Getting Started With Your Scottish Research: Difference between revisions

Gazetteers and maps help you to understand the relationship between places. Since the 1500’s (and until 1974), place name spellings and jurisdictions have not changed in major ways. Start with a gazetteer first to learn brief information about your place of interest then find the place on a map and see where it lies in relation to other places in the area.  

Gazetteers vary, but they generally state brief information about the civil and ecclesiastical jurisdictions of a place, where it is located in relation to a larger place, and historical facts. Consider looking in several gazetteers and comparing information given. One published in 1837 may state different information than one published in 1865, though both are correct.  

Maps also vary in size and content. The size of your place, creation date and the purpose for which the map was made are factors in whether or not you will find it. In general, most Scotish places did not drastically change their names, or have major jurisdictional changes. Topographical maps show the elevation of the terrain by the coloring, to indicate the elevation of the terrain. Study a map to see how your place relates to the surrounding area. Usually parish maps are available for each county, indicating the relationship between parishes. How does the parish boundary correspond to the topographical area? Is your place near the border by the sea, another county or country? Where are the hills, rivers, canals or main roads? Is it an urban or rural area? All of these factors influenced your family and their movements.