David Dobson

David Dobson is a recognized authority on the Scottish origins of American colonists.

Guides

Dobson has published several guides to genealogical research in Scotland:

• Scottish Genealogy Research. Baltimore, Md.: GPC, 2010. FHL British Book 941 D27dd
• Scottish Maritime Records, 1600-1850: A Guide for Family Historians. Baltimore, Md.: GPC, 1997. FHL British Book 941 U3ddob
• Searching for Scotch-Irish Roots in Scottish Records 1600-1750. Baltimore, Md.: Clearfield, 2007. FHL British Book 941 D27d

The University of Georgia published his history of Scottish emigration to the American colonies:

• Scottish Emigration to Colonial America, 1607-1785. Athens, Ga.: University of Georgia Press, 1994. FHL US/CAN Book 970 W2dd

Dobson has also compiled a list of Scottish surnames found in early America:

• The Scottish Surnames of Colonial America. Baltimore, Md.: Clearfield, 2003. FHL US/CAN Book 973 D46d

Scots Abroad, Maritime, and Shipping

Americans mentioned in Scottish records

• American Data from the Aberdeen Journal, 1748-1783. Baltimore, Md.: Clearfield, 1998. FHL British Book 941.25/A1 B3d
• American Data from the Records of the High Court of the Admiralty of Scotland, 1675-1800. Baltimore, Md.: Clearfield, 2000. FHL British Book 941 P2a
• American Vital Records from the Gentleman's Magazine, 1731-1868. Baltimore, Md.: Genealogical Publishing Company [GPC], 1987. FHL US/CAN Book 973 V22d
• "Genealogical Gleanings in the British Isles," National Genealogical Society Quarterly, Vol. 76 (1988):230-234.
  
• "Genealogical Gleanings from Scotland," National Genealogical Society Quarterly (with Peter Wilson Coldham)

• Vol. 73 (1985):8-14, 291-293
• Vol. 74 (1986):171-173
• Vol. 81, No. 2 (June 1993):139-140. FHL Book 973 B2ng [includes 1807 ship's passenger list, New York City found in the National Archives, U.K.]

• "Genealogical Gleanings from Scotland: Nineteenth-Century Relief Recipients Immigrating to America," National Genealogical Society Quarterly, Vol. 82, No. 1 (March 1994):58. FHL Book 973 B2ng
• Scottish-American Court Records, 1733-1783. Baltimore, Md.: GPC, 1991. FHL British and US/CAN Books 941 P2d
• Scottish-American Gravestones, 1700-1900. Baltimore, Md.: Clearfield, 1998. FHL British Book 941 V3dd
• Scottish-American Heirs, 1683-1883. Baltimore, Md.: GPC, 1990. FHL British and US/CAN Books 941 D2d
• Scottish-American Wills, 1650-1900. Baltimore, Md.: GPC, 1991. FHL British and US/CAN Books 941 P22d

Mariners series

• Scottish Seafarers of the Seventeenth Century. [Edinburgh]: Scottish Association of Family History Societies, 1992. FHL British Book 941 U2dd
• Scottish Seafarers of the Eighteenth Century. n.p.: Scottish Association of Family History Societies, 1996. FHL British Book 941 U3d
• Scottish Seafarers 1800-1830. St. Andrews, Scotland: David Dobson, 1997. FHL British Book 941 U3dda

• A Directory of Seafarers of the East Neuk of Fife 1580-1800: A Genealogical Source Book. St. Andrews, Scotland: D. Dobson, 2008. FHL British Book 941.33 U2d
• The Mariners of Aberdeen and Northern Scotland, 1700-1800. St. Andrews, Scotland: D. Dobson, 1994. FHL British Book 941 U3ddo
• Mariners of Aberdeen and Northern Scotland, 1600-1800. Westminster, Md.: Willow Bend Books, 1997, 2000. FHL British Book 941 U3ddo 2000
• The Mariners of Angus, 1600-1700. St. Andrews, Scotland: Historical & Genealogical Research, 1992. FHL British Book 941.31 U2d
• The Mariners of the Clyde and Western Scotland. 2 vols. St. Andrews, Scotland: D. Dobson, 1994-1999. FHL British Books 941 U3dd pt. 1-2
• The Mariners of Kirkcaldy and West Fife, 1600-1700. St. Andrews, Scotland: Historical & Genealogical Research, 1992. FHL British Book 941.33/K1 U2d
• The Mariners of Kirkcaldy, St. Andrews and Fife: 1600-1800. Westminster, Md.: Willow Bend Books, 2000. Menlo Park FHC Book 941.33 D656mk
• The Mariners of the Lothians, 1600-1800. n.p.: Willow Bend Books, 1998. FHL British Book 941.445 U3d
• The Mariners of St Andrews and the East Neuk of Fife. St. Andrews, Scotland: Historical & Genealogical Research, 1992. FHL British Book 941.33/S2 U2d

