We aim not
only to trace your ancestry as far back as
possible, but also to explore your
family history We are based in Edinburgh,
with our offices just a short walk from New
Register House, where Statutory Birth, Marriage,
and Death certificates are held here, covering
the whole of Scotland, as are Census returns
(1841-1901), Old Parish Registers etc...
See
an Example
Standard Report of an Ancestral Search.
Depending
on the circumstances, we would consult: -
1) Statutory
Birth, Marrage and Death Certificates (Post
~ 1855)
Although
civil registration did not start in Scotland
until 1855 (eighteen years after England),
the information given on Scottish certificates
is generally more comprehensive.
For example
the Scottish marriage certificate can provide
a mass of interesting information:-
Date and
place, religion, full name, age, status, address,
occupation for both parties. It should also
give the names and occupations of their parents.
Reproduced by permission of Registrar
General of Scotland
2) Census
Returns (1841 ~ 1901)
The census enumerators' returns were (and
still are) household surveys carried out every
10 years from 1841.
They also
provide useful and interesting information
such as name, age, occupation, relation to
head, and place of birth for every person
staying at the address on the night the census
was carried out.
These constitute
an enormous fund of information for the seeker
of family history. The most recent census
returns open to the public are those for 1901.
Reproduced by permission of Registrar General
of Scotland
3) Old Parish
Registers (Pre ~ 1855)
Before 1855
all records were grouped according to parish
- there are just over 900 Scottish parishes
in total.
Records vary
greatly from one parish to another in availability,
quality and legibility. Nevertheless, Old
Parish Registers constitute the main source
of information prior to the mid-19th century.
Reproduced by permission of Registrar
General of Scotland
