In this blog, I would like to discuss some tips for locating Scottish genealogy records.
Looking for an ancestor before 1855? Civil registration begins in 1855. If you are looking for ancestors before then, church records are your best bet. Before 1855, the best records of events in your Scottish ancestors’ lives are baptism, banns, marriage and burial records. Probate, land, and military records may also help.
Remember later civil registrations include parents’ names. Some birth records after 1860 list parents’ marriage date and place. Census records from 1801 to 1911 are available. You can find many of these records at FamilySearch, Ancestry, FindMyPast, and ScotlandsPeople. Most| of these sites are paid sites.
Look at the ‘Coverage of the Old Parish Registers’ on the National Records of Scotland. This gives an outline of what exists for each parish and years. ScotlandsPeople has digitised records for the Church of Scotland and some Catholic and nonconformist churches. You may also be able to find the registers in a local archive. FamilySearch has free indexes of church and civil birth records from 1564 to 1950 and marriage records from 1561 to 1910.
Kirk sessions were held to keep the congregation in check. These are digitized making them more accessible. The church played an important role in helping the poor up until 1845. Scottish poor records both pre and post 1845 may help you locate an ancestor.
After 1855, you have civil registration. These records are organized by registration district and can be found at FamilySearch, Ancestry, FindMyPast and ScotlandsPeople. See our earlier post on Scottish land divisions. Civil registration includes birth, marriage, and death records.
Birth records may include the child’s name, place, date, time of birth as well as parents, father’s occupation, mother’s maiden name, and parents’ marriage place and date. Marriage records may contain the couples’ names, ages, occupations, marriage location and date, religion, parents’ names, fathers’ occupations, and mothers’ maiden name. Death records may include name of deceased, age, gender, occupation, parents’ names, father’s occupation, mother’s maiden name, spouse’s name, and cause of death.
Do you have any tips you use to find your Scottish ancestors? Let us know in the comments below.
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