Northern Ireland, Tithe Applotment Books, 1822-1840
Tithe Applotment books for Northern Ireland are something of land survey taken by Church of Ireland in order to determine the value of land and possible corresponding tithe. The records span 1822-1837 and were originally filmed at the Public Record Office of Northern Ireland in Belfast. These records are beneficial to researchers because they are somewhat like a pre-famine census.
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Northern Ireland, Tithe Applotment Books and Indexes
What is in This Collection?
This collection consists of tax records for what is now Northern Ireland from the years 1822-1837. The records were originally filmed at the Public Record Office of Northern Ireland.
The Tithe Applotment books were compiled to determine the amount of tithes (tax) to be paid to the Church of Ireland by those who occupied agricultural lands. In 1823, the Composition Act was passed in Ireland, requiring that the tithes owed to the Established Church (the Church of Ireland) were to be paid in money. These tithes were a tax on agricultural land and had previously been payable in kind. As a result, it was necessary to have a valuation or assessment of each civil parish in the entire country to determine how much would be payable by each landholder.
Books listing tithe-payers and quantities of land were compiled for most parishes and generally ranged between the years 1823 to 1838. The books were first deposited with the Irish Land Commission, and then in the 1940s they were transferred to the Public Record Office of Ireland and the Public Record Office of Northern Ireland. The books list about 40 percent of families heads. The books are either handwritten on pre-printed pages or handwritten using the same format as the pre-printed pages.
Because most pre-1901 census records of Ireland have been destroyed, the Tithe Applotment Books are an important substitute. Although the books do not have a complete list of householders and residents, they are the only countrywide survey for the time period. In addition, they generally name individuals of lower economic status who carried the heaviest burden of tithes and about whom there are few other records.
Additional records and/or images may be added to this collection in the future.
What Can These Records Tell Me?
The following information may be found in these records:
- Townland name
- Landholders’ names
- Amount of land held
- Amount to be paid in tithes
- Landlord’s name
- Assessment of the economic productivity of the land
Collection Details
Location of Original Records
Public Record Office of Northern Ireland
"Northern Ireland, Tithe Applotment Books, 1822-1840." Database. FamilySearch. https://FamilySearch.org : 30 April 2026. Public Record Office of Northern Ireland, Belfast.