• Scottish Transatlantic Merchants, 1611-1785. Baltimore, Md.: Clearfield, 2007. FHL US/CAN Book 973 F2ddm

• Scottish Whalers before 1800. St. Andrews, Scotland: D. Dobson, 1995. FHL British Book 941 U2dda pt. 1

Scots Abroad series

Arranged by destination

• The Scots Abroad, 1650-1900: [Part One]. n.p.: Scottish Association of Family History Societies, 2003. FHL British Book 941 W2do
• Scots in Africa. St. Andrews, Scotland: D. Dobson, 1999. FHL High Density Book 960 F2dd v. 1
• Directory of Scots, Banished to the American Plantations, 1650-1775. Baltimore, Md.: GPC, 1983. FHL British and US/CAN Books 973 W2dd
• Directory of Scots, Banished to the American Plantations, 1650-1775. Baltimore, Md.: Clearfield, 1996. Logan FSL Book US W 2d
• Directory of Scots, Banished to the American Plantations, 1650-1775. Baltimore, Md.: Clearfield, 2010. FHL US/CAN Book 973 W2dd 2010
• Directory of Scottish Settlers in North America, 1625-1825. 7 vols. Baltimore, Md.: GPC, 1984-1993. FHL British and US/CAN Books 941 W2dd v. 1-7
• The French and Indian War [America] from Scottish Sources. Baltimore, Md.: Clearfield, 2003. FHL US/CAN Book 973 M2dd
• Scottish Immigrants to North America 1600s-1800s: The Collected Works of David Dobson. Baltimore, Md.: GPC, 2011. FHL US/CAN CD-ROM no. 7401 v. 2
• Huguenotand Scots Links, 1575-1775. Baltimore, Md.: Clearfield, 2005. FHL British Book 941 F2d
• The Original Scots Colonists of Early America, 1612-1783. 3 vols. Baltimore, Md.: GPC, 1989, 1998-1999. FHL US/CAN Books 973 W2do and supps.
• More Scottish Settlers [America], 1627-1827. Baltimore, Md.: Clearfield, 2005, 2007. FHL US/CAN Book 973 F2dd
• Scots in the American West, 1783-1883. Baltimore, Md.: GPC, 2003. FHL US/CAN Book 973 F2ds
• A Directory of Scots in Asia 1600-1900 [part one]. St. Andrews, Scotland: D. Dobson, 2008. FHL British Book 941 D2dda v. 1
• A Directory of Scots in Australasia, 1788-1900. St. Andrews, Scotland: D. Dobson, 1994. FHL British Book 994 F2do v. 1-3
• Barbadosand Scotland Links, 1627-1877. Baltimore, Md.: Clearfield, 2005. FHL INTL Book 972.981 W2d
• A Directory of Scots in the Carolinas, 1680-1830. 2 vols. Baltimore, Md.: GPC, 1986. FHL US/CAN Book 975 F2d
• Scots on the Chesapeake, 1607-1830. Baltimore, Md.: GPC, 1992. FHL US/CAN Book 973 W2dda
• Scots-Dutch Links in Europe and America, 1575-1825. 2 vols. Baltimore, Md.: Clearfield, 2004-11. FHL High Density Book 949.2 F28d and FHL INTL Book 949.2 F28d v. 2
• Scots-French Links in Europe and America 1550-1850. Baltimore, Md.: Clearfield, 2011. FHL British Book 941 D2ddf
• Scots in Georgia and the Deep South, 1735-1845. Baltimore, Md.: GPC, 2000. FHL US/CAN Book 975.8 D2dd
• Scottish-German Links, 1550-1850. Baltimore, Md.: Clearfield, 2007. FHL High Density Book 943 F2d
• Scottish-German Links, 1550-1850. Baltimore, Md.: Clearfield, 2011. FHL High Density Book 943 F2d 2011.
• Scots-IrishLinks, 1575-1725. 9 parts. Baltimore, Md.: GPC, 2001-13. FHL British Books 941 W2ddo 2001 pt. 1-9
• Later Scots-Irish Links, 1725-1825. 3 vols. Baltimore, Md.: Clearfield, 2003-2006. FHL British Books 941 W2ddoa v. 1-3
• Scots-IrishLinks: 1825-1900. Baltimore, Md.: Clearfield, 2009. FHL British Book 941.5 F2d
• Scots in Jamaica 1655-1855. Baltimore, Md.: Clearfield, 2011. FHL High Density Book 972.92 F2d
• Scots in Latin America. Baltimore, Md.: Clearfield, 2003. FHL INTL Book 980 F2dd
• Scots in the Mid-Atlantic Colonies, 1635-1783. Baltimore, Md.: GPC, 2002. FHL US/CAN Book 974 F2dds
• Scots in the Mid-Atlantic States, 1783-1883. Baltimore, Md.: GPC, 2002. FHL US/CAN Book 974 F2dd
• Scots in New England. Baltimore, Md.: GPC, 2002. FHL US/CAN Book 974 F2ds
• Scots-Scandinavian Links in Europe and America, 1550-1850. Baltimore, Md.: Clearfield, 2005. Menlo Park California FHC Book 941.1 D635
• Scots in Poland, Russia and the Baltic States, 1550-1850. 2 vols. Baltimore, Md.: Clearfield, 2000-2009. FHL INTL Books 940 F2dd v. 1-2
• Scots in Southern Europe: 1600-1900. Baltimore, Md.: GPC, 2013. FHL British Book 941 W2dds
• Scots in the USA and Canada, 1825-1900. St. Andrews, Scotland: D. Dobson, 200-?. FHL US/CAN Book 970 W2dds pt. 1
• Scots in the USA and Canada, 1825-1875. 6 vols. Baltimore, Md.: Clearfield, 1998-2013. FHL US/CAN Books 970 W2ds pts. 1-6
• Scots in the West Indies, 1707-1857. 2 vols. Baltimore, Md.: Clearfield, 1998-2006. FHL INTL Books 972.9 W2d v. 1-2

