Pender’s not-a-census mapped

When I started doing Irish genealogical research thirty-odd years ago, I stumbled across A Census of Ireland circa 1659 (ed. Séamus Pender, Irish Manuscripts Commission, 1939) in the National Library reading room and my heart leapt.  A published census? From 1659?  Hallellujah!

But of course Pender’s Census is nothing like a census. (The decision to give it that name was not Pender’s: the manuscript in the Royal Irish Academy had been known as a ‘census’ since the mid-nineteenth century. So forgive him.)

pender
Part of the return for ONeilland barony in Armagh

Two classes of people are recorded. The first, ‘tituladoes’, are so called because they claim title to the land they occupy and because that title is in question. The OED defines titulado as “A thing that has only a nominal existence.” Their names and townland addresses are given in full. Because they represent the tiny property-owning class, their numbers are few.

More interesting is the second class, “Inhabitants”. These are described as English, Scotch or Irish, their surname (or a rough version of their surname) is supplied, along with their number. These numbers are for baronies, so the areas they cover are much larger than for the tituladoes.

Clearly, the ‘Census’ was part of the preparatory work for the mass confiscations that took place under the Cromwellian Commonwealth. Although the returns differ in format from one part of Ireland to another, they were designed to answer two simple questions: Who is in possession of the land? (the tituladoes) And who is likely to oppose or support their dispossession? (Numbers of English, Scotch or Irish)

Even on its own terms, the ‘Census’ is flawed. It is missing all of counties Cavan, Galway, Mayo, Tyrone and Wicklow, most of Meath (nine baronies) and four baronies in Cork. The Inhabitants of Fermanagh and Leitrim are recorded in composite groups of parishes, not baronies as elsewhere. And the recording of surnames is inconsistent beyond belief.

This much said, Pender’s ‘Census’ has one unassailable virtue: It exists. Almost no other records survive for the Ireland of this period.

The 1939 edition is available online at the IMC website. An updated version with more modern analysis by William J. Smyth, was published by the IMC in 2002. A good plain transcription, lacking the academic apparatus, is at the Clann O’Lochlainn website.

All of which finally brings me to the point for this post. I’ve spent the past few months extracting the Inhabitants’ surnames and the corresponding baronies to produce maps showing surname distribution and numbers in the mid-seventeenth century, now part of the surname search. Have a look at Whelan, for example.

Making the maps produced a little queasiness, I have to say. They do show just how long-lived is the connection in Ireland between particular surnames and places, but their implied pinpoint precision is very misleading. Treat them with caution.

10 thoughts on “Pender’s not-a-census mapped”

  1. I believe that was a ‘religious’ census….and it was after the Battle of Athenry…..Even tho my ancestors were from East Galway they were found on the diocese that covered the Roscommon area bordering Galway….I was able to find Daniel and Patrick McCormick in the townland of Derreen…..I wanted to believe they were survivors of that battle and traveled over the border to East Galway to settle after that battle…I decided to ‘adopt’ Daniel as my ancestor…and I assigned to him the honor of a warrior of that battle. I continue to add him as my ancestor….until I learn otherwise….My Grandfather Peter [born c1860]was from Derreen and his brother Daniel [b c1850] came to Boston…Dan c1870 and Peter 1880. I am a member of TIARA and we have met…you gave us all a complimentary and signed copy of your book….and I suggested to you that a book re to the history of each RC parish would be of great interest especially in view of the Penal Laws outlawing Catholicism. Janice ….6 Jun 2016

    1. I am trying to find my Father and Grandpapas ancestors the O’Carr family. I heard they are on this census somewhere. Can you help me please?

  2. How do I access County Cork??
    I’d love to get my ancestors the Buckley/Walsh/Clancy families recognised.
    Thanks.

  3. My Ross family lives in county Antrim and I cannot find one Ross in the entire 1659 Census. Should I interpret this as my family came from Scotland after this time? I am pretty sure I have found a few references in documents on early Scots settlers of Rosses in the early 1600s. Just wondering how I should interpret this Census findings. I appreciate any insight you might have.
    Thank you

    1. Hello H Ross, my ancestor Joseph Ross came from County Antrim and was transported to Australia. I would be very interested to know if you have learned more about the Ross family arrival to Ireland from Scotland.
      Thank you

  4. The Leyden (O Liadain) Clan are reportedly Native to Moher and Liscannor, in Co.Clare, however I have searched everywhere I know, and there is not mention of any Leyden in the 1659 records under any varied spelling cropping up in any part of Clare….

    1. Hi Mike Leyden. The only Leyden I found listed in Pender’s is in county Limerick – Teige O Liddeene of Ballyfaskeene townland, Ballinlondry parish, who is listed in the Tituladoes. This looks like a form of Liddane, which is found in county Clare. I suspect that if counties Galway and Mayo had been included, we might have seen some Leydens/Lydens there.

    2. Were they from Holland? My ancestors who were Huguenot French lived in Leyden in the early 17th century. Maybe they came with King Billy.

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