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WARDs in Ireland

Leitrim

I am currently researching the paternal ancestry of one of my daughter's sons and have come to a 'brick wall'.

This involves Thomas WARD who is his 3rd great-grandfather and some records suggest he was born in Leitrim, Ireland.  Thomas married Ann WELCH in 1867 in New Zealand.  Ann is suggested as being from Limerick, Ireland and her parents have been suggested as being William WELCH & Ann REID and I currently do not have any further information on them either.  Thomas's New Zealand death record of 6 November 1906 has that he died aged 76 (born before 6 November 1830!)  I have not yet received a copy of Thomas & Ann's marriage register record.

It would be great if someone can either confirm and expand on the informtion already 'known' or advise that Thomas was not born in Leitrim.

brijentur@xtra.co.nz

2 replies

Betur:

Ward was a fairly common surname in Co. Leitrim in the 1850s. There were 58 Ward households in 1857 as shown in the Griffiths Valuation survey. The earliest Thomas Ward baptismal record in Co. Leitrim available on the subscription site Roots Ireland was in 1838. More than likely, his baptismal record is not available and civil registration of births did not begin until 1864.

Co. Limerick is a much larger county than Co. Leitrim. Using the parents names you provided, I was not able to find any baptismal records for any children of William Welch/Walsh and Ann Reid. There were 17 William Walsh records listed in the 1850 Griffiths Valuation in Co. Limerick.

It might be worthwhile for your grandson to take a DNA test. Possibly he will have matches that might help with his Ward and Welch/Walsh ancestry.

Let me know if you have any questions.

Roger McDonnell

Castlemore RoscommonIrelandXO Volunteer

Hey Roger, many thanks for your efforts.

I have used the RootsIreland website but am not a subscriber.

As previously noted Thomas WARD & Ann WELCH were married in New Zealand and I have yet to receive a copy of their marriage registration record.

A Public Tree I  found has the parents of Ann WELCH as William WELCH & Ann REID.

My grandson has not yet shown any interest in his ancestry but I am producing a fan chart for him to put on the wall which might encourage him to get interesrted at some future date!  DNA may come later!

 

brijentur@xtra.co.nz

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