WB Yeats may have thought romantic Ireland was dead and gone, but new research from Ancestry®, the global leader in family history, shows that our Irish ancestors really were a romantic bunch.

Leading the romantic revolution is Dublin. A 10-minute walk from where St Valentine’s remains are interred, the Ireland, Catholic Parish Records 1655 – 1915 show that a Mr. Valentine Day was baptised on Meath Street on the 14th July 1751.

Alongside a further 1,206 Valentines which are recorded in the All Ireland, Catholic Parish Registers, 1655 – 1915, over 1000 Irish families also named their children Love, including a Mr. Love Leoney and Love Hitchcock, who died in Dublin in 1874 according to the Ireland, Civil Registration Deaths Index, 1864-1958.

The Catholic Parish Registers 1655-1915 show there were only two Shifts born in Ireland, a disappointing outcome for the valiant shifters who frequented dance floors all over Ireland. Further afield though, records show a real life couple Romeo and Juliet Richard lived in Montana in 1920.

Love has not always been in the air for everyone in Ireland’s history. Along with the 52 people surnamed Loveless, Alice Curtis is listed in the 1901 Irish census as ‘unfortunately single’ and Madge Heffernan made it clear she was ‘on the lookout’ in her census entry.

690 ‘Singletons’ did however manage to get married between 1845 and 1958 – perhaps thanks to Thomas Tinder or Mary Grinder, one of 45 people to be named Grinder in Ireland at the time.

Ancestry spokesperson, Joe Buggy, said: “Names are such an important part of our family history. Along with being passed down through the generations, they can also give us some great insight into popular themes of the time.

"There are over 20 billion records available online at Ancestry and Valentine’s Day could be the perfect time to uncover some of the quirky names that might be in your family tree or to discover the love stories of your ancestors”.

Some other notable Valentines names featured from around the world include Red Rose from New York, Love Heart from Connecticut and Mr L. O. Romance from Atlanta, Georgia.

Over 20 billion records are available to browse online on www.ancestry.ie for those looking to find their family members this Valentine’s Day.