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Conniff/Cunniff

GalwayPeterswell (Galway)

I'm hoping to find some information on my great grandfather John Conniff. The only information I've found is from various obituaries. He was born on 22 Jun 1851, to birth parents John Conniff and Sarah Shaughnessy. He also had a brother, Thomas, and a sister, Mary A, who was born 14 Mar 1854. I am unsure as to when exactly they immigrated to New York in the United States, but Mary's obituary does state it was when she was a young child. I've searched most information available online, including Roots Ireland, and have come up with nothing. Any help would be greatly appreciated!

Thank you,

James Conniff

IrelandXO member

3 replies

James:

The RC records for Peterwell/Kilthomas parish start in 1854 and maybe later in 1854 after Mary was baptized. Presumably earlier records were lost. 

I looked at the 1856 Griffiths Valuation head of hosuehold listing and there was one Cunniff listing-- a Sarah Cunniff in Lecknabegga townland.

Do you if both parents came to America or just the mother. Possibly John died soon after Mary was born and eventually the mother took here children to the States.

http://www.failteromhat.com/griffiths/galway/kilthomas.htm

The 1826 Tithe listings show a Patrick and Darby Cunniff in two different townlands in Kilthomas parish. The microfilm records are very faint.

www.titheapplotmentbooks.nationalarchives.ie  

Let me know if you have questions. By the way, the National Library of Ireland plans to put the RC parish registers online later this summer. You may want to look at the Peterswell/Kilthomas records at that time.

Roger McDonnell

Castlemore RoscommonIrelandXO Volunteer

Thank you for such a quick response.  Sorry I didn't check in sooner for a reply.  I actually wrote the incorrect name of my great great grandfather; his name was Peter Conniff (Cunniff), not John.  John was his son.  I believe he may have had a brother named John, though, who came to America prior to him.  I'm not certain if Peter came to America, or had passed prior to the family coming to America.  The children may have actually came prior to Sarah (their) coming, as there was a note handed down through the family, that the children stayed with their aunt and cousins in America, prior to Sarah coming over.  The only reason I thought Peter may have as well, is that Mary's obituary had stated she came over from Ireland with her parents.  But it seems sometimes the obituaries I find have some conficting information. 

I do hope they put the registers online early in the summer, as I plan on visiting Ireland at the beginning of July, and was hoping to maybe be able to see where my ancestors were from.

I greatly appreciate all our help on this and quick response!!

Thank you,

James Conniff

IrelandXO member

Hi James,

I can't help you with your exact query but I also have Conniff ancestors from Galway that may or may not be related. What I know is that Alexander Sandys my 4th great grandfather married his second wife, Mary Conniff (born 1813) in 1833. My Mary Conniff was born in Ballygar, co. Galway near the co. Roscommon border.

There was also a Reverend P. Conniff from Ballygar (found in the Ireland Valuation Office books) in 1845 who was the brother of my Mary.

It is possible they are related to your Conniffs but I don't know much about them. My Mary died in Hull, England in 1860.

I have found it dificult to find records relating to Conniffs.

Good Luck

Lyndon

lyndongiles@in…

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