Leyden

Leyden is not a common name in Co Tyrone,. In fact in the 1901 census there was only 1 household there, living in Magheragart or Sessiaghs:

http://www.census.nationalarchives.ie/pages/1901/Tyrone/Dromore/Magheragart_or_Sessiaghs/1741596/

And in 1911:

http://www.census.nationalarchives.ie/pages/1911/Tyrone/Dromore/Magheragart_or_Sessiaghs/870338/

That?s in the parish of Dromore.

I looked in Griffiths Valuation (1860), the  family were not farming there then. However there was a Joseph Leyden in Muntober, parish of Kildress. He appears to have been a blacksmith as the records indicate he had a forge. There was a Thomas, in Gortmore (Omagh Town), parish of Drumragh, where he appears to have been working for the local railway company at Omagh station.

http://www.askaboutireland.ie/griffith-valuation/index.xml?action=nameSearch

If you get no other leads, they may be areas to focus on for further research.

For research in the first part of the 1800s you will be heavily dependent on church records, but the problem you will face is that not every RC parish has records that go back far enough. Here?s a site that will tell you what exists and where copies are kept:

http://www.irishtimes.com/ancestor/browse/counties/rcmaps/tyronerc.htm

Thank you for the research, I have been searching for years but always come to a dead end for Leydens in County Tyrone.  The Search continues!

                                                            Claire Leyden.