Griffith's Valuation (Primary Valuation of Ireland)

Listing of heads of household and occupiers of every piece of land or property in Ireland, amounting to around 1.25 million people. The survey known as Griffith's Valuation was carried out from 1847 to 1864 under the direction of geologist Richard Griffith, the head surveyor and Director of the Valuation Office in Dublin. Only the occupier as the head of household was liable for paying the tax. Therefore other family members will not appear. Most women occupiers were widowed having taken over the property from their deceased husband.

All privately held land and property was surveyed and valued to assess how much tax each person should pay to support the poor and the workhouses within the newly established poor law unions. The survey was arranged by county, barony, poor law union and townland. The survey resulted in 300 printed books, officially known as The General Valuation of the Rateable Property in Ireland. The first column in the printed valuation book is headed by 'No. and Letters of Reference To Map'. The numbers cited in the column refer to the plot location of the land on the Ordnance Survey valuation map. Capital letters refer to non-contiguous plots of land owned by the same person, whilst lower case letters refer to individual dwellings or structures within each plot. Land measurement for the valuation was calculated by Acre, Rood and Perch, marked as 'A', 'R' and 'P' in the 'Area' column. For an understanding of these and other terms used in the valuation books see the article Explanation of terms.

As property changed hands over the years, the authorities recorded any changes in the so called 'cancelled books'. The books contain handwritten revisions of the published editions updated every few years, continuing in some cases into the 1970s. The books are available at PRONI in Belfast and at the Valuation Office in Dublin.

The Householders Index, produced by the National Library of Ireland, lists the occurrences of surnames in the Tithe Applotment Books and in the Griffith's Valuation. The maps used for the valuation are available from Past Homes the home of Irish townland maps. Other valuation records generated by the Valuation office carried out from the 1830s are also available. The sources include the Field and House Books dating from 1830 to about 1844 and the Perambulation Books compiled in the 1840s.

The valuation has assumed great importance due to the destruction of the vast majority of census returns. Finding a name can provide leads for searching the indexes of the Registry of Deeds and also for further research amongst estate records. The surveyors working on the valuation commissioned a number of maps to accompany the survey. These maps are useful as they provide a graphic representation of where an ancestor lived. The maps are mainly available for viewing at the Valuation Office located at the Irish Life Centre in Dublin. Historic Ordnance Survey maps linked to the Valuation can be viewed online at GeoHive. Historic Ordnance Survey maps linked to the Valuation can be viewed online at GeoHive. Findmypast and Ask about Ireland also provide online access to Valuation maps.The maps can also be used in conjunction with Lewis's Topographical Dictionary of Ireland.

Be aware that only heads of households are cited and the presence of numerous people with identical surnames can make identifying the correct person very difficult. However, the surveyors of the valuation sometimes used terms such as 'junior' and 'senior' to distinguish those with the same name. Sometimes the person's nickname or occupation is given to differentiate between people.

See Also
Surname Origins and Distribution

Valuation Office, Dublin (The office holds the original property surveys and valuations dating back to the 1840s including the books and maps of Griffith's Valuations. Subsequent amendments and additions are also recorded against each property. Detailed maps are included in the valuations)
National Archives of Ireland (The Primary Valuation records consist of printed valuation books for each barony or poor law union in the country. These records can also be searched free of charge at www.askaboutireland.ie/griffith-valuation/index. The archives also hold Field Books, House Books, Mill Books, Quarto Books and Tenure Books)
Public Record Office of Northern Ireland (PRONI) (PRONI hold valuation records from 1828 onwards covering every property in the six counties that make up Northern Ireland)
The National Library of Ireland (The Primary Valuation of Ireland, Griffith's Valuation)
Society of Genealogists (Indexes to Griffith's Valuation)
British Library
Linen Hall Library (Genealogy & Heraldry)
County Record Offices (ARCHON Directory: Find the details of a UK archive from a searchable list of over 2,500 archives The catalogue can be found on the TNA Discovery home page)
Local libraries

1848 - 1864

Name of landowner/householder and occupier. Address (townland or street). Description and valuation of land or property. Maps are included in the valuation.