Arranged by Scottish region

• The Scots Overseas: Emigrants and Adventurers from Aberdeen and North East Scotland, Fife, Moray and Banff, Angus and Perth, Southern Scotland, Glasgow and the West of Scotland, Orkney and Shetland, the Lothians, and the Northern Highlands. Westminster, Md.: Willow Bend Books, 2000. FHL British Book 941 W2da
• The Scots Overseas: Emigrants and Adventurers from Argyll and North Highlands. 2 vols. St. Andrews: David Dobson, 1993-2000. FHL British Books 941.38 W2d pt. 1-2
• Scots Overseas: Emigrants and Adventurers from the Lothians. St. Andrews, Scotland: D. Dobson, 1995. FHL British Book 941 W2ddob
• Scots Overseas: Emigrants and Adventurers from Southern Scotland. St. Andrews, Scotland: D. Dobson, 1994. FHL British Book 941 W2ddb

Arranged by religion

• Scottish Catholics at Home and Abroad 1680-1780. Baltimore, Md.: Clearfield, 2010. FHL British Book 941 K2dd
• Scots Episcopalians: At Home and Abroad 1689-1800. Baltimore, Md.: Clearfield, 2011. FHL British Book 941 K2dde
• Scottish Quakers and Early America, 1650-1700. [Baltimore, Md.:] Clearfield, 1998. FHL US/CAN Book 974.9 A1 no. 131

