There are no family names or heads of household names in the 1766 Religious Census (Parliamentary Returns) list that has survived for Clones parish, County Monaghan. There is only one official's name: Richard H. Roper.
In 1766, Church of Ireland rectors were ordered by the government to compile lists of householders in their parishes, indicating their religion (Protestant/Catholic). The rectors made lists withoutconsistency, unfortunately. Some lists are very detailed, with full names of parish heads-of-household residents and the religion noted beside each name. Other lists are only numbers, counted by religious denomination.
The original 1766 lists were lost in the destruction of the Public Record Office of Ireland in 1922; the only remnants that survived were transcripts made by Tenison Groves, an antiquarian working in the Public Record Office of Ireland. Thanks to Tenison Groves, we do have SOME 1766 names.
I ordered and looked at the Clones "Parliamentary Returns" of 1766 on a research visit to the National Archives in Dublin in 2010. The papers that include Clones are titled "Returns to the Lords 1766 -- " and "Returns - Bundle 77 - R...xxx? port? - from 703 to 739 inclusive - Religion."
Clones parish is #710 in the Parliamentary Returns list, in the returns numbered 703 to 739, as described above.
The actual record consists of a small notebook handwritten by Tenison Groves. Under the Clones entry, there's only the notation: "signed by Rich. H. Roper (xxx resident?)". There is NO OTHER DATA and NO NAMES. Other 1766 Parliamentary Returns lists in this notebook had only a single name noted, such as #711 Clontibret parish, "Andrew Kerr, curate," and #734, Muckno parish, "John Walsh, curate at Castleblayney."
The Rev. Richard Roper became Rector of Clones in 1754 and remained at this post for 60 years. You'll find much information on his family in Burke's Peerage and other nobility/landed gentry books, many of which are accessible on-line.
What Clones-area families are you researching? My CALVINS/COLVINS and allied families were in that area for generations. I'm always glad to share research notes.
Regards,
Annie Hadden Crenshaw
