Irish Roots Project is an independent research guide built for the global Irish diaspora — the estimated 70 to 80 million people of Irish descent living outside Ireland.
Our editorial team produces in-depth guides on Irish genealogy, citizenship by descent, surname origins, and heritage travel. Every guide draws on primary sources: Irish civil registration records, Catholic parish registers, the National Archives census collections, Griffith’s Valuation, and the latest guidance on Foreign Birth Registration from the Department of Foreign Affairs.
Why We Built This
Irish genealogy carries a unique heartbreak: the 1922 Public Record Office fire destroyed centuries of records, and generations of emigrants left with little more than a county name and a story. Yet more survives than most people realise — and more is being digitised every year. Our job is to show you exactly where to look, in plain English, without the jargon and without the sales pitch.
We are not a law firm and we do not provide legal advice. Where citizenship questions get complex, we explain the principles clearly and point you toward qualified help.
Start Your Journey
If you are new, begin with our complete beginner’s guide to tracing Irish ancestry — or download the free Irish Genealogy Starter Checklist to get the ten most important records on one page.