To-Do
Add data from remaining counties.
Parish records begin at different dates in different parishes within the counties throughout Ireland. There are few records anywhere in Ireland before 1700. The Irish Family History Foundation database online is an index to all the parish records in most counties, but as of April 14, 2010 ten counties are not yet included.
It's impossible to do a precise analysis of the distribution and frequency of our surname variants in early parish records because of the differences in available records by parish, but it's worth finding out as much as we can know. Judging by the jump in record matches in the late 1700s, we can imagine there were many bearing our names prior to that but for whom no records exist from their parishes.
The main interest in recording these early data–in addition to exploring early Irish lines–is to show that it's clear there were some early immigrant lines belonging to the Church of Ireland–even in the south-central and southeast of Ireland where Irish Bowe (and variants) reach a high frequency.
(AS OF 14 APRIL 2010 -- missing ten counties not yet in database - will update when all counties are online)
Scroll down for numbers for subsets from Kilkenny and Laois.
PARISH RECORDS FROM ALL IRELAND *
1680-1720
2 Baptisms in Wicklow
1714 Wicklow, Martha Bows, parents Joseph Bows and Elizabeth, Dunlavin Parish, Church of Ireland (no sponsors)
1715 Wicklow, Francis Bo, parents Michael Bo and N/A, Wicklow Parish, Church of Ireland (no sponsors)
0 Marriages
0 Deaths
1720-1760
6 Baptisms (3 in Kilkenny, 2 in Kildare and 1 in County Dublin)
1737 Kilkenny, John Boe, parents John Boe and Rebecca Boe, St. Mary's Parish, Church of Ireland (no sponsors)
1738 Kilkenny, Ann Boe, parents John Boe and Rebecca Boe, St. Mary's Parish, Church of Ireland (no sponsors)
1754 Kilkenny, Catherine Bowe, parents Martin Bowe and Ellinor Walsh, St. Mary's Parish, isRoman Catholic (sponsors Peter Barry and Mary Walsh)
1757 Dublin County, Cat Bowes, __ Bowes father and N/A mother, St. Paul's Arran Quay, Roman Catholic (sponsors John and Cat MacLoghlin)
1759 Kildare, Ann Bowe, parents James Bowe and Catty Unknown, Athy Parish, Roman Catholic (sponsors Nicholas Morris and Catty White)
1760 Kildare, Mary Bowes, parents Daniel Bowes and Ann Unknown, Athy Parish, Roman Catholic (sponsors Pat Keegan and Mary Margaret Merson, address Bert)
2 Marriages (both in Kilkenny)
1754 Kilkenny, Andrew Bowe and Joan Hawe, Kncoktropher Parish, "both of Protestant religion"
1757 Kilkenny, Walter Butler and Joanne Bowe, St. Mary's Parish, Roman Catholic (sponsors Michael Costelly, Francis Turner, and Ellis Butler)
3 Deaths (2 in Kilkenny, 1 in Limerick)
1749 Kilkenny, Martin Bowe, Mallardstown Parish, Church of Ireland (graveyard not recorded)
1750 Kilkenny, John Bowe, Mallardstown Parish, Church of Ireland (graveyard not recorded)
1760-1800 (The majority of all of these were in Kilkenny.)
92 Births
43 Marriages
2 Deaths
PARISH RECORDS FROM LAOIS AND KILKENNY
Researcher Jeane Bowes Robinson found these numbers for Kilkenny and Laois, the counties with the highest representation in the parish records database:
Between 1730-1770
Laois births recorded 10, 11 in Kilkenny
Laois marriage records 1, 5 in Kilkenny
Between 1770-1810
Laois births recorded 73, 125 in Kilkenny
Laios marriage records 53, 59 in Kilkenny
Between 1810-1850
Laois births recorded 447, 496 in Kilkenny
Laois marriage records 154, 185 in Kilkenny
Between 1850- 1890
Laois births recorded 519, 558 in Kilkenny
Laois marriage records 190, 200 in Kilkenny