Gillespies originated in the British Isles.  Click on the green or blue words that are links to records.

PRONI – The Public Records Office of Northern Ireland

The National Archives of Ireland – for census records

History

“Politically, the island is divided between The Republic of Ireland, called ‘Ireland’, an independent state of 26 counties,  and Northern Ireland (a constituent country of the United Kingdom). They share an open border and both are part of the common travel area.

Northern Ireland consisted of six counties:  Antrim, Armagh, Down, Fermanagh, Londonderry, and  Tyrone. These form two-thirds of the historical province of Ulster, and perhaps why Irish- born Scots from there are called Ulster Scots in North America.

Many Presbyterian Scots, mainly from Stirlingshire and Ayrshire,  Scotland moved to Northern Ireland in  two immigration schemes during 1600s to take over Catholic estates, whose land owners and tenants were forced to flee south or elsewhere. Many people were killed during these years. During the  same period, English  settlers moved into County Londonderry and also south into County Fermanagh, while dominating in Derry. That all 16 original settlers might have been related seems high, and their Scottish roots a probability.

The earliest Gillespie records in Ireland from these pages are:

1630 Ulster Munster Rolls:

Co Antrim, Co Armagh, Co Cavan, Co Donegal, Co Down, Co Fermanagh, Co Londonderry, Co Monaghan, Co Tryone – listing of Gillespie settlers on huge estates across Northern Ireland.

1659 – Pender’s Census 1630

lists two groups of Gillespie in only two counties in all of Ireland. None under spelling Gillespie.

• County Antrim 8 individuals McGillaspie
• Co Donegal         8 individuals McGillaspick. See Hearth Money Rolls for some of these names less than 10 years late

1766 Religious Census

1775 Dissenters Petitions

Family History of Ann Gillespie & Patrick Byne, m 1896 Ireland by Paul Belile

………………………………………………………………………………..

Earliest records on this site

• Co Donegal       1630
• Co Antrim          1630
• Co Tyrone          1630
• Co Down            1630
• Co Louth             1676  birth
• Co Fermanagh 1702
• Dublin                   1712 christening
• Co Limerick       1729 christening
• Co Cork               1734 christening
• Co Carlow          1740 baptism
• Co Longford      1780 marriage
• Co Armagh        1796
• Kerry                    1799  Baptism
• Belfast                 1813

Ireland’s Administrative Districts

Grifith’s Valuation Records Explained 1847-1865

Immigration

Advertisements for Lost Irish Relatives

Births –miscellaneous records

Marriages– miscellaneous early records

 

Gillespie Land Owners in Ireland 1876

 

 

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COUNTY RECORDS

CO ANTRIM

 Map of Co Antrim Parishes

Tithe Applotment Books – 1823to 1838

1851 Census

 Vital Statistics: Births,    Marriages,  Deaths 

 Griffith’s Valuation 1861-62

 Co Antrim 1901 Census

Ulster Town Directory for Antrim, 1910

 Co  Antrim 1911 Census

Gillespie WILLS – Co Antrim

CO ARMAGH

     Map of Co Armagh Parishes

     Vital Statistics:  Births,    Marriages,    Deaths

    Flax Growers in Co Armagh 1796

    Registered Freeholders 1828

   Tithe Applotment Records 1828-1834

   Griffiths Valuation Records 1864

  Landowners Co Armagh 1876

  City of Armagh Farmers & Residents, and                             Businesses, 1888

  Co Armagh 1901 Census

  Co Armagh 1911 Census

  Gillespie WILLS – Co Armagh

    BELFAST – CITY OF

   Tithe Applotment Books 1814-1855

   Vital Statistics:   Births,      Marriages,    Deaths

   Belfast 1901 Census

   Belfast 1911 Census – Use link in  Co Antrim

   Miscellaneous Records

   Gillespie WILLS – Belfast

                   CO CARLOW                    

  Vital Statistics:  Births   Marriages   Deaths

  Map of Parishes

  Tithe Applotment records 1814-1855

  Census 1901 – no results says National Archives

  Census 1911– no results says National Archives

CO CAVAN

  Vital Statistics:  Births   Marriages       Deaths

Co Cavan Parish Map

 Tithe Applotment Books 1814-1855

  Griffiths Valuation Record, 1855-56

  1901 Census

  1911 Census

  1931 Trade Directory

CO CLARE

   Parish Map

   Vital Statistics:  Births    Marriages    Deaths

   Tithe Applotment Books 1814-1855

   Griffith’s Valuation Records, 1855

   1901 Census

   1911 Census

CO CORK

    Maps:  County Cork Overview    West Parishes                                          Middle Parishes            East Parishes

