Genealogy Centres in Roscommon

County Roscommon Heritage and Genealogy Society

Church Street
Strokestown
Co Roscommon
Ireland 

Popular Surnames in County Roscommon

Hanley, Beirne, Kelly, Brennan, Connor, Flynn, Cox, McDermott, Brady and Farrell are the most numerous surnames in County Roscommon.

Services

The County Roscommon Heritage and Genealogy Society is the designated Irish Family History Foundation Centre serving County Roscommon. A Full Service is offered to enquirers. The County Roscommon Heritage and Genealogy Society has access to over one million genealogical records relating to the county. 

The main records include:

  • Roman Catholic records in County Roscommon which commence between 1789 and 1865 depending on the parish
  • Church of Ireland (Anglican/Episcopalian) commence between 1796 and 1877 depending on the parish
  • Records of Presbyterian congregations start between 1857 and 1861
  • Methodist records start in the early 1840s.

The County Roscommon Heritage and Genealogy Society has also computerised:

  • Griffith's General Valuation
  • Tithe Applotment Books
  • A list of '40 Shilling Freeholders' for 1876 Pakenham-Mahon
  • Eviction Lists from 1847
  • RIC (Royal Irish Constablary) records

The earliest Census available (which covering a large part of Co. Roscommon) dates from 1749.

Famous Roscommon People

Roscommon is proud of the fact that it was the birth place of Ireland's first President Dr Douglas Hyde, and Albert Reynolds a recent Prime Minister of the Republic of Ireland. The renowned composer Percy French was a native of this county also.

Chief Towns in Co Roscommon

Roscommon, Strokestown, Boyle, Elphin, Loughlynn, Ballaghadereen, Castlerea and Knockcroghery.

Places of Interest

Scenic Lough Key Forest Park, Strokestown Park House, The Shannon Basin, The River Suck Valley and Rathcroghan, Clonalis, the ancestral home of the O'Connors (who produced Ireland's last two High Kings) are among the places of interest to the visitor to this county.

Emigration from Roscommon

Emigration from County Roscommon commenced on a large scale at the time of the Great Irish Famine although there was emigration from here much earlier. The chief destinations were the English Midlands including Manchester, the United States of America and Australia. The population of County Roscommon was reduced through death and emigration by 32% over the period of the Great Famine.