Scotland Record Finder
The table below can help you decide which type of Scottish records to search. Similar types of records in the country to which your ancestor immigrated may provide the information you need. Column 1 lists types of information you may need. Column 2 lists the sections of this outline that discusses the records that are most likely to have the information you need. Column 3 lists other sections that may be useful. The section headings used in columns 2 and 3 are the same headings as those used in the Locality Search of the Family History Library Catalog.
| 1. If You Need | 2. Look First In | 3. Then Search |
| Age | Census, Civil Registration, Church Records | Cemeteries, Military Records, Biography |
| Birth date | Civil Registration, Church Records | Cemeteries, Genealogy, Military Records, Newspapers, Occupations, Biography |
| Birthplace | Census, Church Records, Civil Registration, | Cemeteries, Genealogy, Newspapers, Military Records, Occupations, Biography |
| Boundaries of parishes, districts, and counties | Gazetteers | History, Maps |
| Death | Cemeteries, Church Records, Civil Registration, Newspapers | Court Records, Probate Records, Land and Property, Biography |
| Historical background | Genealogy, History | Church History |
| Emigration date | Emigration and Immigration, | Church Records |
| Language helps | Language and Languages | |
| Living relatives | Civil Registration, Directories, Census | Newspapers, Periodicals, Societies, Biography |
| Maiden name | Civil Registration, Church Records | Cemeteries, Census, Land and Property, Probate Records, Biography |
| Marriage | Church Records, Civil Registration, | Biography, Genealogy, Newspapers, Nobility |
| Occupation | Church Records, Census, Directories, Civil Registration, Occupations, Probate Records | Court Records; Poorhouses, Poor Law, Etc.; Land and Property, Biography |
| Parents, children, and other family members | Census, Church Records, Civil Registration, Probate Records | Cemeteries, Land and Property, Schools, Biography |
| Physical description | Military Records, Court Records | Biography, Newspapers, Occupations |
| Place-finding aids | Gazetteers, Maps | Directories, History, Historical Geography, Land and Property, Periodicals |
| Places of residence | Census, Church Records, Civil Registration, Directories | Land and Property, Probate Records, Biography |
| Place of residence when you know only the county | Civil Registration, Church Records, Land and Property, Probate Records, Taxation, Census | Cemeteries |
| Previous research (compiled genealogy) | Biography, Genealogy, Societies | Nobility, Periodicals |
| Record-finding aids | Archives and Libraries, Genealogy | Periodicals, Societies |
| Religion | Biography, Church Records, Civil Registration | Census, Cemeteries, Genealogy, History |
| Understanding names | Names (Personal) |