   Census 1766 Diocese of Cloyne

  Vital Statistics:   Births          Marriages         Deaths

  Tithe Applotment Books

  Griffiths Valuation 1814-1855

 1901 census

 1911 Census

CO DONEGAL

   Map of Parishes

   Donegal Hearth Money Rolls of 1665 

  Tithe Applotment Books 1814–1855

   Census 1821-1851 – Killymard Parish

   Griffiths Valuation Records 1857

   Vital Statistics:  Births      Marriages      Deaths

   1901 Census

    1911 Census

    Gillespie WILLS – Co Donegal

CO DOWN

    Map of Parishes

     Gillespie Monument, Comber, Co Down

     Gillespie Down Records by Ros Davies

      Vital Statistics:  Births       Marriages     Deaths                    Wills

      Tithe Applotment Books 1823-1838

       Giffiths Valuation Records 1863-64

       Census 1901

       Census 1911 

      Gillespie WILLS – Co Down

        DUBLIN  – City & Area 

      Map of Parishes

      Vital Statistics:  Births      Marriages,   Deaths

       Directory of Merchants & Traders of Dublin 1798

       Wilson’s 1820 Dublin Directory

         Ireland WILLS – Co Down

      1901 Census

       1911 Census

CO FERMANAGH

         Map of Parishes

      Vital Statistics:  Births,      Marriages,      Deaths

         Tithe Applotment Books 1827 -1835

         Census Records

         Pole of Electors 1747-1788

         Griffiths Valuation Records  1862

         Ireland WILLS – Co Fermanagh

         1901 Census

        1911 Census

         Gillespie wills

CO GALWAY

        Map of Parishes

        Vital Statistics:   Births,      Marriages      Deaths

        1901 Census

        1911 Census

CO KERRY

         Map of Civil Parishes

         Vital Statistics:   Births      Marriages      Deaths   

          Census 1901 – no records for Gillespie says                          National Archives of Ireland.

          Census 1911 –no records at National Archives of              Ireland for Gillespie

  CO KILDARE    

          Vital Statistics:  Births       Marriages       Deaths

           Map of Parishes

           1901 Census

            1911 Census

  CO KILKENNY

             Map of Parishes

             Vital Statistics:  Births   Marriages    Deaths

 

             Census 1901 – no Gillespies says National                             Archives of Ireland

             Census 1911

      KINGS CO (now OFFALY)

              Map of Parishes

              Vital Statistics:  Births   Marriages   Deaths

               Census 1901  listed on National Archives                 website as                     Queens Co in error.

               Census 1911 – no Gillespie records at Archives                   of                          Ireland for Offaly, and error for Kings Co.

CO LAOIS  (Formerly Queens Co)

                  Map of Civil Parishes

                Vital Statistics:  Births    Marriages    Deaths

1901 Census – listed under Queens

1911 Census – listed under Queens

CO LEITRIM

                     Map of Parishes

                     Tithe Applotments Records 1814-1855

                Vital Statistics:   Births    Marriages      Deaths

                     Census 1911          Census 1901

CO LIMERICK

                    Map of Parishes

               Vital Statistics: Births    Marriages     Deaths

1901 Census – No Gillespie listed in census at Archives of Ireland for this county

1911 Census – National Archives does not give records for a Gillespie

            CO LONDONDERRY (Derry)

                Map of Parishes

                Vital Statistics:  Births,      Marriages,      Deaths

                    1831 Census

                     Ireland WILLS – Co Londonderry

1901 Census

1911 Census

  CO LONGFORD

                      Map of Civil Parishes

               Vital Statistics:  Births   Marriages   Deaths

Census 1901

Census 1911

   CO LOUTH 

                  Map of Civil Parishes

               Vital Statistics:   Births     Marriages    Deaths

                   Census 1901

Census 1911

CO MAYO

                   Map of Co Mayo Parishes

                    Pigot’s  Directory of Ireland 1824 Ballina –

James Gillespie,   Bridge St – Linen & Woolen Drapers

                Vital Statistics:   Births    Marriages   Deaths

1901 Census

                   1911 Census

CO MEATH

                     Map of Parishes

                 Vital Statistics:  Births     Marriages    Deaths

  Census 1901

  Census 1911

CO MONAGHAN

                      Map of Co Monaghan Parishes

                 Vital Statistics:  Births      Marriages     Deaths

 

                     Ireland WILLS – Co Monaghan

 Census 1901

 Census 1911

               

CO ROSCOMMON

                     Map of Civil Parishes

                 Vital Statistics:  Births,     Marriages,   Deaths

 Census 1901

 Census 1911

CO SLIGO

                    Map of Civil Parishes

                  Vital Statistics:  Births    Marriages    Deaths

   1901 Census

                      1911 Census 

TIPPERARY CO

                   Map of Civil Parishes

                Vital Statistics: Births   Marriages   Deaths

Census 1901

Census 1911

CO TYRONE

                   Map of Co Tyrone Parishes

                Vital Statistics: Births      Marriages      Deaths

                    Earliest Gillespies in the county 

                    Inhabitants of Fivemiletown 1908

1901 Census

                    1911 Census Co Tyrone

                    Gillespie WILLS – Co Tyrone

CO WATERFORD

                    Map of Civil Parishes

                  Vital Statistics:   Birth    Marriages   Deaths

  Census 1901-

  Census 1911 – No Gillespies listed at Archives      of Ireland

CO WESTMEATH

                    Map of Civil Parishes

               Vital Statistics:   Births   Marriages    Deaths

Census 1901 – No Gillespies

Census 1911

CO WEXFORD

                    Map of Parishes

                 Vital Statistics:  Births    Marriages    Deaths

 1901 Census

 1911 Census

CO WICKLOW

                 Map of Civil Parishes

                 Vital Statistics:   Births     Marriages    Deaths

                  Gillespie WILLS – Co Wicklow

 1901 Census

1911 Census

Interesting Discoveries