Mcculloch in Griffith's Valuation 1847-1864

Griffith’s Valuation is the most comprehensive surviving survey of Irish households from the mid-nineteenth century and a crucial census substitute for genealogical research. Conducted between 1847 and 1864, it recorded every occupier of land and property in Ireland, along with details of landlords, acreage, buildings, and monetary value. Arranged by county, parish, and townland, the valuation provides insight into family residence and landholding during the period between the Great Famine and the introduction of civil registration in 1864.

Surname search results:

• McCulloch: 49 records
• McCulloch + variants (e.g., McCullough etc): 971 records

To keep the focus on Scottish McCulloch, I narrowed the 49 records down to 14 individuals, grouping likely relatives together (bolded) based on time and place:

1. Abraham McCulloch at West Donnybrook, Dublin in 1847 and 1848 as Occupier/Renter
2. Alex.G.S. McCulloch at Townparks, Shankill, Belfast, Antrim in 1860 as Occupier/Renter
3. Andrew McCulloch at Townparks, Shankill, Belfast, Antrim in 1860 as Occupier/Renter
4. David McCulloch at Ballyhone, Glynn, Belfast, Antrim in 1861 as Occupier/Renter
5. James McCulloch at Drumadoon, Killagan, Kilconway, Ballymoney, Antrim in 1861 as Occupier/Renter
6. John McCulloch at Drumadoon, Killagan, Kilconway, Ballymoney, Antrim in 1861 as Occupier/Renter
7. Robert McCulloch at Drumadoon, Killagan, Kilconway, Ballymoney, Antrim in 1861 as Occupier/Renter
8. John McCulloch at Tyrrellstown, Moylisker, Fartullagh, Mullingar, Westmeath in 1854 as Lessor and Occupier/Renter
9. John McCulloch at Ballina, Kilmoremoy, Tirawley, Ballina, Mayo in 1856 as Lessor and Occupier/Renter
10. John McCulloch at Browndod, Inver, Belfast, Lower Larne, Antrim in 1861 as Occupier/Renter
11. Joseph McCulloch at Ballynagalliagh, Lisnadill, Lower Fews, Armagh in 1864 as Occupier/Renter
12. Peter McCulloch at Killygowan and Mullaghmonaghan and Tirke Ena, Monaghan in 1860 as Lessor and Occupier/Renter
13. Thomas McCulloch at Lear, Bailieborough, Clankee, Bailieborough, Cavan in 1856 as Occupier/Renter
14. William McCulloch at Townparks, Kilbarron, Tirhugh, Ballyshannon, Donegal in 1858 as Occupier/Renter

The majority are "occupiers" who leased or rented a land holding with only the following listed as "lessors" who leased the land to the "occupier"; it could be the landowner or a middleman who sub-let the land to the occupier.

• John McCulloch at Tyrrellstown, Westmeath in 1854
• John McCulloch at Ballina, Mayo in 1856
• Peter McCulloch at Killygowan and Mullaghmonaghan and Tirke Ena in 1860

I considered whether the two John's were the same, however it seems unlikely based on distance and travel time in the 1850s. Tyrrellstown in Westmeath and Ballina in Mayo are about 150 km apart. Travel would take several days, so being a landholder in both places within two years would be unusual unless John moved. The most likely explanation is two different people with the same name.

Peter appears most frequently across 26 records, all dated 1860. The three townlands mentioned in Monaghan: Killygowan, Mullaghmonaghan, and Tirke Ena are all within a 20-minute walk of each other, suggesting they likely refer to the same lessor.

Focusing on Peter as the dominant lessor, I found a reference from 14 years earlier in Slater’s National Commercial Directory of Ireland (1846). It lists a Peter McCulloch in Monaghan, Market Street, under three categories: Coal Dealer, Grocer, and Ironmonger/Hardwareman:

The evidence suggests Peter was not only a landowner or sub-lessor but also ran a grocery business on Market Street in Monaghan.

Using this as a lead, I found him again 22 years later in the 1868 Belfast Street Directory, where he is listed as:

McCullough, Peter, grocer, spirit dealer and ironmonger, Market Street

Note the surname shift from McCulloch to McCullough). He also appears in the 1873–75 Alphabetical List of Landowners (1 acre & over):

McCulloch, Peter    xxxx	Monaghan

So we know Peter was alive between at least 1846 (likely at least 20 years old) and 1873. For earlier records, I searched the Tithe Applotment Books (1823-1837) which do not yield a result (there are only 4 records for McCulloch surname in the record set and they appear to be 2 individuals). 

Researching births, marriages, and deaths (BMD) in Ireland can be challenging because many of the most important records are fragmented, incomplete, or missing altogether. Civil registration only began in 1864, so earlier events rely heavily on church records, which were not consistently kept and often vary by parish. Additionally, many church records were lost or damaged over time due to fires, floods, and general decay. Even when records do exist, they can be difficult to locate because boundaries changed over the years and names were often recorded with inconsistent spellings. Finally, the loss of the 19th-century census records in the 1922 Public Record Office fire means there is no comprehensive household record to cross-reference, making it harder to confirm family relationships and timelines.

Newspapers can be a powerful tool for Irish family history because they often include details not found in official records, such as obituaries, marriage announcements, court reports, and local news stories. These articles can reveal family relationships, occupations, addresses, and even personal stories that bring ancestors to life. Newspapers also help fill gaps when official records are missing or incomplete, making them especially valuable for tracing Irish families through periods with limited documentation.

Searching for Peter McCulloch in Monaghan, I found the following in the death notice's and obituaries in the Northern Standard which was a long-running Irish regional weekly newspaper based in Monaghan, founded on January 10, 1839. It served as a primary news source for Monaghan and surrounding border counties. It announced its closure in December 2025 after 186 years. 

McCulloch, Peter Monaghan 15th December 1877 Page.354,355,359

I couldn't find the Northern Standard for 15 December 1877 available online, so the index showing Peter McCulloch, Monaghan, pages 354, 355, 359 cannot be confirmed digitally. I'd need to check the microfilm or physical copies at the National Library of Ireland or Monaghan County Library to verify it. This would be a good next step to help discover Peter's remaining family and year of birth to help trace his origins.

Sources:

Griffith's Valuation (1847-1864)

Slater's National Commercial Directory of Ireland (1846)

Belfast Street Directory (1868)

Tithe Applotment Books (1823–1837)

The Northern Standard, Death Notices and Obituaries, 1839-1899 [Indexes], Monaghan County Council