Griffith's Valuation; Understanding the Details

Griffith's Valuation was completed in County Kilkenny by July 1853 and in County Meath by July 1855. In lieu of a census, this is the most accurate information we can get about our Irish Ancestors just before they immigrated to the United States.

I understood a lot more about the Valuation after I read this article; "Is there more in Griffith's Valuation than just names?" You might want to read it yourself, but I have put some notes on the article below.
http://www.leitrim-roscommon.com/GRIFFITH/Griffiths.PDF

Griffith's Valuation is divided by the civil parish or administrative area (not the catholic church parish) and the townland- a small group of farms.

Relatives
Overall, we learn more about our ancestor's possible relatives in their own townland and adjacent townlands. Most people walked from place to place, so close relatives were often within a walkable distance (although people walked much longer distances in those days than most of us do now!)

Spouses
Spouses, also, were generally met and courted within walking distance, and it could be assumed that they likely lived within the same Roman Catholic parish, where the young people would see each other at church on Sunday.

Neighbors
Within each townland, the names within the valuation were listed in the order valuated, not necessarily the order of the adjacent farms. So- it is necessary to look at the maps to see who lived next to each other. (Still, townlands are generally so small that most people within them were close neighbors.)

Farm/Economic Status-
"Large Farmers" held more than 30 acres.
"Small farmers" held 5-30 acres. "Cottiers" or "laborers" held less than 5 acres.
Leases did not expire at the end of a year; they went on indefinitely unless the tenant chose to move elsewhere or the landlord took the tenant to court.
It was not unusual for a farmer to subdivide a holding to ensure the economic success of all. The names of the subdivided tenants are enclosed in parentheses. This was often done with relatives; sons, brothers, or son-in-laws. So if there is a different name within the parenthesis, it would be wise to check this person out as a possible marriage connection; perhaps a son in law or brother in law. During and after the famine, things changed. Many leases were limited to one year; at which point the tenant could be evicted if rents were not paid.

Homes and farm structures

The term "house" implies a dwelling place. There are different classes of houses which are taxed at different rates, based on the materials they are built with and their condition. The term "office" includes all of the outbuildings on the farm; sheds, barns, etc. This would include cow barns, piggeries, storage sheds, etc.

(add on- details from Griffiths on house ratings)




Maps

One of the most exciting elements of Griffith's Valuation is the inclusion of maps which show the exact land plot that our ancestors lived on. This can be compared to Google Maps to show where to find that land today.

You can explore Griffith's Valuation here!

http://griffiths.askaboutireland.ie/gv4/single_layer/place_name_search.pdf

http://www.askaboutireland.ie/griffith-valuation/

More information on the valuation here:

https://www.irish-genealogy-toolkit.com/Griffiths-Valuation.html

Our Allens in Laracor Parish, Meath (Laracor is the civil parish name- these Allens lived in the Summerhill Catholic Parish)

http://www.askaboutireland.ie/griffith-valuation/index.xml?action=doNameSearch&Submit.x=53&Submit.y=11&Submit=Submit&familyname=Allen&firstname=First+Name&baronyname=&countyname=MEATH&unionname=&parishname=LARACOR