The four main categories of Irish records that are relevant to almost everyone doing research on Irish ancestors include: Civil Records State registration of non-Catholic marriages began in Ireland in 1845. All births, deaths and marriages have been registered in Ireland since 1864. The main points of research access are: The General Register Office of Northern Ireland in Belfast The General Register Office in Dublin Research in the Belfast Office is limited by space constraints, and pre-booking up to two weeks in advance may be necessary. Research in the Dublin Office is allowed on the indexes only, with the purchase of a photocopy necessary to obtain further information. Census Records Government censuses were conducted for all of Ireland once each decade from 1821 - 1911. The census records for 1821, 1831, 1841, and 1851 were largely destroyed in the 1922 fire at the Public Record Office, Dublin, although some surviving fragments exist. The Irish census records for 1861, 1871, 1881 and 1891 were completely destroyed prior to 1922, by order of the government. Therefore, the earliest surviving comprehensive census returns are for 1901 and 1911. Because of this, the normal rule that census returns should not be available to the public for 100 years has been suspended in the Republic of Ireland. The returns for both 1901 and 1911 can be consulted on microfilm in the National Archives of Ireland. A full microfilm copy of the 1901 census is also available at the LDS Family History Library in Salt Lake City and through local Mormon Family History Centers. Indexes, in published or database form, are available for the 1901 returns of some counties. Copies of the 1901 returns for the six counties now in Northern Ireland are available at the Public Record Office of Northern Ireland. In addition, some of the local heritage centers have computerised transcripts of the 1901 census returns for their areas. Church Records Through the 19th century about 85% of the population of Ireland were Roman Catholic, 5% were members of the Church of Ireland, and the remaining 10% consisted primarily of Presbyterians. Prior to the onset of civil registration in Ireland in 1864, the records of these churches are virtually the only sources for family information. Property Records Because of the destruction of 19th-century census returns, surviving land and property records from the period have become significant for genealogical research. Two surveys, each covering the entire country of Ireland, are a rich source for genealogists: Tithe Applotment Books, 1823-1838 Griffith's Primary Valuation, 1848-1864