Cork is the largest Irish county, with a population mainly of Gaelic and Norman origin.

It has a widely diverse social mix ranging from the urban population of Cork city to the most remote agricultural communities. Common names in the county include Barry, Callahan, O'Callaghan, Buckley, Boyle, Casey, Collins, Crowley, Daly, Fitzgerald, Hogan, Keane, Kelliher, O'Connell, O'Keefe, O'Leary, O'Mahony, O'Driscoll, O'Riordan and Sheehan.

The records for the county are equally diverse, which makes it important to use them to their best advantage.