www.startyourfamilytree.ie/using-griffiths-valuation.html (Finding Your Ancestors in Griffith's Valuation, by Rachel Murphy)
www.townlandvaluationtranslator.com (Ireland Valuation Books Translator: Providing the keys for understanding the Ireland Valuation Office records to Irish historians and genealogists. The Field Book Translator provides an overview of the land held. The House Book Translator shows the features of each dwelling)
http://rootsweb.ancestry.com/~irlmayo2/deciphering_griffiths_val.html (Deciphering Griffiths Valuation)
www.irish-genealogy-toolkit.com/Ireland-genealogy.html (Irish Genealogy Toolkit: Land records in Ireland, Genealogy research and property records)
www.johngrenham.com/blog/2018/02/26/the-valuation-office-pre-griffiths-records (John Grenham - Irish Roots: The Valuation Office: pre-Griffith’s records)
www.johngrenham.com/blog/2018/03/05/the-valuation-office-post-griffiths-records (John Grenham - Irish Roots: The Valuation Office: post-Griffith’s records)
www.leitrim-roscommon.com/GRIFFITH/Griffiths.PDF (Is There More in Griffith's Valuation Than Just Names? by James R. Reilly)
www.from-ireland.net/griffiths-primary-valuation-introduction (From Ireland.net: Griffith’s Primary Valuation of Ireland: Introduction)
www.findmypast.co.uk/articles/griffiths-valuation---explanation-of-terms (Griffith's Valuation - Explanation of terms)
www.nationalarchives.ie/genealogy1/genealogy-records/tithe-applotment-books-and-the-primary-griffith-valuation (National Archives of Ireland Guide: Tithe Applotment books and the Primary, Griffith's, Valuation)
http://familytreemaker.genealogy.com/30_griff.html?Welcome=1088658322 (Griffith's Valuation, a 19th Century Irish Census Substitute)
www.rootsireland.ie/index.php?id=39 (Irish Family History Foundation Guide: Griffith's Valuation)
www.proni.gov.uk/your_family_tree_series_-_20_-_how_to_use_griffith_s_valuation.pdf (Public Record Office of Northern Ireland Information leaflet: How To Use Griffith's Valuation)
www.censusfinder.com/ireland.htm (Links to sites offering Valuation transcriptions)
www.irishtimes.com/ancestor/browse/records/land/ingrif.htm (Indexes to Griffith's Valuation and Tithe Books)
www.irishtimes.com/ancestor/browse/records/land/grva.htm (Griffith's Valuation)
www.irishgenealogical.org/page/igsi-census-substitutes-griffiths-valuation (Irish Genealogical Society International: Researching in Griffith's Land Valuation, by Beth L. Mullinax)
www.askaboutireland.ie/reading-room/history-heritage/big-houses-of-ireland/rossmore-castle/griffiths-valuation (Griffiths Valuation, Image from the parish of Monaghan)
www.irishtimes.com/ancestor/browse/records/land/grva_illustration.htm (Griffith's Valuation: sample page)
www.ancestryireland.com/database.php?filename=townlands (Townlands of Ulster, list of the townlands in Ulster per county)
www.pasthomes.com (Irish Townland Maps: Browse and view Irish Townland maps covering the whole of Ireland. The maps were surveyed between 1829 and 1843 and are highly detailed showing the names of all the Townlands, Parishes and Baronies in Ireland. The Griffith's Valuation was based on the mapping. Use the county index maps to identify the relevant Townland)
https://familysearch.org/learningcenter/lesson/getting-started-in-irish-genealogy/594 (FamilySearch.org: Learning Center Online Genealogy Course: Getting Started in Irish Genealogy. Lecture designed to acquaint beginning genealogist with strategies and sources for getting started in Irish genealogy)
www.iar.ie (Irish Archives Resource: The site contains information about archival collections open for public research in Ireland from many organisations, societies, political organisations and businesses)
www.rascal.ac.uk (Research and Special Collections Available Locally. An electronic gateway to research resources in Ireland. You can use this web-site to search and browse information about the wide range of research and special collections held in libraries, museums and archives across the region)
www.histpop.org (Official reports, legislation and essays on the censuses including statistical analysis. The documents on the site include indexes to parishes, townships and places used in the official reports)
www.irishlivesremembered.ie (Irish Lives Remembered Genealogy Magazine. The online magazine is dedicated to tracing your Irish ancestors globally with over 70 pages of Irish genealogy news and resources. Read online or download in PDF format)
www.findmypast.co.uk (Ireland Census Reports. Learn about the community in which your ancestor lived with census reports detailing population and area statistics from the latter half of the 19th century up to the early 20th century)
www.findmypast.co.uk (Ireland Statistical Surveys. Learn about the history, customs, politics, and industries of various Irish counties. The collection is comprised of PDF images of the surveys from the following counties: Cavan, Clare, Cork, Donegal, King's Offaly, Leitrim, Mayo, Meath, Roscommon, and Tyrone)

