Scotland

Scotland census research

Scottish national censuses are taken on the same dates as those in England and Wales, but have different rules and arrangements. As in the south, the first census that’s really useful to family historians is the 1841 record, as it lists all the people within each household. Further details, such as family relationships, occupations and birthplaces, were added as time went on. Scottish censuses are subject to strict rules that keep them private for 100 years, so 1901 is the most recent record that’s currently available.

Census records are held by the General Register Office for Scotland, and you can view them in person at the ScotlandsPeople Centre in Edinburgh. You’ll find full transcriptions of the records from 1841-1901, with all the details from the original records, on Ancestry.

Scotland vital records

• Parish registers - Civil registration was introduced later in Scotland than in England – in 1855. Before this year, the best resources for tracing vital events are the registers of christenings, marriages and burials kept by the established church – in this case the Church of Scotland. These records are less reliable than their English counterparts, due to inconsistent recording and preservation. However, they remain an essential resource.

  You’ll find a growing collection of parish registers on Ancestry, with both searchable transcriptions and images of original records. If we don’t yet have records for your area, the best place to start is the local record office

• Civil registers - After 1855, you should find all your ancestors’ events listed in the state registers. These are more detailed than their English counterparts, with gems such as the date of the parents’ marriage in birth entries, and the mothers’ maiden names for marriages. You can search the indexes, and indeed view many of the original entries, at the ScotlandsPeople Centre. For more recent records, you’ll need to order an official copy while you’re there.

Scotland research routes

These organisations provide records, help and advice to support your Scottish research. Also bear in mind that many counties and towns keep extensive family history records in record offices, libraries and genealogical or historical societies, so always check for a local resource.

• ScotlandsPeople Centre: Access key Scottish resources such as birth, marriage and death records, wills, censuses and coats of arms, going back almost 500 years. Staff are on hand to offer help and advice.
• National Library of Scotland: The Library maintains a large collection of resources, such as maps, manuscripts and family and estate archives.
• National Archives of Scotland (NAS): Search an extensive collection of wills and testaments, emigration records, court documents and much more.
• Scottish Genealogy Society: The Society is a charity which exists to serve everyone who has an interest in Scottish genealogy. There are no formal requirements for membership, no joining fee and the annual subscription is very reasonable.
• Genuki Scotland: GENUKI is a "virtual reference library" of genealogical information. Its Scottish resources are particularly strong, with separate pages for all the most important record types, and county sections.
• Scottish Archive Network (SCAN): The main SCAN website details the holdings of more than 20,000 archives around Scotland. It also maintains sites on handwriting and preservation.
• The Court of the Lord Lyon: The Court is the heraldic authority for Scotland and deals with all matters relating to Scottish Heraldry and Coats of Arms.