Waldrons in Elphin Diocese, 1749

[From The Waldron Journal, No. 7, 2000]

by Paul Waldron

An Invaluable Source

The historian or genealogist carrying out research in the diocese of Elphin is fortunate to have available to them a remarkable source detailing the population there 250 years ago. The source is the Religious Census of the Diocese of Elphin, the manuscript of which is now held in the National Archives, Dublin, and designated M 2466. A copy is held at Roscommon County Library, comprising of two bound volumes: one, a typescript copy, the other a photocopy of the original.

The census was carried out at the behest of the Church of Ireland (Anglican) Bishop of Elphin, Dr. Edward Synge. He was appointed to this position in 1740, and remained there until his death in 1762. The reason behind the commissioning of this census seems to lie in the bishop's desire to discover the true strength of his protestant flock in the diocese, and to determine their proportion in relation to the Catholic population. Nothing is known of the methods used in collecting and collating the information, though it seems likely that the work was carried out by local Church of Ireland clergymen or church wardens.

The census is laid out under seven headings: parish; place of abode (usually a townland or street name); head-of-household's name [occasionally with the suffix "& wife", where applicable, and sometimes giving the wife's name]; religion ["protestant" or "papist"]; profession; number of children [given in four subdivisions, firstly by religion, then by age group - whether under or over fourteen years of age]; number of servants [given in four subdivisions: protestant, papist, male, female].

It is a hugely interesting document. For enthusiasts with a particular interest in the history of Elphin diocese, or of any part thereof, it is invaluable. For those interested in demographics, household composition, or occupations, it is one of the few sources available for such a large area for the mid-eighteenth century. For those studying the distribution and numerical strength of surnames it is especially valuable in that it provides a 'snap-shop' of the population of a large chunk of the West of Ireland right in the middle of the eighteenth century, a period for which so few other records exist.

The Diocese of Elphin

Ireland comprises of twenty-two dioceses, each of which is presided over by a Bishop or Archbishop. These dioceses are grouped into four ecclesiastical provinces, viz. Armagh, Dublin, Tuam and Cashel. The province of Tuam is made up of the Archdiocese of the same name, along with the dioceses of Elphin, Achonry, Clonfert, Killala, and Galway & Kilmacduagh. Elphin includes most of County Roscommon, with adjoining parts of counties Sligo and Galway: in plan it is a long, narrow stretch of country, extending from Sligo town, southwards to Athlone.

The diocese of Elphin takes in the very eastern parts of "Waldron Country", so it seemed that a look at the Waldron households enumerated in the 1749 census would be interesting. A very worthwhile project for somebody with sufficient time might be to compare these findings with the next available list of heads of household &endash; Griffith's Valuation &endash; compiled just over a hundred years later: such a comparison would reveal some interesting facts on how Waldron families spread-out or died away in this stretch of country over one hundred years. Unfortunately, such an analysis is beyond the scope of this paper, and we will content ourselves with a look at what the Elphin Census tells us of the Waldrons in that Diocese in 1749.

Surname Spelling

As mentioned in other articles in earlier issues of the Waldron Journal, the spelling of the surname Waldron varied from Walder, through Waldron, to Waldrum and Waldram, in different sources and at different times. In the course of a careful search through the copies of the Elphin Census, fifteen Waldron households were found recorded in Elphin diocese in 1749, with the name spelt five different ways. Of these, seven are recorded as "Waldron"; five as "Walder"; and one each as "Waldrum", "Wadron" and "Wadran." We cannot be sure if the census enumerators asked the families concerned how they spelt their own surname, or if they just recorded it as they heard it.

The variation seems to stem from a tendency to modify the Gaelic surname Mac Bhaildrín or de Bhaldraithe to the nearest sounding English equivalent. Prominent families of the surnames Waldron and Waldrum have been known in England since Medieval times, and these surnames seem to have been assumed, over time, by members of the Connaught "Walders." Another possibility is that some or all of these families were actually of English Waldron stock, and that the pronunciation of the surname was corrupted when spoken in Gaelic.

