GENEALOGICAL OFFICE RECORDS
History
of Irish Record keeping.
List
of Genealogical Office Manuscripts.
OFFICAL
RECORDS.
The
Visitations.
The
Funeral Entries.
The
Offical grants and confirmations of arms.
The
Registered Pedigrees.
Administrative
Records and Reference works.
Research
Material.
More
Research material held in the Genealogical Office.
Archive
Material.
Indexes
held in the Genealogical Office.
Access
to Genealogical Office Records.
THE RECORDS
COUNTIES
EMIGRATION
ADDRESSES
HOW TO
LINKS
ARTICLES
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History of the Genealogical Office
The Genealogical Office is the successor to the office of Ulster
King of Arms, also known simply as The Office of Arms, which
was created in 1552 when Edward V designated Bartholemew Butler
the chief heraldic authority in Ireland, with the title of Ulster.
The reasons for the choice of Ulster rather than Ireland remain
somewhat unclear; it seems likely that the older title of Ireland
King of Arms was already in use amongst the heralds at the College
of Arms in London.
Whatever the reason, Ulster King of Arms acquired full jurisdiction
over arms in Ireland, and retained it for almost four hundred
years until 1943, when the Office was renamed The Genealogical
Office, and Ulster became Chief Herald of Ireland, with the
same powers as his predecessor.
In the course of carrying out its heraldic functions, the Office
inevitably acquired a large amount of material of genealogical
interest, since the right to bear arms is strictly hereditary.
Nonetheless, the new title given to the Office in 1943, The
Genealogical Office was somewhat inaccurate. Its principal function
continues to be heraldic, the granting and confirmation of official
achievements to individuals and corporate bodies. Up to the
1980s, the Office also carried out commissioned research into
family history. This service has been discontinued.
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