McKinstry Family in Ballycor, Antrim, Northern Ireland

Hi,

Thank you for your message.

Have you tried looking in Church records for information on the family? Most Catholic records are held locally. One website which may be helpful is the irishtimes. Here they give an overview of what records are available in specific parishes. Ballycor civil parish is part of Ballyclare Roman Catholic parish. To see what records are available follow this link:

http://www.irishtimes.com/ancestor/browse/counties/rcmaps/antrimrc.htm

For Church of Ireland records check http://ireland.anglican.org/about/42 and http://www.nationalarchives.ie/.  The Anglican Record Project is has created an index to their records: http://ireland.anglican.org/cmsfiles/pdf/AboutUs/library/AngRecord/bunclodyunionindex.pdf

You could also try searching for the family in Griffith?s Valuation. This was a land survey carried out in Ireland 1848-1864. You can search this here:

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

Have you tried looking into Hugh?s emigration? Sometimes immigration records can offer you some information as more information was given at the port of arrival rather than that of departure. If you would like to look into this a good place to start is the US National Archives at the following link:

http://www.archives.gov/research/immigration/

Another good website you could search if www.familysearch.org . This is a huge database of genealogical records compiled by the Church of the Latter Day Saints.

Do you know of any siblings that may have remained in Ireland? If so, you could possibly find them in the 1901 and 1911 census records. You can search these online here:

http://www.census.nationalarchives.ie/search/

If you would like to find out more about the parish and what records are available there here are two good links:

https://www.familysearch.org/learn/wiki/en/Ballycor,_Antrim

http://www.irishtimes.com/ancestor/fuses/townlands/index.cfm?fuseaction=TownlandsInCivil&civilparishid=272&civilparish=Ballycor&citycounty=Antrim

Some other websites that you may find helpful are:

The National Archives of Ireland http://www.nationalarchives.ie/genealogy1/genealogy-records/introduction/

The National Library of Ireland http://www.nli.ie/en/family-history-introduction.aspx

The National Archives UK ? genealogy search: http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/records/looking-for-person/

The Public Records Office of Northern Ireland http://www.proni.gov.uk/index/family_history.htm

Genealogy links: http://www.genealogylinks.net/uk/ireland/antrim/index.html

Alternatively you could contact the Ulster Historical Foundation for assistance-however a fee may apply. Here are their contact details:

Ulster Historical Foundation,

49 Malone Road,

Belfast BT9 6RY,

Northern Ireland.

Phone: +44 28 9066 1988   Email: enquiry@ufh.org.uk

I hope that this is helpful. Remember to post as much information as you can with regard to the people you are researching. The more information you post, the more likely it is that one of our volunteers will be able to advise or assist you. Also include information concerning which sources you may have already used so others may further your search.

Please be patient - as our programme has only begun to rollout across the island of Ireland and volunteers in some areas may not yet be organized.

Kind regards,       

Genealogy Support

thank you so much for your suggestions!!  I really appreciate it!