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Scotland Church Records: Difference between revisions
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The staff of the Family History Library has compiled a resource called the [[Scotland Church Records Union Lists|Scotland Church Records Union List]] which strives to identify all pre-1855 churches in Scotland and whether they have surviving records. It also contains brief parish and congregation histories. This information, arranged by county then parish, is available through the Wiki by searching for a [[Scotland Old Counties pre 1974 and New Counties post 1974|county]] or parish of interest. <!--{12088846945560} --><!--{12088846945561} --><!--{12088846945562} --><!--{12088846945563} --><!--{12088846945564} --><!--{12088846945565} --> | The staff of the Family History Library has compiled a resource called the [[Scotland Church Records Union Lists|Scotland Church Records Union List]] which strives to identify all pre-1855 churches in Scotland and whether they have surviving records. It also contains brief parish and congregation histories. This information, arranged by county then parish, is available through the Wiki by searching for a [[Scotland Old Counties pre 1974 and New Counties post 1974|county]] or parish of interest. <!--{12088846945560} --><!--{12088846945561} --><!--{12088846945562} --><!--{12088846945563} --><!--{12088846945564} --><!--{12088846945565} --> | ||
== Searching <br> == | == Searching <br> == | ||
The term | The term ''Old Parochial Registers'' refers to parish registers kept by the Presbyterian Church (Church of Scotland) from the time the church began keeping registers up to the year 1855. The amount of information in registers varies from parish to parish. Later records generally give more complete information than earlier ones. Some early parish registers may be in Latin. Scotland has its own version of English, so you may need to use a dictionary to understand some words. Read more in [https://wiki.familysearch.org/en/Scotland_Language_and_Languages Scotland Language and Languages]. | ||
Most parish registers begin after 1650. Some kirk session (parish court) records begin earlier than the parish registers. Kirk session records may have some christening, marriage, and burial records in them. | Most parish registers begin after 1650. Some kirk session (parish court) records begin earlier than the parish registers. Kirk session records may have some christening, marriage, and burial records in them. | ||
Before searching parish registers, the International Genealogical Index (IGI) and | Before searching parish registers, the International Genealogical Index (IGI) and [http://www.scotlandspeople.gov.uk/ ScotlandsPeople] should be search. These serve as indexes to the records. | ||
=== Christenings (Baptisms) <br> === | === Christenings (Baptisms) <br> === | ||
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Church officials recorded christenings in the parish registers. Therefore, it is necessary to know what church the person belonged to and in what parish the church was located. | Church officials recorded christenings in the parish registers. Therefore, it is necessary to know what church the person belonged to and in what parish the church was located. | ||
Records of civil parishes and a listing of counties of Scotland, including the overall dates of old parochial records, are held in Edinburgh. | Records of civil parishes and a listing of counties of Scotland, including the overall dates of old parochial records, are held in Edinburgh. | ||
=== Marriages <br> === | === Marriages <br> === | ||
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Caution: The proclaiming of banns is not proof that the couple married. | Caution: The proclaiming of banns is not proof that the couple married. | ||
Another acceptable practice acknowledged in early Scotland was that of the [[Scotland Handfast Tradition|Handfast]]. <!--{12055090632345} --> | Another acceptable practice acknowledged in early Scotland was that of the [[Scotland Handfast Tradition|Handfast]]. <!--{12055090632345} --> | ||
=== Burials <br> === | === Burials <br> === | ||
Few burial records were kept before 1855. It is important to know that many women, when their husbands died, reverted to their maiden names and were buried under that name. Burial records usually give: | Few burial records were kept before 1855. It is important to know that many women, when their husbands died, reverted to their maiden names and were buried under that name. Burial records usually give: | ||
The deceased’s name | *The deceased’s name | ||
*Burial date | |||
The burial records may provide: | |||
Age at the time of death | *Age at the time of death | ||
*The name of the spouse | |||
*The names of the parents | |||
*Witnesses | |||
'''Additional Information:''' | '''Additional Information:''' | ||
Instead of actual burials, the parish registers often list people who paid mortcloth dues. The mortcloth was a cloth used to cover the body during the burial ceremony. | Instead of actual burials, the parish registers often list people who paid mortcloth dues. The mortcloth was a cloth used to cover the body during the burial ceremony. These lists do not mention everyone who was buried. They mention the rich who donated the cloths to the church and the very poor who could not pay to use the mortcloth. | ||
If you cannot find burial records, try to find tombstone inscriptions. (See the [[Scotland Cemeteries|Cemeteries]] section for more information on tombstone inscriptions.) | If you cannot find burial records, try to find tombstone inscriptions. (See the [[Scotland Cemeteries|Cemeteries]] section for more information on tombstone inscriptions.) | ||
'''Note:''' ''Quoad sacra ''parishes are those set up for ecclesiastical purposes to take care of those people who could not conveniently attend the parish church. To find records of people living in quoad sacra parishes, you must search the surrounding parishes. <!--{12055090632346} --><!--{12055090632347} --><!--{12055090632348} --><!--{12055090632349} --><!--{120550906323410} --><!--{120550906323411} --><!--{120550906323412} --><!--{120550906323413} --><!--{120550906323414} --><!--{120550906323415} --> | |||
== Accessing Records <br> == | == Accessing Records <br> == | ||