I should also like to thank all those who replied to my queries - and all the extra sources that they cite, such a help to people digging up the 19th century. It really does help to " put flesh on the bones " of understanding what all our families lives were like back then. Ray, although I said that part of my family came from Castlemaine / Milltown, the parish was actually Kilcolman, just to the south of Castlemaine, and the townland was Cloonmore. My great grandmother said that she was from Castlemaine even though her parish was Kilcolman. Another part of my family, from Templemichael / Ballinhassig in Cork, had an instance of a great great grandfather in the Griffith's just leasing a garden and house of an acre and a bit - he shared con-acre with another in the townland, Killaminoge, but then, in 1860 he is suddenly leasing over a hundred acres in the neighbouring townland of Clogheenduane, which he farmed with the rest of the family for the next twenty years. Quite a jump. And we also had family from near Goleen on the Mizen, in the parish of Kilmoe, which had dreadful losses in the hunger. It is fascinating to compare and contrast different branches of families and their fluctuating fortunes. But I know that I am lucky in knowing where - most - of them came from. John S & John B thank you also for the great links, I also vaguely remember that the University of Southampton had Parliamentary lists of statistics from the old census and they were online. Rod your project sound wonderful and very interesting indeed. It'll take a heck of a lot of work, but what a subject to get your teeth into! I did get some great stuff from Donough although he had the info on my great grandfather Daniel Spillane wrong. But that wasn't surprising as Dan had lost touch completely with his family back in Glenflesk / Killaha, I suspect that he actually ran away. None of his children were named after his parents, only his grandparents. I would love to know what the spat was all about..... And thank you William for that website. Great stuff - only now its stuck and saying too many people trying it! Mary