Soldiers

• Scottish Soldiers in Colonial America. 4 parts. St. Andrews, Scotland: D. Dobson, 1995-1997. FHL British Book 941 M2d 1997 and

FHL British Books 941 M2d v. 3-4

• Scottish Soldiers in Continental Europe. St. Andrews, Scotland: D. Dobson, 1997. FHL British Book 941 M2dd pt. 1

Shipping

• Ships from Scotland to America, 1628-1828. 4 vols. Baltimore, Md.: GPC, 1998-. FHL US/CAN Books 973 W3d v. 1-4
• Ships from Scotland to North America 1830-1860. 2 vols. Baltimore, Md.: Clearfield, 2002-8. FHL US/CAN Books 970 U3d v. 1-2

"This book attempts to bring together evidence of voyages from Scandinavia, Germany, the Netherlands, France, Scotland, Ireland, Wales and the Channel Islands to North America and the West Indies and is based on both primary and secondary sources in Europe and America." -- Introd.:

• Transatlantic Voyages 1600-1699. 2nd ed. Baltimore, Md.: Clearfield, 2008. FHL US/CAN Book 970 W2dt 2008

• Aberdeen Shipping 1751-1753: Ships, Shipmasters, and Voyages. St. Andrews, Scotland: D. Dobson, 2007. FHL British Book 941.25 U3d
• The Shipping of Dundee and Montrose, 1720 to 1750: Ships, Shipmasters, and Voyages. St. Andrews, Scotland: D. Dobson, 2005. FHL British Book 941.31 U3d
• Dundee Shipping 1760-1769: Ships, Shipmasters, and Voyages. St. Andrews, Scotland: D. Dobson, 2007. FHL British Book 941.31/D1 U3d
• The Shipmasters of Dundee 1775 to 1825. St. Andrews, Scotland: D. Dobson, [200-?]. FHL British Book 941.31/D1 U2d
• The Shipping of Perth 1716-1767: Ships, Shipmasters, and Voyages. St. Andrews, Scotland: D. Dobson, 2005. FHL British Book 941.32/P1 U3d

Scottish People

Dr. Dobson has compiled a large number of books designed to help researchers identify people who lived in Scotland in the 1600s and 1700s. He uses many sources that supplement more commonly-used parochial records and testaments.

Burgess Rolls

• The Burgess Rolls of Fife, 1700-1800, and St. Andrew's, 1700-1775. Westminster, Md.: Willow Bend Books, 2000. FHL British Book 941.33 X2d pt. 1; Menlo Park California FHC Book 941.33 X2d
• The Burgess Roll of St. Andrews, 1751-1775. St. Andrews, Scotland: D. Dobson, 1995. FHL British Book 941.33/S2 X2d
• Burgesses of Perth 1600-1699. St. Andrews, Scotland: D. Dobson, 2002. FHL British Book 941.32/P1 X2d

Hearth Taxes

• Hearth Tax Records, 1691, Brechin & Neighboring Parishes. St. Andrews, Scotland: D. Dobson, [200-?]. FHL British Book 941.31/B1 R4d
• Hearth Tax Records, 1691: Forfar & Neighboring Parishes. St. Andrews, Scotland: D. Dobson, 2007. FHL British Book 941.31 R4ddf
• Hearth Tax Records, 1691: Kirriemuir and Neighboring Parishes. St. Andrews, Scotland: D. Dobson, 2007. FHL British Book 941.31 R4ddk
• Hearth Tax Records, 1691, Montrose and Neighboring Parishes. St. Andrews, Scotland: D. Dobson, 2007. FHL British Book 941.31/M1 R4d
• Hearth Tax Records, 1691: Sidlaw Parishes from Newtyle to Monikie. St. Andrews, Scotland: D. Dobson, 2007. FHL British Book 941.31 R4dds
• Hearth Tax Records, Angus Coastal Parishes from Monifieth to Arbroath, 1691. St. Andrews, Scotland: D. Dobson, 2006. FHL British Book 941.31 R4d
• Hearth Tax Records, Burgh of Dundee, 1691. St. Andrews, Scotland: D. Dobson, 200-?. FHL British Book 941.31/D1 R4d

