The original document was called ‘A List of the families both Protestant and Papists in the Parish of Ardee and the United Parishes thereunto belonging 20 March 1766’. Like so many other documents, these manuscripts were lost in the Four Courts when it was occupied by Republicans and subsequently attacked by the Free State Army in 1922. The bombardment that followed caused a fire which consumed many of the documents within. Fortunately for us, this list was copied by Father Larry Murray before 1922 and he subsequently published it in the Journal of the County Louth Archaeological and History Society volume 10, 1941 pages 72-76, entitled A List of the Families around Ardee in 1766.

The original list was compiled in 1766 by the Vicar of Ardee, William Lill, most likely from the Parochial Tythes Book. Tythes were another form of taxation and constituted a levy raised by the Church upon the population to fund its institutions. They were first instituted in the early middle ages, and originally called for the local parish to receive one tenth of the agricultural produce of each parishioner, or a similar proportion of the production ‘output’ for artisans, essentially acting as a tax on income. Tithes were initially paid in kind, leading to the construction of substantial tithe barns for the storing of goods received, but, by the seventeenth century, tithes had become a financial burden with sums of money paid according to the rent value of an individual’s property (a situation that continued until 1836). All householders were liable to pay tithes unless the property they owned or occupied was specifically exempted due to some long-standing custom or association with the parish.

Overall there were a total of 564 Catholic and 97 Protestant Households in the 5 Parishes and, in addition, in the Parish of Ardee, the Vicar noted, in his manuscript, that there was one priest called Phillip Levins and one Friar called John Clinton living in Ardee.

According to the list there were 385 Catholic and 90 Protestant households in the Parish of Ardee; 30 Catholic and 1 Protestant household in the Parish of Stickillen; 33 Catholic and 1 Protestant household in the Parish of Smarmore; 28 Catholic and 3 Protestant households in the Parish of Shanlish and 88 Catholic and 2 Protestant households in the Parish of Kildemock.

The Parish of Ardee (C =Catholic; P =Protestant)

