Behind that Irish surname in your family tree, there's the personal story of someone taking a courageous leap that got you to where you are today.
Let's honour our paternal ancestors for #FathersDay. Give your Irish granda, great-grandpa (and his daddy) a shout-out for the day that's in it. Click here to ADD YOUR ANCESTOR
Researching Irish ancestry is challenging at best, especially when the branches of our family tree extend across multiple continents. The good news is, we can help each other out by sharing what we know about our paternal line.
We invite you to create a free memorial page in your paternal ancestor's honor, telling us:
- your ancestor's name
- his nickname or alias
- where he came from (if known)
- and where in the world his descendants are today!
The spelling of many of our Irish surnames changed over time and you can add any other aliases to the body of your post. LEARN MORE Irish Surnames 101
Researching Irish Names and Nicknames
Was your ancestor named after his father or grandfather? Here's how to work that out: LEARN MORE Irish Naming & Baptism Traditions
Does your ancestor only appear on record once? Or do other records match except for the first name? Here are some useful guides to help you discover potential aliases:
When did your paternal ancestor emigrate?
And where in the world are his descendants today?
Found cousins across the globe yet? Sharing what we know helps researchers on both sides of the pond connect the dots. Help us help you #BringTheirMemoryHome to Ireland.
As soon as the details you share are published (by our moderator) your ancestor becomes discoverable to others searching for a match on the worldwide web (including local volunteers and long-lost cousins!) Here's how it works.
BROWSE Irish Ancestors Database
FAQ #1 How do I share my Ancestor's details?
WATCH Our webinar on how to add your ancestor to our roll-call here:
FAQ #2 I don't know where in Ireland my Paternal Ancestor came from ... help!
You don't need to know what county your ancestor was from in order to add her/him to our Ancestor Chronicles.
- Just type "Ireland XO" instead of a county or parish when prompted.
BROWSE Irish Ancestors Database
FAQ #3 I have already added my ancestor. What next?
Did you tag where your ancestor emigrated? Our new "Place of Migration" filter can help you search for possible relatives by destination (as well as in Ireland).
So if it's been a while, be sure to update it as follows:
OVER TO YOU...
Ready to add your Paternal Ancestor?
To add your Ancestor to our database now, click the button below:
- If you're not already a member, click GET-STARTED to join us... it's FREE!
LEARN MORE
We hope you have found the information we have shared helpful. While you are here, we have a small favour to ask. Ireland Reaching Out is a non-profit organisation that relies on public funding and donations to ensure a completely free family history advisory service to anyone of Irish heritage who needs help connecting with their Irish place of origin. If you would like to support our mission, please click on the donate button and make a contribution. Any amount, big or small, is appreciated and makes a difference.