http://census.nationalarchives.ie/search/vob/home.jsp (The National Archives of Ireland. Valuation Office books 1824-1856. These records contain over 2 million names and provide a comprehensive assessment of the rental value of Irish lands and property from the mid-1820s to the mid-1850s. The books include: Tenure books, showing landlord and lease information; Rent books, showing rents paid, as an aid to valuation and Quarto books, covering towns)
Ulster Ancestry Free Genealogy Pages (Free index to the Valuation of Ireland 1848-1864 covering the counties of Northern Ireland/Ulster)
www.findmypast.co.uk (Name and place index with original images of all available publications, revisions and amended versions, developed by Eneclann Ltd, OMS Services and The National Library of Ireland)
www.findmypast.co.uk (Ireland Valuation Office Books, 1824-1856. The collection houses several types of manuscript records from the Valuation Office in Ireland including field books, house books, quarto books, rent books, survey books, and tenure books. All of these books helped to inform the publication of Griffith's Valuation)
www.findmypast.co.uk (Griffith's Valuation 1847-1864. The record set comprises over 2.9 million records from all 32 counties in Ireland. Each record comprises a transcript and black and white image of the original register. The online version was developed by Eneclann Ltd, OMS Services and The National Library of Ireland)
www.findmypast.co.uk (Ireland, Griffith’s Survey Maps & Plans, 1847-1864. Griffith’s Survey Maps & Plans, 1847-1864. The collection contains over 95,000 place names recorded in Ordnance Survey maps and town plans used by the team working on Griffith’s Primary Valuation of Ireland. Each record includes a survey transcript and most also contain images of maps and town plans)
www.ancestry.co.uk (Ireland, Griffith’s Valuation, 1847-1864. Griffith’s Valuation, indexed with images in this database, is one of Ireland's premier genealogical resources, referencing approximately one million individuals who occupied property in Ireland between 1848 and 1864)
www.thegenealogist.co.uk (Griffith's Valuation)
www.proni.gov.uk (Public Record Office of Northern Ireland: Valuation Revision Book Search. Searchable placename index [city, county, parish, townland] to the Valuation Revision Books covering counties Antrim, Armagh, Down, Fermanagh, Londonderry and Tyrone between the years 1864 to 1933)
www.nidirect.gov.uk/proni (Public Record Office of Northern Ireland. Valuation Revision Books. Search and view digitised images of valuation records covering counties Antrim, Armagh, Down, Fermanagh, Londonderry and Tyrone between the years 1864 to 1933)
www.myirishancestry.com (Search over 1 million Griffiths Valuation records for free)
www.irishgenealogy.ie (Irish Genealogy: Online search facility allowing users to search across a number of databases from different suppliers covering the following sources: 1901 and 1911 census returns; Griffiths Valuations; Tithe Applotment Records; Soldiers Wills; Military Archives; Ellis Island Records; Castle Garden Records; Ireland-Australia Transportation Database)
www.ancestryireland.com (Ulster Historical Foundation: Distribution of Surnames from Griffiths Valuation)
www.irishancestors.ie/?page_id=5392 (Irish Genealogical Research Society: Index of Townlands, 1901: Searchable database of over 64,000 townlands in Ireland which are ancient land divisions measuring from just a few acres to several hundred and still in use today)
www.irishfamilyresearch.co.uk (Various transcriptions)
www.irelandgenweb.com (IrelandGenWeb Project: Various transcribed records covering Irish counties)
www.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~nirwgw (Northern IrelandGenWeb Project: Various transcribed records covering Northern Ireland/Ulster)
Irish Family History Foundation (Griffith's Valuation for Ireland)
www.ancestry.co.uk/search/db.aspx?dbid=4077 (Irish Records Index, 1500-1920)
www.failteromhat.com/griffiths.php (Griffiths Valuation 1848-1864)
www.askaboutireland.ie/griffith-valuation (AskAboutIreland: Digital images and index of Griffith's Valuation with a name and place search)
http://tipperarystudies.ie/digitisation-project (Tipperary Studies Digitisation Project: The Tipperary Studies digitisation project aims to make available online a range of sources, both historical and genealogical, which are part of the fabric which makes up the history of Tipperary. Browsable records include: Cashel Poor Law Union Rate Books; Nenagh Poor Law Union Rate Books; Thurles Poor Law Union Rate Books; Nenagh Poor Law Union Burial Rate Books)