A Census of Ireland circa 1659 (ed. Séamus Pender, Irish Manuscripts Commission, 1939)

There are three sections in the 'census'. The first, 'tituladoes', are so called because they claim title to the land they occupy given to them by the English king. There are very few of them, but they own all of the land.

Then there is a count of families in that area. These are described as English, Irish, or sometimes Scotch.

The last section is entitled 'Principal Irish Surnames' and is what is most useful. Just the most numerous Irish surnames in a given area are listed along with the number of families.

The only county with any variant of Hoy in the records is County Louth where Hoy and O'Hoy are listed in the baronies of Louth, Ardee, and Ferrad.

• Barony of Lowth - Hoy, 11
• Barony of Atherdee - Hoy & O'Hoy, 18
• Barony of Farrard - Hoy, 11

Note: Hoy was originally Ó hEochaidh, which explains the O'Hoy. The letter 'y' is 'aidh' in Irish and pronounced like Raleigh

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A list of County Louth voters named Hoey in 1842

As explained below, the number of men allowed to vote was very small. In 1842 Louth, only 2 men named Hoey could vote.

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County Louth Freeholders in 1822 named Hoey

Freeholders were men who either owned their land outright or who held it in a lease for the duration of their life, or the lives of other people named in the lease.

Those Freeholders who were allowed to vote:

• 1727-1793 - Only Protestants with a freehold of at least 40 shillings (40/-) a year could vote
• 1793-1829 - Protestants and Catholics with 40 shilling freeholds were allowed to vote
• 1829 onwards - the rate was increased to 10 pounds (£10) for everyone, stripping 40 shilling freeholders of their right to vote increasing the influence of landlords by effectively confining membership to the propertied or monied classes