A new free resource from Accredited Genealogists Ireland (AGI) sets out practical steps for researchers preparing for the public release of the 1926 census later this month, on 18 April.
AGI has announced the publication of “Getting Ready to Search the 1926 Census”, a practical guide intended to assist family historians in advance of the long-anticipated release of the 1926 Census of the Irish Free State.
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The census returns – due to be made freely available online by the National Archives of Ireland – present an unprecedented opportunity to examine Irish families and communities as they were a century ago. The AGI guide outlines key preparatory steps, including identifying ancestors who were alive in 1926, confirming likely residences and understanding administrative divisions such as townlands and District Electoral Divisions (DEDs). As the guide notes, “confirming the DED or ED of the townland where your ancestor resided will greatly assist your research”.
This new guide also introduces the two forms that make up the 1926 census and the range of detail they contain, including birthplace, occupation, language and household structure.
A D V E R T I S E M E N T
The full guide is available to download free of charge here. The 1926 census records will be available to search for free here from Saturday 18 April – precisely 100 years after it was enumerated.
Other guides by AGI
The latest guide is part of AGI’s census series. The first instalment in the series provides an overview of Ireland’s censuses from 1813 to 1926 and is available here. The second instalment sets out what researchers can expect to find in the 1901 census and is available here. The third guide explains what can be found in the 1911 census and how it differs from the previous census and is available to download here. The fourth instalment looks beyond the household form, highlighting the information contained in lesser-known census forms. It can be downloaded here. The fifth guide examines the socio-political forces that shaped the 1901 and 1911 census returns and is available to download here. The sixth guide focuses on the Virtual Record Treasury of Ireland and offers practical advice on locating surviving fragments and copies of the 19th-century census returns lost in the 1922 Four Courts fire. It can be downloaded here.
A F F I L I A T E A D
These guides form part of AGI’s wider work to support high-quality genealogical research across the island of Ireland, with a current focus on preparing researchers for one of the most consequential archival releases in recent decades.
Who are AGI?
Accredited Genealogists Ireland (AGI) is the accrediting and representative body for professional genealogists on the island of Ireland. Its members, who carry out private research for clients worldwide, are recognized as leading experts in the field and contribute widely as advocates, authors, lecturers and media contributors within the genealogical community. All adhere to the AGI code of practice. For further information, visit their website accreditedgenealogists.ie.
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READ NOW
➤ A closer look at the public programme for the 1926 census release
➤ CSO releases 1926 census data on occupations
➤ Free guide explains how to search surviving fragments of Ireland’s lost 19th-century census records
