Official Land Registry Document
Search Old Title Deeds in Ireland
Search Old Title Deeds in Ireland
Quick Answer
Old title deeds in Ireland are searched through the Registry of Deeds, maintained by the Property Registration Authority, which records memorials of the deeds affecting property. A search finds the memorials lodged against an unregistered property or in a party's name, returning the references needed to obtain the deeds themselves. It is the route to the older ownership of a property, especially land held outside the Land Registry.
Old title deeds are searched through the Registry of Deeds, one of the two registers maintained by the Property Registration Authority. This page explains what the Registry of Deeds holds, how a search of the old deeds works, and how it connects to registered title and to historical research.
Key Facts
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What Is This Document
Old title deeds in Ireland are recorded in the Registry of Deeds, the older of the two registers maintained by the Property Registration Authority. It does not hold the deeds themselves but memorials — summaries lodged when a deed is executed — indexed by the parties and the land, so that the deeds affecting a property can be traced back over a long period.
A search of the Registry of Deeds establishes what deeds have been lodged against an unregistered property, or in the name of a particular party, and returns the memorial references needed to obtain copies of the deeds. It is the starting point for investigating an older title, for genealogy, and for confirming a chain of ownership before a sale or a first registration.
The Registry of Deeds does not guarantee title; it records dealings. Establishing good title from the chain of deeds is work for a solicitor reading the deeds in full, using the search to find them. This distinction matters: the search locates the record, it does not certify who owns the property.
Old deeds are most relevant where property is unregistered, which remains common for older family holdings and in the west and border counties. Where a property is registered instead, its current title is the Land Registry folio, and a Folio Search reads it; the Registry of Deeds then holds mainly the earlier history before registration.
Once the memorials are found, the deeds themselves can be obtained and read. Where a single deed's wording matters — a covenant, a right of way, the terms of an old conveyance — an Instrument Copy provides it, and Historical Property Records draw the folio and deeds together into a documented chain of ownership over time.
Which Document Do I Need
Searching old title deeds? Use this guide:
| Situation | Recommended Document |
|---|---|
| Search the old deeds affecting an unregistered property | Registry of Deeds Search |
| Trace a property's ownership history over time | Historical Property Records |
| Obtain the wording of a particular old deed | Instrument Copy |
| Read the current registered title where a folio exists | Folio Search |
| Check whether a property is registered at all | Property Ownership Search |
If you are unsure, our team can advise before you order — email info@landregistryonline.ie.
What Information Is Included
Deed memorials: the summaries of deeds lodged against the property or party searched.
Memorial references: the identifiers needed to obtain copies of the deeds.
Parties to the deeds: the grantors and grantees named in each memorial.
Nature of the dealing: the type of transaction each deed records.
Land description: the unregistered property as described in the older records lodged over time.
Next-step guidance: which deeds to obtain in order to trace the full chain of title.
A guarantee of title — the Registry of Deeds records deeds, it does not certify ownership.
The current registered title of a registered property — that is a Folio Search [/folio-search/].
The full wording of a deed unless ordered — see an Instrument Copy [/instrument-copy/].
A drawn-together ownership history — see Historical Property Records [/historical-property-records/].
Why People Order
Tracing title to unregistered land
Solicitors and owners investigating an unregistered holding search the old deeds to establish the chain affecting it, obtaining the memorials that identify each dealing in the property's history.
Researching a property or family
Genealogists and historians search old deeds to follow the ownership of a property or family holding over time, since the memorials record dealings long before the Land Registry existed.
Preparing an unregistered property for sale
Selling unregistered property means proving title through the deeds. A search assembles the chain a buyer's solicitor will investigate, so gaps are found before the property goes on the market.
Supporting a first registration
Where unregistered land is to be registered for the first time, the chain of deeds must be shown. A search identifies the deeds that support the application to bring the land into the Land Registry.
Finding an old covenant or right
A long-standing right of way, covenant or ground rent often originates in an older deed. A search locates the memorial and the deed that created it, so its terms can be established.
Settling a boundary from the deeds
Where a boundary or access question turns on an old conveyance, the deed behind it is decisive. A search finds the memorial, and an Instrument Copy provides the wording that resolves the point in a dispute.
Real World Use Cases
Home Buyers
A buyer of an unregistered property relies on the old deeds, not a folio, to prove title. Searching them helps a buyer and their solicitor see the chain of ownership and spot any gap or old encumbrance before contracts are signed.Sellers
Owners selling unregistered property search the old deeds to assemble the chain a buyer's solicitor will require, so the title is ready to investigate before the property is marketed.Solicitors
Solicitors investigating unregistered title work from the Registry of Deeds, tracing the memorials and reading the deeds behind them, which is essential where first registration has not yet brought a holding into the Land Registry and the deeds are the only proof of title.Investors
Investors acquiring older or unregistered land use the old deeds to understand the chain of title and any long-standing rights before committing, since a gap or an old encumbrance in the chain can materially affect a purchase and its price.Developers
Developers assembling sites that include unregistered parcels search the old deeds to establish title to each, since unregistered ground must be dealt with through the deeds before a scheme can proceed, and a single weak link in the chain can delay it.