Henry	Addy	P	John	Floody	C	Nicholas	McCowen	C
Patrick	Allen	C	Peter	Ford	P	John	McCue	P
Michael	Andrew	C	Alexander	Fox	C	Patrick	McDevitt	C
Charles	Aston	P	John	Fox	C	John	McDonnell	C
Martin	Babe	C	James	French	P	Robert	McDonnell	C
Robert	Ball	P	James	French	P	Bartholomew	McGauley	C
John	Banks	P	Joseph	French	P	Patrick	McGauley	C
John	Barrett	C	Widow	Fruin	C	James	McGee	C
John	Barron	P	James	Galahan	C	Arthur	McGrane	C
Daniel	Bartly	C	Carth	Gargan	C	Peter	McGrane	C
Mary	Beck	P	Edward	Gargan	C	James	McGrange	C
William	Beck	P	James	Gargan	C	John	McGuinness	C
George	Bellew	C	Loug	Gargan	C	Patrick	McGuinness	C
Laurence	Bellew	C	Patrick	Gargan	C	Thomas	McGuinness	C
Widow	Bellew	C	Widow	Gargan	C	William	McGuinness	C
Brian	Bird	C	George	Garland	C	James	McLane	P
John	Bird	C	Patrick	Garland	C	Matthew	McLoughlin	C
Mary	Bird	C	Arthur	Gasin	C	Matthew	McLoughlin	C
Rose	Bird	C	Owen	Gay	C	Patrick	McLoughlin	C
Widow	Boyd	C	Terry	Goney	C	Patrick	McMahon	C
James	Boyle	C	Patrick	Gorman	C	Michael	McNulty	C
Richard	Boyle	C	John	Gough	C	Owen	McTee	C
Thomas	Brackey	C	Patrick	Gough	C	Hugh	McTyart	C
Richard	Bragg	C	Patrick	Gough	C	John	Mead	C
Patrick	Branigan	C	Grace	Graham	C	Michael	Melogue	C
Richard	Branigan	C	Patrick	Graham	C	Mil	Melogue	C
Thomas	Branigan	C	Stuart	Graham	P	Rose	Melogue	C
Denis	Brannagh	C	James	Gray	P	Bartholomew	Merriman	C
Charles	Bride	C	Joseph	Gray	P	John	Merriman	C
Widow	Bride	C	Catherine	Greene	C	Thomas	Meunin	C
Widow	Bride	C	Edward	Gunnell	P	Oliver	Milling	P
Michael	Brooks	P	Joseph	Gunnell	P	Catherine	Mohan	C
Thomas	Brown	C	Daniel	Hagan	C	James	Molloy	C
Francis	Buckley	C	Patrick	Hagan	C	Laurence	Monahan	C
James	Byrne	C	Bazil	Hale	P	George	Moonan	C
James	Byrne	C	Widow	Hale	P	John	Moonan	C
Michael	Byrne	C	William	Hale	P	Patrick	Moonan	C
Simon	Byrne	C	James	Halfpenny	C	Thomas	Moonan	C
Widow	Byrne	C	Michael	Halfpenny	C	Patrick	Mooney	C
William	Byrne	C	Richard	Halfpenny	C	Margaret	Moran	C
Owen	Caffery	C	John	Hamilton	P	Sam	Moran	C
Brian	Callan	C	James	Hamlan	C	Patrick	Morgan	C
John	Callan	C	Cormick	Hammil	C	Oliver	Mouler	P
Michael	Callan	C	Francis	Hammil	C	Robert	Munkittrick	P
Owen	Callan	C	James	Hand	C	Robert	Munkittrick	P
Patrick	Callan	C	John	Hand	C	Francis	Murphy	C
Patrick	Callan	C	Joseph	Hand	C	James	Murphy	C
Patrick	Callan	C	Owen	Hand	C	John	Murphy	C
Thomas	Callan	C	William	Hand	C	Margaret	Murphy	C
Widow	Callan	P	Patrick	Hanlon	C	Patrick	Murphy	C
Peggy	Camell	C	Thomas	Hanlon	C	Patrick	Murphy	C
Denis	Cannen	C	Thomas	Harley	C	Richard	Murphy	P
Francis	Canny	C	Henry	Hart	C	James	Murry	C
George	Cappoge	C	Ann	Hatch	P	Thomas	Murry	C
Judy	Cappoge	C	Edward	Hatch	P	Widow	Murtouch	C
Michael	Cappoge	C	Jeremiah	Hatch	P	Hugh	Nulty	C
Thomas	Carbury	C	Joanna	Hatch	P	Matthew	Nulty	C
Roger	Carlin	C	John	Hatch	P	Thomas	Nulty	C
William	Carraven	C	Thomas	Hatch	P	Thomas	Nulty	C
James	Carrie	C	Widow	Hatch	P	James	Ogle	P
Terry	Carrie	C	David	Hay	C	Cornelius	O’Neill	C
Bri	Carroll	C	Widow	Hazell	P	Henry	Ormsby	P
Richard	Carroll	C	Peter	Hearn	C	George	Osborne	C
Thomas	Carroll	C	Owen	Hendrich	C	John	Osborne	C
Thomas	Carroll	C	Don	Hinley	C	Patrick	Osborne	C
John	Cassidy	C	Robert	Hinson	P	Richard	Osborne	C
William	Chambers	C	William	Hinson	P	James	Patrick	C
George	Charters	P	Ann	Hoey	C	John	Patrick	C
Michael	Christy	C	Brian	Hoey	C	Widow	Patrick	C
James	Ciggan	C	James	Hoey	C	John	Pepper	P
John	Clarke	C	James	Hoey	C	William	Pepper	P
Patrick	Clarke	C	Owen	Hoey	C	William	Pepper	P
Thomas	Clarke	C	Owen	Hoey	C	William	Porter	P
Mary	Clinton	C	Patrick	Hoey	C	David	Potter	P
Nicholas	Colthurst	P	Peggy	Hoey	C	Oliver	Potter	P
Thomas	Commons	C	Peter	Hoey	C	Neil	Puddy	C
Michael	Connell	C	Widow	Hoey	C	Widow	Quinn	C
Brian	Connen	C	Widow	Hoey	C	Widow	Quinn	C
Laurence	Connolly	C	Laurence	Hogan	C	Ann	Rafferty	C
Peter	Connolly	C	Pierce	Jennet	C	Brian	Reilly	C
