uses the Dewey Decimal Classification System to make our print materials findable through the online catalog and while browsing our shelves in person.  Below you will find books to help you locate your ancestors in county Westmeath.

929.1: Books under this dewey number at the McClelland Library are primarily about how to get started with genealogy research and where to find certain sources.

Tracing your Irish Ancestors by John Grenham

Call Number: Geneal. 929.1072 G865t        Publication Date: 1999

A comprehensive guidebook for Irish genealogy; includes tips for where to begin, what to expect, and brief exploration of internet source. Grenham provides major source lists of Civil, Census, Church, and Land Records, Wills, Genealogy office, Deed Registries, Newspaper and Directory listings, and a reference guide of Sources by County.

Irish Towns, a Guide to Sources edited by William Nolan and Anngret Simms

Call Number: Geneal. 929.1072 Ir47    Publication Date: 1998

Provides brief overview of the history of towns and territorial divisions in Ireland, including several maps, drawings, and prints. Also includes source listing of records of Central and Local Government after 1700, Estate and Church records, Newspapers, Directories, and Gazetteers, and a select bibliography of publications on Irish Towns in the period from 1500-1980, printed between 1969 and 1993.

Tracing your Westmeath Ancestors by Gretta Connell

Call Number: Geneal. 929.1072 C76265t

Publication Date: 2012

Comprehensive starting point for family searches in Westmeath County; contains tips on finding sources, Administrative Divisions, Civil Registration, Census and Census Substitutes, Church and Land Records, Wills/Admin./Marriage Bonds, Newspapers and Directories, Occupational Sources, Memorial Inscriptions, Family Names and Histories, and useful Westmeath addresses for further research.

929.3: Books under this dewey number at the McClelland Library are primarily Genealogy Sources or books of compiled resources put together by genealogists.

Indexes to Irish Wills edited by W.P.W. Phillimore and Gertrude Thrift

Call Number: Geneal. 929.3 P54i

Publication Date: 1909

Date Range: 1536-1858

Index of wills from Sees (Diocese) in Ossory, Leighlin, Ferns, and Kildare, in what was the ancient Province of Dublin.  Contents include the Calendar of Wills for each diocese listing in alphabetical order the full name, county, and date of probate.

 

Westmeath Local Studies, a Guide to Sources by Marian Keaney

Call Number: Geneal. 929.3415 K199w

Publication Date: 1982

Index of sources providing references for Westmeath County in the areas of History, Biography, Land and People, Architectural Heritage, Cultural and Social Life, Literature and Folklore, Local Newspapers and Maps, and Local Studies in Longford-Westmeath County Library.  Useful for searches relating to the area and general history of the county.

 

Irish County Maps Showing the Locations of Churches in Leinster Province provided by the Genealogical Department of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints

Call Number: Geneal. 929.3418 Ir43L

Publication Date: 1976

Date Range: 1631-1873Compiled using churches listed in Thom’s Irish Almanac and Official Directory for 1853, does not include churches extinct in or established after 1853.  Includes County Parish listings for Carlow, Dublin, Dublin City, Kildare, Kilkenny, Leix (Queens), Longford, Louth, Meath, Offaly (Kings), Westmeath, Wexford, and Wicklow.  Denominations listed are Church of Ireland, Roman Catholic, Presbyterian, and Others. A map of Civil Parishes by County is provided with grid number corresponding to entries for each parish.

County Westmeath: Mullingar Family Roots, Exploring Family Origins in Mullingar by Noel Farrell

Call Number: Geneal. 929.34181 F2476e

Publication Date: 2005

Records include town of Mullingar and 39 surrounding townlands; contents include 1901 Census, Townland Map, 1894 Slaters Directory, 1911 Census, 1936 Electors List, brief history of Mullingar, 1854 Griffiths Valuation, and 1854 Map of Town.

County Westmeath: Athlone Family Roots, Exploring Family Origins in Athlone by Noel Farrell

Call Number: Geneal. 929.34181 F2476ea

Publication Date: 2006

Records include town of Athlone and 24 surrounding townlands; contents include 1901 Census, Townland Map, 1911 Census, 1941 Athlone Electors List, brief history of Athlone, 1855 Griffiths Valuation, and 1855 Map of Town.

Ireland: Meath & Westmeath, Genealogy & Family History compiled by The Irish Genealogical Foundation

Call Number: Geneal. 929.34182 M4641

Publication Date: 2006

Offers a comprehensive starting point for for family searches narrowed down to County Westmeath (and Meath). Part one includes a birth index, national resource list, Westmeath local resource list, and names of Westmeath family search listing.  Part two provides the complete returns from the 1659 ‘census’ with spelling variations from the time period. Part three contains the Coats of Arms and Genealogical notes, with Arms connected to Westmeath taken from the Irish Book of Arms with original listings of specific locations for families. Part four includes an Index of Place Names, tips on finding locations, and a county map.

929.4: Books under this dewey number at the McClelland Library are primarily about names.  Books in this section can contain information about surnames, forenames, and even baby names. While these books may have information in general about your surname, they do not contain lineage information.

The Surnames of Ireland by Edward MacLysaght

Call Number: Geneal. 929.4094 M226s 1991       Publication Date: 1991

Date Range: 1848-1864

Contains location of ancient territories, population groups, relevant abbreviations and explanation of technical terms used in guide.  Pages 1-303 provide alphabetical listing of surnames, followed by an appendix of English and Scottish surnames in Ireland, and an appendix providing a simplification of Gaelic forms of surnames.

929.5: Books under this dewey number at the McClelland Library are primarily about Cemeteries.

A Guide to Irish Churches and Graveyards by Brian Mitchell

Call Number: Geneal. 929.50941 G9415

Publication Date: 1990

Guide to the cemeteries and graveyards listed by county with civil parish, townland, Ordnance Survey sheet number, religious denomination of church, and indication of whether cemetery or graveyard remains attached to church.  There is a number preceding each listing that provides reference to map location in author’s atlas, A New Genealogical Atlas of Ireland.  Especially helpful in locating approximate birthdates, person’s residence at time of death, possibly family information (if family plot).

929.6 – 929.8: Books under this dewey number at the McClelland Library are primarily about family Heraldry.  Heraldry includes family crests and tartans.

The Poolbeg Book of Irish Heraldry by Micheal O` Comain

Call Number: Geneal. 929.6 012p Heraldry     Publication Date: 1991

An introduction to Irish heraldry this guide is a good starting point as it contains general guidelines for researching.  Included on pages 71-98 is a Heraldic Dictionary that provides the meanings of a variety of images, heraldic terminology, and variations in spelling of terms and phrases.

Fairbairn’s Crests of the Families of Great Britain and Ireland by James Fairbairn

Call Number: Geneal. 929.6041 F1507f Heraldry      Publication Date: 1986

Contains survey of over 30,000 families, geographical associations, legends and mottos.  Index of family names are arranged alphabetically on pages 1-522, glossary of terms pages 523-530, and alphabetical index of mottoes on pages 531-599.  Also included is an index of plates of Crests, Orders and Regalia, Flags, Ornamental Lettering, Monograms, Heraldic Illustrations, Foreign Crowns, and Principal Cities, and Regalia of Scotland.