Cramond, Midlothian, Scotland Genealogy

Scotland

Midlothian

Cramond

Parish #679

Guide to Cramond history, family history, and genealogy: parish registers, census records, birth records, marriage records, and death records.

Cramond, Midlothian, Scotland
Type	Quoad Omnia Parish
Parish Number	679
Civil Jurisdictions
Historic County	Midlothian and West Lothian
Council Area	City of Edinburgh
Registration District	Cramond
Records begin
Parish registers: 1651
Kirk Sessions: 1651
Ecclesiastical Jurisdictions
Presbytery	Edinburgh
Synod	Lothian & Tweeddale
Judicial Jurisdictions
Sheriff Court	Edinburgh and Leith
Commissary Court	Edinburgh

History

CRAMOND, a parish, chiefly in the county of Edinburgh, but partly in that of Linlithgow; including the village of Davidson's-Mains, 5 miles (W. N. W.) from Edinburgh. This place derived its name, originally Caer Amon, from the erection of a fortress on the river Amon or Almond at its influx into the Frith of Forth. The church was erected in 1656, since which time it has been frequently enlarged and repaired. There is a place of worship for members of the Free Church.

For more information about Cramond'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 Edinburgh (FS Catalog book 941 B4sa 3rd ser. v. 15).

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 Cramond, as well as the library numbers for any surname indexes available.

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.

Established Church—Old Parochial Registers

	Years Covered	FS Library Film Number
Births:	1651-1819	1066675
	1819-1854	1066676 item 1-2
Marriages:	1651-1855	1066676 item 1-2
Deaths:	1816-1854	1066676 item 1-2

Condition of Original Registers

Indexed: 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 also be indexed in other FamilySearch collections for Scotland.
Births: Page lost with entries for July–December 1677.
Marriages: There are no entries July 1719–October 1726, December 1761–June 1767. After record for 1819, are transcribed entries, certified by the sheriff, mainly of irregular marriages, 1689–1819.
Deaths: There are only six entries prior to 1820.
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 1651–1878
Poor Accounts 1793–1795
Scroll Minutes 1735–1744, 1748–1750
Note: Available at the National Archives of Scotland, Edinburgh, record CH2/426.

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.

Cramond Free Church, later United Free

History—
Dr. George Muirhead, minister of the parish, then in his eightieth year, with a large part of his congregation “came out” in 1843. The parish covered a wide area lying partly in each of the adjoining counties of Edinburgh and Linlithgow. The eastern section of the congregation met for the first time on May 21st, 1843, in the schoolhouse Davidson’s Mains. The western section met first in a barn at Braehead and afterwards in a barn at the farm at Fair-a-far. By decision of Presbytery the church was placed in Davidson’s Mains. It was opened on December 17th, 1843. A school and schoolhouse were built in 1846.
Membership: 1846, 167; 1900, 282.
Source: Annals of the Free Church of Scotland, 1843–1900, ed. Rev. William Ewing, D.D., 2 vols. pub. 1914. FS Library Film #918572. More details may be given in the source including ministers.

Records—
Minutes 1843–1926
Deacons Court Minutes 1844–1926
Cash Book 1844–1849
Communion Roll 1844–1872
Miscellaneous Vouchers 1843–1892
Note: Available at National Archives of Scotland, Edinburgh, record CH3/1133.

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

Cramond was under the probate jurisdiction of the Commissary Court of Edinburg until 1823, and since then has been under the Sheriff's Court of Edinburg. 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' of Midlothian and the subject of 'Probate records.' Then click on the link to the records of the Commissariat of Edinburg.

The library also has some post-1823 probate records for Midlothian. Look in the library catalog for the 'Place' of Midlothian and the subjects of 'Probate Records' and 'Probate Records - Indexes.'

Read more about Scotland Probate Records.

References

Return to Midlothian Parishes.

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