Trace your roots back to 1798 with Findmypast

Findmypast is working in partnership with IrishCentral to share fascinating insights into your Irish ancestors. Click here to get a special half price subscription, and discover your Irish roots today!

The Irish Rebellion of 1798 is famous for being one of the key early uprisings against British rule in Ireland and involved well-known figures like Wolfe Tone and Henry Joy McCracken. The insurrection lasted 5 months and affected most of the country with crucial battles fought locally in Antrim, Carlow, Cork, Donegal, Down, Kildare, Longford, Mayo, Meath, Sligo, Wicklow and Wexford. But were your Irish family involved in this brutal war?

There are several sources you can consult when looking for your 1798 Rebellion ancestors but you’ll find one of the most comprehensive on Findmypast. The 1798 Claimants and Surrenders collection records more than 8,000 names of both rebels who surrendered during the campaign and also people who claimed for loss of property after the rebellion had ended. For those who surrendered you could find out their name, address and where and when they gave themselves up. There’s even more information held in the lists of people who claimed losses including the specifics of the loss they claimed for and the amount of money they were granted.

For an era when a vast array of Irish records don’t survive, these fascinating resources could be essential for you tracing your family back to 18th century Ireland. Better still, you may even uncover that you’ve got some Irish rebels in your family tree!

For more stories on tracing your Irish heritage from Findmypast click here.