Looking for Hodge's or Smith's, maybe in Co. Cork.

Hi Joseph

Thank you for your query. Can you provide any additional information on the family you are researching? The more information you post, the more likely it is that one of our volunteers will be able to advise or assist you. Also include information concerning which sources you may have already used so others may further your search.

Do you know where they settled in the US? Have you searched the census records for possible place of birth etc.?

With such little information it will be very difficult for you to start your research in Ireland. The first place to start your search is in your own home - talk to elders in the family - find out about their parents, grandparents etc. Perhaps they have a story of one of your ancestors?

Things to enquire about include: occupations, places of residence, who they were living with (people often stayed with others from their home villages after emigration), siblings & other family members, first names (important -as usually past from father to son/mother to daughter) ages at time of emigration, possible dates of birth/death, religious denominations. Also ask if there are any surviving photographs, old documents or letters - record all the information you can find.

Write/telephone other members of your family to check details -perhaps they can remember other facts about your ancestors? Hopefully when you have done this - some clues will emerge! then you can check the emigration records.

Generally more information was given at the port of arrival rather than the port of departure. If you knew which city they arrived at (e.g. Liverpool, New York, etc.), this could be a good place to find more information. -And perhaps even find out an exact place of origin.

Ellis Island: http://www.ellisisland.org/search/passSearch.asp

Castlegarden: http://www.castlegarden.org/

US National Archives/Immigration info: http://www.archives.gov/research/immigration/

The next thing you could do is find the counties and places in Ireland your family names are most prevalent. Look at the website http://www.irishtimes.com/ancestor/surname/  and perhaps something will match some other clue you may have found elsewhere?  If nothing turns
up ? it is advisable to try different variations of the spellings of the names. You could try checking the land records called the Tithe Applotment Books (1823-38) http://titheapplotmentbooks.nationalarchives.ie/search/tab/home.jsp  or the later Griffith's Valuation (1848-64) http://www.askaboutireland.ie/griffith-valuation/     or the Church of Latter Day Saints (LDS) https://familysearch.org/        

The Tithe Applotment List might be of use to you, or at least interesting for you. These lists constitute the only nationwide survey for the period, and are valuable because the heaviest burden of the tithes to the Established Church, the Church of Ireland, fell on the poorest, for whom few other records survive.

Here are some other websites that may also help:

http://www.nli.ie/

http://www.nationalarchives.ie/

http://www.corkarchives.ie/genealogy/

http://mallowheritagecentre.com/

http://www.skibbheritage.com/

What you need is a location in Ireland - if you can find this - things will open up and you will then be able to search further.

Best of luck with your search. 

Genealogy Support