What a fee can tell you about a record.

We often come across people researching their ancestors who are disappointed with the lack of details in mid-19th century marriage registers.  In Roman Catholic marriage registers the name of the bride and groom, their witnesses and sometimes a townland were the only details recorded.  But there is one other record in the right hand column that often also appears and is frequently ignored.  It’s the fee paid by the couple to the priest for the marriage and when the figures are compared to others fees in the register they can frequently be a good indicator of the economic standing of the couple.  So if your ancestors’ fee was waived and an entry of ’0 – 0 – 0′ recorded it can tell you that times were difficult for them at that time.

Discover your family history.

Hire Us