Peter	Connolly	C	William	Jones	C	Charles	Reilly	C
George	Connor	C	William	Kearney	C	Cornelius	Reilly	C
Catherine	Cooney	C	Patrick	Keating	C	James	Reilly	C
Henry	Cooper	C	Richard	Keating	C	Mary	Reilly	C
Denis	Cormack	C	Hugh	Keeling	C	Widow	Reilly	C
Widow	Cormack	C	Ann	Kelly	C	Robert	Richards	C
James	Corran	P	Arthur	Kelly	C	Thomas	Richards	C
Laurence	Corran	C	Daniel	Kelly	C	Doll	Richardson	P
Thomas	Corran	C	James	Kelly	C	George	Richardson	P
William	Corrigan	C	James	Kelly	C	John	Rispin	C
Owen	Courtney	C	John	Kelly	C	Mary	Roark	C
Widow	Cox	P	John	Kelly	C	Bridget	Roche	C
Joseph	Coyne	C	Patrick	Kelly	C	James	Rocke	C
Francis	Craven	C	Catherine	Kenny	C	John	Rogan	C
James	Crinnion	C	John	Ketting	C	James	Rogers	C
James	Crinnion	C	John	Killing	C	Judith	Rogers	C
John	Crinnion	P	John	King	P	Owen	Rogers	C
Matthew	Crinnion	C	Patrick	Lamb	C	Thomas	Rogers	P
Richard	Crinnion	P	Peter	Lane	C	Thomas	Rogers	C
Thomas	Crinny	C	Brian	Laughlin	C	Widow	Rogers	C
Owen	Cuckew	C	Michael	Leary	C	William	Rogers	P
John	Cuggart	C	Alexander	Lee	P	John	Russell	C
Thomas	Culla	C	Widow	Lee	P	Gibbons	Ruxton	P
James	Cunning	C	Widow	Levins	C	John	Ruxton	P
John	Cunning	C	Widow	Linnard	C	Patrick	Sharkey	C
Edward	Dannin	C	William	Little	P	John	Shaw	C
Laurence	Dannin	C	Alexander	Loo	C	Widow	Shekelton	P
Richard	Dawson	P	James	Loughlin	C	Owen	Short	C
John	Devlin	C	Michael	Loughran	C	Patrick	Small	C
Edward	Dillon	C	Cornelius	Maguire	C	John	Smart	P
Bartholomew	Dolan	C	Edward	Maguire	C	Margaret	Smart	P
John	Dolan	C	John	Maguire	C	Charles	Smith	C
Widow	Dolan	C	Widow	Maguire	C	James	Smith	P
Alexander	Donnell	C	William	Maguire	C	John	Smith	C
John	Donnell	C	John	Mahon	P	David	Speediman	P
Michael	Donnelly	C	John	Mahon	C	John	Speer	P
Ann	Doolan	C	Gil	Malone	C	Robert	Speer	P
Michael	Doolan	C	Patrick	Malone	C	Thomas	Speer	P
Thomas	Doolan	C	Thomas	Malone	C	Thomas	Starsfield	C
William	Douglas	P	Widow	Mannan	P	Francis	Stewart	C
Patrick	Downey	C	Matthew	Mannin	C	John	Stockman	C
Patrick	Downey	C	Peter	Markey	C	Sam	Stone	C
James	Duffy	C	Leslie	Marron	P	John	Stray	C
Patrick	Duffy	C	Michael	Marron	C	John	Summers	P
Patrick	Duffy	C	James	Martin	C	James	Taaffe	C
John	Duggan	C	Mary	Martin	C	Robert	Taaffe	C
Widow	Dugnan	C	Patrick	Martin	C	William	Taaffe	C
Brian	Dulan	C	Thomas	Martin	C	Matthew	Tenanty	C
Ann	Dullaghan	C	Widow	Martin	C	Archibald	Thompson	P
Richard	Dungan	C	Widow	Martin	C	Patrick	Thornton	C
Elizabeth	Dunne	P	Arthur	Mathews	C	William	Thornton	C
Richard	Dunne	P	Brian	Mathews	C	James	Tierney	C
Val	Dunne	P	Catherine	Mathews	C	Peggy	Tierney	C
Ann	Durnin	C	John	Mathews	C	Brian	Trainor	C
James	Durnin	C	Margaret	Mathews	C	Brian	Trainor	C
John	Durnin	C	Peter	Mathews	C	Patrick	Trainor	C
Matthew	Durnin	C	Ross	Mathews	C	Pierce	Travers	C
Widow	Durnin	C	Widow	Mathews	C	Patrick	Treney	C
Edward	Eagan	P	John	McAlistron	C	George	Tuite	C
Clement	Eakins	P	Edward	McAllister	C	John	Wall	C
Catherine	Fagan	C	Matthew	McCabe	C	Patrick	Wall	C
Patrick	Fagan	C	Widow	McCabe	C	Edward	Walsh	P
Patrick	Farrell	C	Edward	McCally	C	Francis	Walsh	P
Denis	Farrelly	C	Peggy	McCally	C	Judith	Walsh	C
Catherine	Fay	C	Ann	McCann	C	Nicholas	Walsh	C
Laurence	Fay	C	Patrick	McCann	C	Darby	Ward	C
Patrick	Fay	C	Edward	McCanna	C	Elizabeth	Ward	C
Phillip	Fay	C	Widow	McCanna	C	Mary	Ward	C
Alexander	Filgate	C	Matthew	McCarny	C	Owen	Ward	C
Stuart	Filgate	P	Brian	McCartney	C	Patrick	Ward	C
Thomas	Filgate	P	Robert	McCartney	C	Robert	Ward	P
Patrick	Fitzpatrick	C	Mary	McCaul	C	Laurence	Watch	C
Peter	Fitzsimons	P	Patrick	McCaul	C	John	Waters	C
John	Flanagan	C	Phelim	McCaul	C	John	Watson	P
Richard	Flanagan	C	Matthew	McCevan	C	John	Winters	C
Christopher	Fleming	C	Widow	McCevar	C	Ann	Wire	C
George	Fleming	C	Brian	McCoon	C	Hugh	Wire	C
Henry	Floody	C	Hugh	McCormack	C	Phillip	Woods	C
						Catherine	Wright	C

