The Historical Hill Family

Home | Smith Photos | Family Stories | Ryan Data | Smith Data | News Center | SITE MAP | Contact Us

 Michael Hill, Moyaliff Townland, Moyaliff Civil Parish

This is an unusual map; however, it is listed as the section where Michael Hill lived in Moyaliff Townland, Moyaliff Civil Parish.  Moyaliff is a parish found in northern Tipperary County.    None of the families listed above lived on large tracts of land.  Without knowing the layout of the land, one begins to wonder if the land was able to support so many people found living on it.  This survey was taken in 1848.  By 1850 half these families had been dropped from the survey.

Maria L. Hill of Nenagh, Civil Parish of Nenagh

Margaret, Mary and Thomas Hill, Nenagh, Nenagh Civil Parish 

The Auxiliary Poor House was no further than a hundred feet from where these Hill families lived on Dublin Road.  Their houses were located in the northeast quadrant of Nenagh market town.  The Hills lived in the following houses: 38 – Margaret Hill 40 – Mary Hill 44 – Thomas Hill  Based on their proximity to each other, it is likely they were all related.

Reverend William Hill, Gorteendangan, Templeree Civil Parish

his is an interesting reference.  Catholics were not permitted to own land by mid-nineteenth century.  Penal Laws enacted many years earlier prevented the majority of Irish from things we take for granted – voting and owning one’s home.  However, it appears a Catholic priest was the largest landlord in the area.  Perhaps he sublet land from the primary owner, Mr. Grubb.  Mr. Grubb was an eccentric who lived in Clonmel.

Other Hill Family References for County Tipperary

 The following shows ‘Hill’ surnames that are found in the Emigrant Index for those who immigrated to New South Wales, Australia 

• Hill, Ann; Immigrated 1862; 26 years old; Resident of Thurles; referred by Thomas Loomy of Kilfeakle; Trip paid for by Mary Hill; left on the ship ‘Northumberland’
• Hill, John; Immigrated 1863; 22 years old; Resident of Thurles; spouse Bridget and married at Thurles; Trip paid for by his sister, Ann Hill of Balmain; left on the ship ‘Peerless’
• Hill, Mary; Immigrated 1860; 21 years old; Resident of Cappa White; Paid for by Margaret O’Connor; left on ship ‘Tudor’

The following news items appeared in the Nenagh Guardian News from 1838 to 1839 

• James Carl Hill of Tyrone married Maria Filgate, Index 1 (1839)
• Nicholas Hill of Newtown – road repairs, Index 1 (1839)
• John Hill of the Excise, married Elizabeth McQueen at Clonmel, Index 3 (1838)

The 1766 Religious Census (Incomplete) 

This next section should be of interest to our family.  This is the 1766 Religious Census taken in County Tipperary.  This census was authorized by a resolution of the Irish House of Lords on March 5, 1766, which stated: 

Resolved, That the several archbishops and bishops of this Kingdom shall be and are hereby desired to direct the parish ministers in their respective dioceses, to return a list of the several families in their parishes to this House on the first Monday after the Recess, distinguishing which are Protestants and which are Papists, as also a list of the several reputed Popish priests and friars residing in their parishes. 

This census is not complete; however, it does show several Hill references that may be related to our own family.  The notation ‘RC’ refers to ‘Roman Catholic’.  In the original rolls it would have read “Papist”.  Notice especially the entries found for Killnarath: 

• Edw. Hill  - RC > Union of Killnerath Embraced the ancient Parishes of Killnarath, Kilvellane and Kilcomenty Newport
• Mrs. Jane Hill  - Prot. >  Tipperary
• Pat Hill  - RC > Union of Killnerath Embraced the ancient Parishes of Killnarath, Kilvellane and Kilcomenty Newport
• William Hill  - Prot. >  Tipperary
• William Hill  - Prot. >  Tipperary
• Mrs. Jane Hill  - Prot. >  Tipperary

List of Freeholders of the County of Tipperary in the year 1776 

Voters, Poll, Freemen and Freeholders Records were lists of people entitled to vote, or of people actually voting at elections. They were normally arranged on a county, city or borough basis. Freeholders were substantial farmers of the Irish counties who had the right to vote, while freemen or free citizens of cities and boroughs had votes. In cities, freeholders who qualified through their land as well as freemen who qualified through their trade voted in elections, but usually borough elections only involved freemen. 

Tithe Applotment Records (incomplete) 

The Tithe Applotment books were compiled between 1823 and 1837 in order to determine the amount which occupiers of land should pay in tithes to the Church of Ireland.  This was the Established and main church of Ireland.  There is a manuscript book for almost every parish, giving the names of occupiers, the amount of land held, and the sums to be paid in tithes.  This is all we could find online. 

Kiltinan Civil Parish 1828 (Clonmel):  Richard Hill of Coroughaorana

Ballysheehane Civil Parish 1831: Kilballyherbery townland – two John Hill referenced, Stephen Hill and Joseph Hill

Ballaysheehane Civil Parish 1831; Trisongh townland – Samuel Hill 

The following is a list of Tithe Defaulters/Withholders for the Paris of Lismolin in the Barony of Slieveardagh, in the County of Tipperary about 1831: Ballydaniel or Ballydonnell townland – Widow Hill 

1821 Census Fragments: 

No census records survive from 1861 until the first modern census taken in 1901.  Prior to 1861 only census fragments exist.  The following extract taken in 1821 shows a Jane Hill listed for the Parish of Tipperary. 

Parish of TIPPERARY. Tipperary. Main Street, Chapel Lane

 Cormack Petition

Daniel and William Cormack from Tipperary were tried and found guilty of the murder of John Ellis, a local land agent in February of 1858. Motivated by growing unease at the convictions and executions, a petition was organized for presentation to Parliament that requested the setting up of an inquiry into the circumstances surrounding the conviction of the Cormack Brothers and into the administration of criminal justice in Ireland generally.   The following ‘Hill’ signed this petition. 

William Hill                 Nenagh

William Smith O’Brien Petition

This petition was signed on October 28,1848.  This is another example of Irish Catholics tried and convicted for crimes of treason.  This is the wording found on the survey: 

To His Excellency Earl Clarendon, Lord Lieutenant General and General Governor of Ireland. 

May it please your Excellency,

We the undersigned inhabitants of the town of Carrick on Suir and its vicinity beleave most respectfully to address your Excellency on behalf of William Smith OBrien and the other prisoners in the Goal of Clonmel found guilty of high treason under similar circumstances, humbly praying that the earnest recommendation of the Jurors by whom they were tried in their respective behalf maybe as humanely carried out by an extension of the Royal prerogative of mercy in their favour.  (Signatures follow) 

The following Hill surname was found attached to this petition