The greatest likelihood seems to be that, at the time, most of these families were regarded as "Walder". The proximity of prominent, well-to-do Waldron families of English stock in the Athleague area of South Roscommon, and in the country around Carrick-on-Shannon, County Leitrim area, predisposed these Walders to use the more English sounding name &endash; Waldron - in preference. With time, this new form gradually superseded the older one.

It is interesting to note that, in one particular townland &endash; Tullynashoge (now called Tully, civil parish of Tibohine, at the very western extremity of County Roscommon and adjoining County Mayo) - there were two families living side-by-side, one recorded as Walder and the other as Waldrum!

Religion and Occupations

Twelve of the fifteen Waldron households in Elphin diocese were headed by 'papists' or Roman Catholics. The remaining three were Protestants, all of whom lived in the parish of Fuerty. Of the fifteen Waldron heads-of-household, six were labourers, three were 'farmers', while there was one each of the following: butcher, shoemaker, cottier, 'taylor' and 'pump-maker' (shoemaker). One whose occupation was not recorded was probably a member of the minor gentry, judging by the fact that he had seven servants.

It is immediately evident, therefore, that there were two distinct strata in the Waldron population of the diocese of Elphin in the mid-eighteenth century: a small number of protestant Waldrons, belonging to the minor gentry class; and a sizeable number of Catholic Waldrons from a working-class background. Whether these two groups were of the same stock remains the central question in the search for the true origins of the Connaught Waldrons.

Household Composition

Of the fifteen households, all but two were headed by married couples; one was headed by a possible widower, another by an unmarried man. In line with the general trend of returns in this source, no couple had more than four children still living with them. It is also interesting to note the number of households with one or more servants.

In the extracts given below, the name of the relevant modern R.C. church parish is given in square brackets, where it can be identified. Spellings of personal names and placenames are left as they appear in the original.

AGHRIM PARISH [R.C. Parish of Aughrim, or Aughrim & Kilmore] Corclare townland Patrick & Mary Waldron, papist, farmer; four children aged under 14. BUMBLIN PARISH [Apparently part of R.C. parish of Strokestown, or Kiltrustan, Lissonuffy & Cloonfinlough] Church Street, Stroakstown James & Ellen Waldron, papist, butcher; one child aged under 14. FUERTY PARISH [R.C. parish of Athleague, or Athleague & Fuerty] Baxford townland Thomas & Allice Wadron, protestant; occupation not recorded; four children aged under 14; three male servants and four female servants (all papists). Clooniquin townland Eduard & Rebecka Wadran, protestant, farmer; three children aged under 14; two male servants (both papists); four female servants (three papists and one protestant). Corrile townland Thomas Waldron, gent., protestant, farmer; three male servants (two papists and one protestant) DRUMTEMPLE PARISH [R.C. parish of Ballymoe] Bellamoe townland James Waldron, papist, shoemaker; one child aged over 14; three children aged over 14 KILKEEVIN PARISH [R.C. parish of Castlerea or Kilkeevin] Clooncan townland Luke & Catherine Waldron, papist, cottier; one child aged under 14; two children aged over 14; one male servant (papist). Tarmonmore townland Patrick & Winifred Waldron, papist, labourer; one child aged under 14. CLOONYGORMICAN PARISH [R.C. parish of Cloverhill or Oran] Raconneley townland George Waldron & wife, papist; taylor; four children aged under 14; one female servant (papist). Skehingan townland George Walder & wife, papist, labourer; one child aged under 14; three children aged over 14 TIBOHINE PARISH [R.C. parishes of Fairymount (or Tibohine) and Loughglynn (or Loughglynn & Lisacul)] Creevy townland W. Walder & wife, papist, labourer; one child aged under 14; one male and one female servants (papists). Drummot townland P. Walder & wife, papist, labourer; one child aged under 14. Taunadrisoge townland J. Walder & wife, papist, labourer. Tullynashoge townland W. Walder & wife, papist, pump-maker; two children aged under 14. J. Waldrum & wife, papist, labourer.