The Parish of Kildemock (C =Catholic; P =Protestant)

Edward	Andrew	C	James	Magin	C
Richard	Bale	P	Thomas	Maguire	C
Arthur	Branigan	C	Widow	Maguire	C
John	Branigan	C	Owen	Mahon	C
Patrick	Butler	C	Nathaniel	Manning	P
Hugh	Byrne	C	Luke	Matthews	C
John	Byrne	C	Patrick	Matthews	C
Patrick	Byrne	C	Patrick	Matthews	C
James	Call	C	Phillip	Matthews	C
Michael	Camell	C	Patrick	McCabe	C
Jane	Carmel	C	Patrick	McCartin	C
William	Corbery	C	James	McCoan	C
James	Cormack	C	Patrick	McDonnell	C
John	Crust	C	Arthur	McGuinness	C
James	Cunningham	C	Patrick	McGuinness	C
James	Daly	C	Henry	McStone	C
Patrick	Daly	C	John	Moonan	C
Peter	Develing	C	Nicholas	Moonan	C
James	Devin	C	Widow	Murphy	C
Michael	Devin	C	James	Murry	C
Nicholas	Devin	C	John	Murry	C
Thomas	Devin	C	John	Myles	C
James	Devlin	C	John	Myles	C
James	Devlin	C	Nicholas	Norris	C
Bartholomew	Dowdall	C	Thomas	Patrick	C
Charles	Dowdall	C	James	Powderly	C
Matt	Dowdall	C	Edward	Quinn	C
Patrick	Dowdall	C	James	Quinn	C
Peter	Dowling	C	John	Rafferty	C
James	Downey	C	Thomas	Ratty	C
John	Drule	C	James	Rogan	C
Laurence	Fegan	C	John	Rogers	C
Patrick	Finnegan	C	Henry	Ronaghan	C
Patrick	Fitzpatrick	C	James	Ruddy	C
Anthony	Fox	C	Hugh	Scully	C
James	Fox	C	George	Shall	C
James	Gone	C	James	Smith	C
Terence	Hagan	C	Laurence	Steele	C
Martin	Halfpenny	C	Stephen	Steele	C
John	Hart	C	Laurence	Taaffe	C
Michael	Hay	C	Eneas	Ternan	C
Patrick	Jones	C	Edward	Thornton	C
Thomas	Keenan	C	Patrick	Ward	C
Patrick	Kennedy	C	Owen	Wire	C
James	Linnen	C	Nicholas	Woods	C