Land Registry Context
The Registry of Deeds is the older of Ireland's two property registers, long predating the Land Registry, and it records the deeds affecting unregistered land. It is maintained by the Property Registration Authority alongside the Land Registry, so the two sit side by side, and a property's older title is very often found here rather than on a folio, especially outside the cities.
What the Registry of Deeds holds is memorials — summaries lodged when a deed is executed, indexed by the parties and the land. Searching them traces the chain of dealings affecting a property over a long period, which is why the register is as valuable for genealogy and historical research as it is for current title work on unregistered land.
Unregistered property, where old deeds matter most, is concentrated in older family holdings and across the west and border counties — Donegal, Leitrim, Mayo, Cavan and parts of Galway and Roscommon — where compulsory registration arrived comparatively late. In such areas a search of the old deeds is a routine rather than an exceptional step.
The register records deeds, not title. A search finds the memorials and the deeds behind them, but establishing good title from that chain is work for a solicitor reading the deeds themselves. The search is the means of finding the old deeds; it is not, in itself, proof of who owns the property today.
Old deeds connect to the rest of the record in a clear way. Where a property is registered, its current title is the folio, read with a Folio Search; the deeds carry the earlier history. An Instrument Copy provides a single deed's wording, and Historical Property Records draw the folio and the deeds into one documented chain over time, so a searcher can move from a memorial to the full picture.
Common Mistakes
Searching the deeds for a registered property
Where a property is registered, its current title is the folio, and the old deeds hold mainly the earlier history. For the present position, read the folio with a Folio Search. Order a Folio Search — — /folio-search/.
Expecting the old deeds to prove ownership
The Registry of Deeds records deeds, not title. A search finds the memorials and the deeds behind them, but establishing good title from that chain is work for a solicitor reading the deeds in full, and certified proof of a registered title is a separate Certified Folio.
Overlooking the deed behind the memorial
A memorial is only a summary. Where the terms of an old conveyance, covenant or right of way matter, the deed itself must be obtained as an Instrument Copy, since the wording is what decides the point rather than the brief note in the memorial.
Relying on an incomplete search
Deeds were lodged over a very long period, and an older or partial search may miss a memorial. Where a chain of title turns on completeness, the search should be thorough and current to when it is needed, because a single missing dealing can break the chain.
When Not Sufficient
A search of the old deeds finds the memorials, but a title enquiry often needs more. To read the wording of a particular deed, order an Instrument Copy [/instrument-copy/]. To draw the folio and the deeds into one ownership history, order Historical Property Records [/historical-property-records/]. Where a property turns out to be registered, a Folio Search [/folio-search/] reads the current title, and a Property Ownership Search [/property-ownership-search/] confirms registration and the owner.
How To Order
Send any description of the property — an address, a townland, or a former name — together with the names of the parties where you are searching by owner, and a note of what you are trying to establish, whether a chain of title, a first registration, or historical research.
Where you are unsure whether the property is registered, we can confirm that first and then search the register that applies, so you are not paying to search the wrong record.
Turnaround & Delivery
Delivery time:
The result of a Registry of Deeds search is sent to you by email, setting out the memorials found and the references needed to obtain the old deeds. An Instrument Copy, Historical Property Records report or Folio Search for the same property can then be ordered to take the enquiry further.
Frequently Asked Questions
Where are old title deeds recorded in Ireland?
In the Registry of Deeds, maintained by the Property Registration Authority. It records memorials — summaries of deeds — indexed by the parties and the land, so the deeds affecting a property can be traced. It is the main record for unregistered property and for older history.
Does a deeds search prove who owns a property?
Not on its own. The Registry of Deeds records deeds rather than guaranteeing title, so a search finds the memorials and the deeds behind them. Good title is established by a solicitor reading those deeds and tracing the chain they form.
How do I get the deed itself, not just the memorial?
A memorial is a summary of a deed. Where you need the deed's wording — a covenant, a right of way, an old conveyance — obtain it as an Instrument Copy using the memorial reference the search returns.
When should I search the deeds rather than the Land Registry?
Search the deeds where a property is unregistered and so has no folio, which is common for older holdings and land in the west and border counties. Where a property is registered, its current title is the Land Registry folio instead.
How far back do the records go?
The Registry of Deeds is long established and records deeds lodged over a very long period, which is why it is valuable for historical and genealogical research as well as for current unregistered title work.
Can you search anywhere in Ireland?
Yes. The Registry of Deeds is a national record, so a search covers unregistered property and older deeds anywhere in the country. To search old title deeds, use the order link on this page.
Search Old Title Deeds in Ireland
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