Ireland, 2nd and 3rd Edition Map, 1899-1905

About Ireland, 2nd and 3rd Edition Map, 1899-1905

General collection information

This collection contains images of second- and third-edition Ordnance Survey maps of Ireland produced between 1899 and 1905. The maps use a scale in which one inch equals a mile, and they were based on previous maps that used a larger scale. The maps show details of cities and villages, roads, railroads, and topographical information.

Using this collection

Records in the collection may contain the following information:

Historic maps often look very different from modern maps, which can make them an excellent tool for tracing your family history. Borders shift and the names of towns, counties, and even countries change. Comparing maps of a similar scale will allow you to accurately place your family in history.

Maps can tell you a lot about your family's roots, even if you don't have a specific location. Last names can help you pinpoint which areas your family may have lived in. For example, County Limerick has a high population of families with the surname "O'Donnell." While your family member may have lived elsewhere, searching records from County Limerick may be a good starting point.

Collection in context

The maps were produced by cartographers and surveyors working for the Ordnance Survey. The maps are high-quality primary historical sources, and the original paper maps are held by Cassini Historical Maps, a division of Heritage Resource Management Ltd. in Wiltshire, England.

Ordnance Survey, the national mapping agency of the United Kingdom, was founded in 1791. In 1824, the crown created the Ordnance Survey in Ireland to create a highly detailed map overseen by Colonel Thomas Colby and assisted by Lieutenant Thomas Larcom. The expedition was invaluable to the cartography process and resulted in the 1846 Ordnance Survey map, the first large-scale, detailed map of an entire country. Second-edition maps were made between 1898 and 1909, and third-edition maps were printed between 1909 and 1917.

Bibliography

ArcGIS Story Maps. "Mapping Irish Surnames." Accessed January 2, 2024. https://storymaps.arcgis.com/stories/a3b90776f4cd4052bf19e097da898f36.

Cassini Historical Maps. "Home." Accessed January 2, 2024. https://www.cassinimaps.co.uk/.

National Library of Scotland. "Ordnance Survey of Ireland, One-inch to the mile maps of Ireland - 1859-1917." Accessed January 2, 2024. https://maps.nls.uk/os/one-inch-ireland/.

Ordnance Survey Ireland. "The Creation of OSi Historic Mapping." Accessed January 2, 2024. https://osi.maps.arcgis.com/apps/Cascade/index.html?appid=1d1c28801e5542f88960fda8e9f6d686.