The Parish of Shanlis (C =Catholic; P =Protestant)

Patrick	Boyle	C	Patrick	Mahon	C
Joseph	Breagy	C	Richard	Mahon	C
James	Brown	C	Widow	McCanna	C
Garret	Byrne	C	Nathaniel	Milling	P
James	Castle	C	Patrick	Monahan	C
James	Connor	C	James	Moonan	C
James	Connor	C	Patrick	Norris	C
Nicholas	Dare	C	Patrick	Rider	C
Matthew	Divin	C	James	Rispin	C
William	Downey	C	John	Rispin	C
Owen	Faulkner	C	John	Rogers	C
James	Frew	C	Joseph	Sheely	C
Michael	Hoey	C	John	Short	C
Matthew	Kean	C	Henry	Tone	P
Patrick	Lesley	C	James	Tone	P
			Pierce	Wire	C

The Parish of Smarmore (C =Catholic; P =Protestant)

James	Andrew	C	Luke	Loc	C
Daniel	Bird	C	Sam	Lynch	C
James	Callen	C	John	Maenen	C
James	Cardle	C	Henry	Mannin	P
John	Clinton	C	Patrick	McDonnell	C
Patrick	Cormack	C	John	McGurke	C
Patrick	Cullen	C	Patrick	Moonon	C
John	Cunnion	C	James	Murry	C
John	Curmish	C	James	Murry	C
Nicholas	Dare	C	Patrick	Murry	C
Patrick	Drew	C	Patrick	Quilch	C
John	Gibbons	C	John	Rae	C
Ann	Gough	C	Patrick	Reilly	C
Denis	Gragan	C	James	Rogan	C
Patrick	Halfpenny	C	Silvester	Smyth	C
James	Keele	C	John	Sperres	C
Ann	Loc	C	Patrick	Wade	C

The Parish of Stickillion (C =Catholic; P =Protestant)

Laurence	Boile	C	James	Loraghan	C
Patrick	Boylan	C	Patrick	Matthews	C
John	Boyle	C	Patrick	McCunahan	C
Patrick	Brady	C	Peter	McCunahan	C
Brian	Brennan	C	Edward	McKenna	C
Alexander	Butler	C	David	McLeasly	C
Brian	Byrne	C	Nicholas	McLoughlin	C
Terence	Carahan	C	Thomas	McSteen	C
James	Cranny	C	Thomas	Meath	C
Laurence	Divin	C	Christopher	Monagan	C
Neal	Donnelly	C	Richard	Moonan	C
Brian	Fegan	C	Peter	Murry	C
John	Green	P	James	Scolly	C
Thomas	Keenan	C	Thomas	Steer	C
James	Loraghan	C	Thomas	Torny	C
			Laurence	Ward	C