Tracing roots in County Cork

Contae Chorcaí · Province of Munster

Cork is the largest county in Ireland, in the south-west province of Munster.

Many emigrants left from Queenstown (now Cobh) in Cork Harbour, which was a major departure port for North America in the 1800s and early 1900s.

Free records for County Cork

• 1901 & 1911 census – search Cork
• Civil birth, marriage and death records
• Catholic parish registers (National Library)
• Griffith’s Valuation
• Tithe Applotment Books – browse Cork

Tips

• Cork is big – try to find the parish or townland before you search church records.
• Common Cork surnames include Murphy, McCarthy, O’Sullivan and O’Brien, so always add a first name and age.

Surname stories linked to County Cork

• Murphy
• McCarthy
• O’Brien

Sources

• National Archives of Ireland – census and Tithe Applotment Books
• askaboutireland.ie – Griffith’s Valuation

Townland and place-name details: see logainm.ie (Placenames Database of Ireland).