The partition function for one-dimensional nearest neighbour Ising models is estimated by summing all the energy terms in the Hamiltonian for N sites. The algebraic expression for the partition function is then employed to deduce the eigenvalues of the basic 2 × 2 matrix and the corresponding Hermitian Toeplitz matrix is derived using the Discrete Fourier Transform. A new recurrence relation pertaining to the partition function for two-dimensional Ising models in zero magnetic field is also proposed. © Indian Academy of Sciences.