Jacobites

• The Jacobites of Angus, 1689-1746. 2 parts. Baltimore, Md.: Clearfield, 1997. FHL British Book 941.31 H2d
• Jacobites of the '15. Scotland: Scottish Association of Family History Societies, 1993. FHL British Book 941 H2dd

The People of Scotland series

• The People of Arbroath, 1700-1799: A Genealogical Source Book. St. Andrews, Scotland: D. Dobson, 2008. FHL British Book 941.31/A1 D2d
• The People of Brechin: A Genealogical Source Book, 1600-1799. 2 vols. St. Andrews, Scotland: D. Dobson, 2008. FHL British Book 941.31/B1 D2d 1600-1699
• People of Carnoustie, Barry and Panbride 1600-1799: A Genealogical Source Book. St. Andrews, Scotland: D. Dobson, 2008. FHL British Book 941.31 D2dc
• The People of Cupar 1600-1799: A Genealogical Source Book. Dundee, Scotland: D. Dobson, 2009. FHL British Book 941.33/C4 D2d
• The People of Dundee: Part One 1600-1699; Part Two 1700-1799. Baltimore, Md.: Clearfield, 2009. FHL British Book 941.31/D1 D2d v. 1-2
• The People of Dundee, 1700-1799: A Genealogical Source Book. St. Andrews, Scotland: D. Dobson, 2008. FHL British Book 941.31/D1 D2d
• The People of Eastern Perthshire 1600-1799: A Genealogical Source Book. St. Andrews, Scotland: D. Dobson, 2009. FHL British Book 941.32 D2dd
• The People of Edinburgh, 1725-1775. Baltimore, Md.: Clearfield, 2012. FHL British Book 941.445/E1 D2d
• People of Ferry-port-on-Craig, Forgan and Balmerino: A Genealogical Source Book. Dundee, Scotland: D. Dobson, 2010. FHL British Book 941.33 D2d
• The People of Lowland Perthshire, 1600-1799: Carse of Gowrie, Strathearn, Western Strathmore. FHL Book 941.32 D2ddL
• People of the Scottish Burghs: A Genealogical Source Book: The People of Montrose 1600-1799. Baltimore, Md.: Clearfield, 2014. FHL Book 941.31/M1 D2da
• People of the Scottish Burghs: Perth, 1600-1799. Part One and Part Two. Baltimore, Md.: GPC-Clearfield Company, 2009. Orange County California FSL 941 A1 no. 12

Occupations

• Scottish Goldsmiths, 1600-1800. [Westminster, Md.]: Willow Bend Books, 1998. Menlo Park California FHC Book 941 U2do
• Scottish Schoolmasters of the Seventeenth Century. 1995; reprint, n.p.: Willow Bend Books, 1998. FHL British Book 941 J2d

Irish Abroad

• Irish Emigrants in North America. 2 vols. St. Andrews, Scotland: David Dobson, 1994. FHL British and US/CAN Books 970 W22dd pt. 1-2
• Irish Emigrants in North America. 7 vols. Baltimore, Md.: GPC, 1997-2000. FHL US/CAN Books 970 W22dd pt. 1-7 and Orange County California FSL Books 941.5 W3d pts. 1-5

• Ships from Ireland to Early America, 1623-1850. 3 vols. Baltimore, Md.: Clearfield, 1999-2010. FHL US/CAN Books 973 W3ds v. 1-3

Irish People in British Sources

• Irish Vital Records from the Scots Magazine 1739-1836. Baltimore, Md.: GPC, 2013. Logan Utah FSL Ireland Dob
• Irish Wills and Testaments in Great Britain, 1600-1700. [Lovettsville, Va.]: Willowbend Books, 1998. Oakland California FSL Book 941 P2dd

Jews in Great Britain

• The Jewish Presence in Early British Records, 1650-1850. FHL Book 942 K3d

Other American Colonists

• Dutch Colonists in the Americas 1615-1815. Baltimore, Md.: Clearfield, 2008. FHL US/CAN Book 970 F2d
• The French in the Americas 1620-1820. Baltimore, Md.: Clearfield, 2011. FHL US/CAN Book 970 F2dd