Dailly, Ayrshire, Scotland Genealogy
Parish #585
Guide to Dailly history, family history, and genealogy: parish registers, census records, birth records, marriage records, and death records.
| Dailly, Ayrshire, Scotland | |
|---|---|
| Type | Quoad Omnia Parish |
| Parish Number | 585 |
| Civil Jurisdictions | |
| Historic County | Ayrshire |
| Council Area | South Ayrshire |
| Registration District | Dailly |
| Records begin | |
| Parish registers: 1691 | |
| Kirk Sessions: 1691 | |
| Ecclesiastical Jurisdictions | |
| Presbytery | Ayr |
| Synod | Glasgow & Ayr |
| Judicial Jurisdictions | |
| Sheriff Court | Ayr and Kilmarnock |
| Commissary Court | Glasgow and Edinburgh |
History
The name given to this parish has probably arisen from its consisting principally of dale or valley stretching along the banks of the river Girvan. Girvan, Maybole, and Dailly are the closet major towns to the parish of Dailly. On the 5th day of July 1836, a day which will long be remembered for the length and violence of the thunder storm which raged over all the lowlands of Scotland, the lightning struck upon the hill in two different places leaving zig-zag fissures extending seven or eight yards. The population in 1801 was 2116, and in 1831 was 2074. The parish registers occupy seven volumes. The first volume begins in 1691 and is in some places is much decayed. During the early parts of the 1700s the records were not regularly kept but have been from 1751. The Established Church has 400 families, the Roman Catholic has 20 families, and the Disenters have 12.
This history was orginially written in 1837.
Source: New Statistical Account of Scotland (FS Library book 941 B4sa, series 2 vol.5)
For more information about Dailly's geography, economy, history, education, and people, see the parish reports in The First and Second Statistical Accounts of Scotland, or the Third Statistical Account for Ayrshire (FS Catalog book 941 B4sa 3rd ser. v. 1).
Census Records
Scottish Censuses were taken every 10 years beginning in 1801. Beginning with the 1841 Census, each individual in the nation was enumerated at the location they slept on a particular day. For more information, including which day each census was taken, read about Scottish Census Records.
Here is a list of the FS Library microfilm numbers for the census records of Dailly as well as the library numbers for any surname indexes available:
| Years | FS Library Film Number | |
| 1841 | 1042732 | CD-ROM no. 2524 |
| 1851 | 1042401 | |
| 1861 | 103801 | |
| 1871 | 103959 | |
| 1881 | 203594 | 6086514 (10 fiche) |
| 1891 | 220210 |
Indexes and images for the 1901, 1911, and 1921 censuses of Scotland are found on ScotlandsPeople ($). Registration is required and there is a small access fee per image. All available censuses, 1841-1921, are indexed on this website.
Church Records
The Established Church in Scotland is the Church of Scotland, a Presbyterian denomination of Christianity. Church of Scotland records generally cover the period of time prior to 1855, when Civil Registration began. Unlike in England, Scottish law never mandated that vital events be registered with the established church. For more information, read about Scottish Church Records.
Here are the pre-1855 records that exist for this parish.
Established Church—Old Parochial Registers
| Years Covered | FS Library Film Number | |
| Births: | 1691-1854 | 1041337 item 1-2 |
| Marriages: | 1692-1854 | 1041337 item 1-2 |
| Deaths: | 1780-1854 | 1041337 item 1-2 |
Condition of Original Registers
Index: For an index to these records, see Scotland’s People website, a pay-for-view website. The Scottish Church Records Index is also still available at the FamilySearch Library in Salt Lake City. Some records may be indexed in FamilySearch Records.
Births: The first four pages, much wasted and many entries imperfect, particularly the dates. Pages are blank December 1705–July 1711. There are two pages of omitted entries 1771–1774 after October 1775. There is a duplicate of portion January 1770–September 1787. Mothers' names were not recorded until 1794.
Marriages: The first four pages are very much wasted and nearly all of the entries are imperfect. They are blank 1700–April 1703 and December 1705–July 1711.
Deaths: The record prior to 1792 is entitled burials, but the dates of death only are recorded throughout.
Source: Key to the Parochial Registers of Scotland, by V. Ben Bloxham, pub. 1970 British book 941 K23b.
Established Church—Kirk Session Records
The kirk session was the court of the parish. The session was made up of the minister and the land owners and businessmen of the parish, chosen to serve on the session. It dealt with moral issues, minor criminal cases, matters of the poor and education, matters of discipline, and the general concerns of the parish. Kirk session records may also mention births, marriages, and deaths.
Here is a list of the surviving Kirk session records for this parish:
Minutes 1691–1703, 1711–1930
Poors' Accounts 1740–1759, 1781–1783, 1792–1798, 1823–1940
Heads of Families 1834–1840
Dailly Sacred Music Society 1828–1832
Communion Rolls 1772–1777
Note:Available at the National Archives of Scotland, Edinburgh, record CH2/392.
Nonconformist Church Records
A nonconformist church is any church that is not the established church (the Church of Scotland). For more information, read about Scottish Nonconformity.
Dailly Free Church
History—
Dr. William Chalmers, minister of the parish, and a large part of his congregation, "came out" at the Disruption. At first they worshiped in the open air. The church was built in 1844; the manse in 1845–1846. A school was maintained up to 1876.
Membership: 1848, 260; 1900, 166.
Source:Annals of the Free Church of Scotland, 1843–1900, ed. Rev. William Ewing, D.D., 2 vols. pub. 1914.Film #918572.
Records—
Minutes 1844–1937
Note: Available at the National Archives of Scotland, Edinburgh, record CH3/321.
Civil Registration Records
Government or civil registration of births, marriages, and deaths is called Statutory Registers in Scotland. The system began 1 January 1855, and each parish had a registrar's office, with large cities having several. Over time, districts merged and split due to changing populations and technological advancements. The system has largely stayed the same over time, with records being created by local registrars and copies sent to the General Register Office in Edinburgh. Initially annual indexes were published, but now these indexes are available online as soon as an event is registered. Many of these records are only available on ScotlandsPeople ($), however the years 1855-1875, 1881, and 1891 are available through FamilySearch(*). For more information, read about Scottish Statutory Registers.
Probate Records
Dailly was under the probate jurisdiction of the Commissary Court of Glasgow until 1823, and since then has been under the Sheriff's Court of Ayr. Probate records for 1513- 1901 are indexed online at www.scotlandspeople.gov.uk. You must register on the website but use of the index to probate records, called 'Wills & Testaments,' is free. You may then purchase a copy of the document or, if the document is before 1823, it will be on microfilm at the FamilySearch Library. To find the microfilm numbers, search in the library catalog for the 'Place-names' of Ayr and the subject of 'Probate records.' Then click on the link to the records of the Commissariat of Glasgow.
The library also has some post-1823 probate records for Ayr. Look in the library catalog for the 'Place-names' of Ayr and the subjects of 'Probate Records' and 'Probate Records - Indexes.'
Read more about Scotland Probate Records.
References
Return to Ayrshire Parishes.