The Public Record Office of Northern Ireland (PRONI) has unveiled a searchable database of over three million names in an innovative partnership with the high-profile genealogy online platform Ancestry.

Approximately 3.2 million name indexes, relating to valuation records for the period 1864 to 1933, are now free to access with an Ancestry.com account.

The exciting development, which will benefit genealogists across Northern Ireland, the island of Ireland and the wider Irish diaspora, is a key component of PRONI's 100-year anniversary dating back to its establishment in June 1923.

Acting Director of PRONI, David Huddleston hailed the release of searchable names by the Public Record Office as an "invaluable substitute" for pre-1901 census records which were destroyed in the Four Courts fire during the Irish Civil War in June 1922.

He added: "The new data set of searchable name indexes will also provide a rich genealogical source for those interested in tracing their ancestors.

"The indexes represent a major enhancement to existing digitized records that have been available on the PRONI website, but which were previously only searchable by geographic location.

"We have been delighted to work with Ancestry to make these indexes freely available to local communities and the wider Irish diaspora."

You can read more in an article published in the 4NI.co.uk web site at: https://www.4ni.co.uk/northern-ireland-news/298563/proni-unveils-new-searchable-names-database.