Irish Genealogy & Surnames

Many Americans have Irish origins, and in their search for their family histories, will find people who emigrated from Ireland to the U.S. There were several reasons why many Irish people decided to come to North America, not the least of which were famine, unrest and poverty.

At the present time, there are nearly 37 million Americans who claim they have Irish ancestry. This is an astonishing figure when you consider that this number is nine times greater than the entire population of Ireland at this moment!

Irish-American Genealogical Facts

According to a 2006 American Community Survey, there are currently 36,495,800 Americans who indicate they have Irish ancestors, which is more than 12% of the U.S. population. The figure cited does not factor in the number of Americans who claim Scots-Irish ancestry because these are counted separately. The Scots-Irish account for about five percent of the U.S. population. Americans who report having German ancestry are the only group that outnumbers those who report Irish ancestry.

Irish-American Regions and Professions

Though the Irish immigrants spread out all over the U.S., there are certain regions where Irish tradition still retains a strong presence. These include Boston, Chicago, Philadelphia, New York City and San Francisco. If you are seeking information about your ancestors, you will likely find leads at archives in the aforementioned cities.

Many Irish émigrés were Roman Catholics, so you can find out a lot of information on your ancestors by looking at church records.

Some of the more popular professions for Irish émigrés were as workers in mills or in canal construction. In upstate New York, the Midwest and far west, many of them became farmers and ranchers. All along the east coast, many Irish workers joined what were called “labor gangs” and worked as manual hands on canal projects, railroad projects or street projects. Many Irish women took jobs as maids in hotels. Despite the fact that the Irish started low on the social ladder, they moved up with time and became accomplished members of U.S. society.

Researching Irish history can be a fascinating journey into the lives of people who began life in Ireland and then made America their new home and their new world.

Irish Genealogy Resources

If you are looking for information on your Irish background, there are several places that can help guide your research. Here are a few links to help you along your way:

• Irish Genealogy
• Irish Genealogy.com
• Ireland Roots
• RootsWeb
• Ellis Island
(**very useful because they have passenger lists of immigrants)
• Irish Times
• Fianna
• Genealogy Links