Sources

Sources

wpe3.jpg (3603 bytes)

FIRST OF ALL

Speak to older relatives, listen to and record what they have to say about the past. Too often we do not pay attention to what they tell us. When they have gone we realise that their knowledge has died with them. Once you have found as much information as you can It is then time to consult archival sources. There are several available to the researcher:

STATUTORY RECORDS

1855 was the year when Civil Registration of Births, Marriages and deaths became compulsory in Scotland

CENSUS RETURNS

A Census of the population is taken every ten years. The years open to the general public are from 1841-1901. These census returns are an interesting and important source of social history.

wpe6.jpg (4075 bytes)

OLD PARISH REGISTERS

Prior to 1855 the main source of information are the Parish Registers of the Established Church of Scotland. They contain births, marriages and deaths If your ancestors belonged to a different religion from the Church of Scotland it may be more difficult to locate them.

wpeD.jpg (5841 bytes)

SOME OTHER USEFUL SOURCES

International Genealogical Index

Kirk Session Minutes; Post Office Directories

Wills; Maps; Memorial Inscriptions

Minor Church Records; Register of Deeds

Sasines (transfer of heritable property)

OTHER SERVICES INCLUDE:

Certificate ordering

Charges for individual searches

Photographs taken of gravestones, houses etc in the Edinburgh area

Making contact with other archives