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Irish genealogy website directory.
www.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~irlkik2/surnames_1659.htm
Description:
The Down Survey of Ireland was carried out by Sir William Petty on behalf of the Commonwealth government. This so called '1659 census' was in reality a poll tax, levied on every head of household counted. Despite its imperfection the poll tax provides us with an interesting view of Kilkenny's population, representing the first 'census' of population ever conducted.