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Famed for its apple orchards, County Armagh dates back to ancient times when it was the capital of Ulster. Here’s some interesting facts you may not have known about your Armagh roots:

1. If your family name is O’Neill, O’Hagan, Graham, Sands or Haughey you could well have Armagh ancestors, as these names and others have been synonymous with the county through the generations.

2. Six Irish civil registration districts lie within Armagh’s county boundaries – Armagh, Banbridge, Castleblaney, Dundalk, Lurgan and Newry. You’ll need to know them when searching for your family’s vital records.

3. Throughout history, there has always been a large population of Roman Catholics living in County Armagh – something to bear in mind when trying to unearth your ancestors’ parish records.

4. Bassett’s Book of Armagh is an interesting and important source to use for uncovering your Armagh family. It details names, addresses and occupations of over 9,000 Armagh residents in 1888.

5. In the 1841 Census of Ireland, Armagh was the second largest county in the country in terms of population density, so even if you don’t believe you have any Armagh connections, it’s always worth exploring.

You’ll discover over 1.8 million Armagh records on Findmypast, the perfect starting point for delving into your Irish heritage.

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