Record Sources

Here's a list of record sources that I've been using to look for McCadden's, some more useful than others. Not all are available online unfortunately.

1665 Hearth Rolls
The Hearth Rolls are a list of persons who were liable to pay the Hearth Tax. This was a tax levied on householders based on the number of hearths in their house.

The 1796 Spinning Wheel Premium Entitlements List
In an attempt to encourage the growth of flax in Ireland, the linen board offered a spinning wheel to all those growing flax. The 1796 Spinning Wheel Premiums is a list of those who received spinning wheels, and gives the person’s name and parish of residence. Or as the list itself says “A List of Persons to whom Premiums for sowing Flax-seed in the Year 1796 have been adjudged by the Trustees of the Linen Manufacture”.

Tithe Applotment Books
The Tithe Applotment books were compiled between 1823 and 1837 in order to determine the amount which occupiers of agricultural holdings should pay in tithes to the Church of Ireland. There is a manuscript book for almost every parish, giving the names of occupiers, the amount of land held, and the sums to be paid in tithes.

Griffith Valuation
The Primary Valuation (also known as Griffith's Valuation) was published between 1847 and 1864. There is a printed valuation book for each barony or poor law union, showing the names of occupiers of land and buildings, the names of persons from whom these were leased, and the amount and value of the property held.

Cancellation Books
In a way these are a sort of addendum to the Griffith Valuation. They list changes to the original valuation done at the time of Griffith, very often until the present day. They don't list much info, but they do show changes in the head of a household which can give a hint at when someone may have died. They also make a useful gap between Griffith and the 1901/1911 census returns.

Census Returns
A census of the Irish population was taken every 10 years from 1821 until 1911. Manuscript returns for each household survive for all 32 counties for 1901 and 1911. The returns are arranged by townland or, in urban areas, by street.

Ellis Island Immigration Records
There is one name which is synonymous with immigration in America and that is Ellis Island. It has been the first stop for so many as they set out on their new life. There exists a great online record collection which lists the immigration records of those who entered America at the turn of the 19th to 20th century. The archive also lists original passenger manifests of the ships that made the transatlantic crossings.

Donegal Church Records
Given the paucity of civil records for Donegal, any church and parish records become even more important. There are three main churches in the parishes of Drumhome and Donegal. They are St Bridget’s Church in Ballintra, St Patrick’s Church in Donegal Town and St Agatha’s Church in Clar.
In addition there are the following cemeteries - Abbey Cemetery (1600’s), Clar Cemetery (1829), and Ballintra Cemetery (1820).