Learn More about Pensear Irish Genealogy Search

This site - www.pensear.org - provides a searchable database derived from the records that survived the burning of the public records and census information in Dublin’s Four Courts in 1922.

Irish Census 1841 and 1851 Substitute

We provide something in the nature of an Irish census 1841 and 1851 substitute. The reason for this is simple. Ireland's Old Age Pension Act was introduced in 1908, entitling anyone over a certain age to a state pension. Pension claimants had to prove their age - but because the compulsory registration of births had begun only in 1864 they had no birth certificates as proof.

The government therefore searched the 1841 and 1851 census returns to find their age at that time. That is, you get to see some of the information collected in 1908 from the 1841 and 1851 censuses, now themselves gone.

Ireland Census Information

The information available generally includes most of name, parents, townland, parish, barony, county and age. Click to view an example of an Irish Pension Record ( 17k, pdf).

Census search results or extra information given by the applicant were also recorded. For example, an applicant may have given the names of all siblings or details of where and when they were baptised.

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