John Kelly <jmk_07628@yahoo.com> wrote in part << My great-grandfather, Peter Kelly, was born in Townland of Meedian (Irish-Meeden), Civil Parish of Clonfad, Catholic Parish of Rochfortbridge, Barony of Fartullagh, Co. Westmeath in 1842. His father was Michael Kelly and mother was Ann McDonnell. In searching Tithe Applotment and subsequent valuation lists, I haven't found a Kelly listing in this 24-family community - obviously, they did not come from that Townland originally. ... >> The Tithe Applotment and later valuation lists are tax listings, not censuses. The Tithe Applotment in particular only listed certain types of property. The presence of a name in the listings tells you a lot more than does the absence. For example, I have seen a birth record from 1877 identifying a townland where a couple lived. They are also listed there in the 1901 census. The valuation lists do not show their surname in the townland after about 1868. Any conclusion that the surname was absent after 1868 would be erroneous. It appears that you would incorrectly conclude that the person did not come from that townland when in fact they did. The CD index to Griffith's Valuation shows listings for Kelly in the parish of Clonfad, if not the townland of Meedian. It seems to me from what information you have presented that you are working more on conjecture from very skimpy information than on fact based on significant evidence. Jack Ledden