Family Tree Magazine Podcast

Episode: Exploring the 1926 Census of Ireland – An Interview with Daniel Loftus
Host: Andrew Cook (A), Editor, Family Tree Magazine
Guest: Daniel Loftus (B), Irish genealogy expert and founder of Project Infant
Date: March 1, 2026

Episode Overview

This episode centers on the eagerly anticipated release of the 1926 Census of Ireland and its profound implications for genealogists researching Irish roots. Host Andrew Cook interviews Daniel Loftus, a passionate Irish genealogy blogger and founder of Project Infant, to explore the historical context of the census, what new genealogical information it provides, and practical tips for researchers. The episode covers the census's unique position as the first after Irish independence, the partial survival of earlier Irish censuses, and the rich, granular details included in the 1926 records.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

The Importance of Census Records in Irish Genealogy

• Census records serve as invaluable "snapshots" of family life, capturing trades, family structures, marriage duration, and other clues that support deeper research.
• [01:46] Daniel Loftus:
  “It can tell us, you know, what their trade was in life, what they did as a way of life, how many kids they had, how long they've been married... It can give us those little clues that might lead us to more records and more discoveries.”

Frequency and Historical Interruptions of Irish Censuses

• Irish censuses were nominally carried out every 10 years, starting in 1821, but the sequence was broken in 1921 due to the Irish War of Independence.
• The first census of the newly formed Irish Free State took place in April 1926.
• [02:49] Daniel Loftus:
  “We were meant to have one in 1921, but... we had a war of independence going on. ...They didn’t want the British government coming in and taking a census while there was a war going on. So that was postponed until April of 1926. And we then had the first of what Ireland would have been at the time being the Irish Free State.”

Partition and the Northern Ireland Census

• The 1926 Census was the first not to cover the whole island—Northern Ireland, now part of the UK, had its own census, but the records from 1926 for Northern Ireland have been lost.
• [06:45] Daniel Loftus:
  “There was a 1926 census for the counties of Northern Ireland taken, but... they had been lost. ...for people who have heritage or who have ancestors in Northern Ireland for that period, it's going to be a little bit of a loss.”

Survival and Loss of Historical Irish Censuses

• Only fragments of the 1821 to 1851 censuses survive due to the 1922 Public Records Office fire during the Irish Civil War.
• Censuses from 1861-1891 were destroyed due to British bureaucratic policy deeming them unnecessary.
• The 1901 and 1911 censuses are largely intact and are more detailed than earlier records.
• [07:53] Daniel Loftus:
  “Majority of [the early censuses] were lost as part of the Public Record Office fire in June of 1922... there were fragments of the 1821 through to 1851 that do survive, but in a very limited capacity.”

Increasing Detail in Later Censuses – What’s New in 1926

• The 1926 census builds on the 1901 and 1911 versions, featuring new categories such as:
  • Year of marriage (though no longer listing number of children born or deceased)
  • Orphanhood status (from England and Wales 1921 census)
  • Precise birth location down to the townland (improves over the county-level before)
  • Expanded occupation/employment details, including employer/self-employment status
  • Notes on previous marriages and children from those unions (up to age 18)
• [11:21] Daniel Loftus:
  “They’ve gone really, really detailed with this. So they will go down to the specific townland as to where somebody was born, which is a complete overhaul than the 1911 census which just gave county or country.”
• [13:43] Daniel Loftus:
  "If you're dealing with different institutions... you would get a lot more details to where they come from, helping you to try and trace back further."

Practical Approaches to Using the 1926 Census

• Daniel recommends preparing by making a “shopping list” of relatives expected to appear, but notes the potential for surprises.
• Missing records or unexpected absences may signal travel, work, or foster new hypotheses and searches.
• [15:23] Daniel Loftus:
  “It might also make us wonder why they might not have been there. ...But if they are there, then obviously we don’t need to speculate, but there might be some times when we do and kind of think, why wasn’t Granny there?”

Technical Release Details and Access

• The census is fully digitized and will be released online at midnight, April 18th, 2026 (Ireland time), via the National Archives of Ireland’s primary website.
• The process has included digitization, conservation, and indexing, detailed in National Archives’ social media updates.
• [18:34] Daniel Loftus:
  “It will be going online at midnight in Ireland on the 18th of April. ...They’re phasing out the old census website ...and they're merging it in with their main one, which is also where the 1926 census is going to be going.”

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• [07:53] Daniel Loftus, on record loss:
  “As genealogists later on, we are obviously screaming at them, saying, of course they are [useful]. What are you talking about?”

• [11:21] Daniel Loftus, on the leap in birth location specificity:
  “They will go down to the specific townland as to where somebody was born, which is a complete overhaul than the 1911 census which just gave county or country.”

• [13:54] Daniel Loftus, on the excitement of research:
  “It's going to be exciting and it's going to be on the National Archives of Ireland's website… I will be staying up and it will probably be one of the few times I will ever do an all nighter.”

Timestamps for Key Segments

• [01:37] — Introduction to importance of census records in Irish genealogy
• [02:49] — Census frequency, interruptions, and the historical context of 1926
• [06:45] — Partition, the fate of Northern Ireland’s census
• [07:53] — The loss and survival of 19th-century censuses
• [11:21] — Detailed look at new 1926 census questions and categories
• [16:46] — Challenges with missing relatives in census records
• [18:34] — Details on access, digitization, and National Archives rollout
• [20:31] — Where to follow Daniel Loftus and Project Infant

Resources and Further Information

• National Archives of Ireland: Website (1926 Census to be released here)
• Instagram (archival updates): @NARIreland
• Daniel Loftus: @danielloftusgenealogy on social media, Project Infant
• Family Tree Magazine: Tutorials, search tips, and Daniel’s upcoming article will be linked in episode notes.

Episode Tone

The conversation is lively, informative, and peppered with humor and personal anecdotes. Daniel's deeply felt enthusiasm for Irish genealogy and excitement over finding his own family in the census are contagious, while Andrew’s commentary is encouraging and empathetic about the joys and frustrations of genealogical work.

Summary prepared for researchers and listeners wanting concise, actionable insight into the new possibilities unlocked by the 1926 Census of Ireland.