The People of Cork, 1600-1799

Cork lies on the south-west coast of Ireland, in the Province of Munster, and is one of the biggest cities on the island. From the 17th century onward the port of Cork had significant trading links with America and the West Indies and became a major port used by Irish emigrants. The port of Cork was where many convoys assembled before crossing the Atlantic during the wars of the 18th century. The motto of the city of Cork, statio fida carinis, which translated is “a trustworthy anchorage for ships,” symbolizes why Cork became the principal harbor of the region and was of supreme importance for trade and emigration. Cork was an important link with the colonies in America and the Caribbean, with Bristol and other British ports, and with major Continental ports as well.

This book, the latest in a series devoted to the 17th- and 18th-century populations of important cities in Ireland, has been researched and compiled from a range of primary sources, mainly in Ireland but also in England, Scotland, the Netherlands, and the United States. While it is in no way comprehensive, the book does identify several thousand inhabitants of the city of Cork during the 17th and 18th centuries whose families could have ultimately made their way to the Americas, and often leads to documents that should facilitate the research undertaken by historians and genealogists interested in the people of Cork. Most entries identify the inhabitant by name, occupation, and a date. A number of them also provide such additional information as the names of family members, when emigrated, education, military service, and so on.