Gairloch, Ross and Cromarty, Scotland

Scotland

Ross and Cromarty

Gairloch

Parish #66

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

Gairloch, Ross and Cromarty, Scotland
Type	Quoad Omnia Parish
Parish Number	66
Civil Jurisdictions
Historic County	Ross-shire
Council Area	Highland
Registration District	Gairloch Northern and Gairloch Southern
Records begin
Parish registers: 1781
Kirk Sessions: None extant
Ecclesiastical Jurisdictions
Presbytery	Lochcarron
Synod	Glenelg
Judicial Jurisdictions
Sheriff Court	Cromarty, Dingwall, Stornoway, and Tain
Commissary Court	Ross

History

GAIRLOCH, a parish, in the county of Ross and Cromarty, 60 miles (W. by N.) from Dingwall; including the islands of Horisdale and Longo, the late quoad sacra district of Poolewe, and part of that of Shieldag. This place takes its name from a salt-water lake called Gairloch, from the Gaelic word gearr, signifying "short." The church, built in 1791, and repaired in 1834, accommodates 385 persons with sittings.

The name of the parish is compounded of gearr, short, and loch. This parish takes its name from a salt water loch of the same name. It is bounded on the south by an arm of the sea called Loch Torridon, that runs in between it and the parish of Applecross; on the north, by the river Gruinard, that separates it from the parish of Lochbroom; on the east, by a chain of hills, where the mountain streams running towards the east and west coasts, separate; on the west, by the Minch, that separates the Long Island, or Lewis, from the main land.

This parish has been fortunate as most of its neighbors, in being the birth place and residence of eminent men, of which William Ross, the celebrated Gaelic bard, was born in 1762 in the parish of Strath, Isle of Skye.

The land-owners of the parish are; Sir Francis Alexander M’Kenzie of Gairloch, Bart.; Sir George Stewart M’Kenzie of Coul, Bart.; Duncan Davison, Esq. of Tulloch; James Alexander Stewart M’Kenzie, Esq. of Seaforth; and Hector M’Kenzie, Esq. of Letterewe.

The population in 1801 was 1437, and increased to 4445 by 1831.

There are no parochial registers kept in the parish previous to 1802; since that period, they have been regularly kept.
The parish church is as conveniently situated as it could well be, considering the extent of the parish; its distance from the eastern extremity of the parish, is twenty-eight miles; from the southern, fifteen miles; from the western, twelve miles; and from the northern extremity, twenty miles. The church was built in 1791, and has accommodations for 500 sitters.

This account was written September 1836.

Source: New Statistical Account of Scotland for Gairloch, FS Library book 941 B4sa, series 2 vol. 14.

For more information about Gairloch'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 Ross & Cromarty 941 B4sa 3rd.

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.

Census returns for Gairloch (parish 66), 1841-1891 and library numbers for any surname indexes available:

Years	FS Library Film Number	Surname Indexes
1841	1042626	6037266 (6 fiche)
1851	1042008, 1042009	941.39 X2a
1861	0103905	none
1871	0104091	none
1881	0203409	6086658 (4 fiche)
1891	0208625	none

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.

Pre-1855 records that exist for this parish:

Established Church—Old Parochial Registers

Record Type	Years Covered	FS Library Film Number
Births:	1781-1853	0990583 item 1
Marriages:	1803-1854	0990583 item 1
Deaths:	No entries	none

Condition of Original Registers—

Index: For an index to these records, see ScotlandsPeople ($). 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: The record was begun in 1802; the entries prior to that date are irregular. The records are incomplete 1814–1819. There is a supplement at the end of the record.
Marriages: The records are incomplete around 1814–1819. There is a supplement at the end of the record.
Source: Key to the Parochial Registers of Scotland, by V. Ben Bloxham, pub. 1970. FS Catalog 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.

Surviving Kirk session records for this parish:

There are no records available.

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.

Gairloch Free Church

History
To provide for the adherents of the Free Church in the district, a catechist was appointed immediately after the Disruption. A minister was settled in 1844. His call was signed by upwards of 1000 persons. Later the membership suffered through emigration, especially of the young people.
Membership:1855, 750; 1900, 63.
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 available in the source, including ministers.

Records
The extent of records is unknown.

Kinlochewe Aultbea Free Church

History
In July 1844, in response to a petition to the Presbytery from the adherents of the Free Church in Kinlochewe, the minister of Gairloch was asked to preach there as frequently as possible. He started the movement for the building of a church in 1871. The population then numbered about 300 over fourteen years of ages and there was no place of worship within 19 miles. Regular services were begun in 1875. The charge was sanctioned in 1889.
Membership: 1889, 173; 1900, 19.
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 available in the source, including ministers.

Records
There are no pre-1855 records. Check for records of Gairloch.

Poolewe Free Church

History
The minister of Poolewe, and his congregation "came out" in 1843. He was soon called to Tarbert and a probationer was placed in charge. The charge was sanctioned in 1847, and shortly thereafter the church, manse, and school were erected.
Membership: 1855, 1000; 1900, 153.
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 available in the source, including ministers.

Records
The extent of records is unknown.

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

Gairloch was under the probate jurisdiction of the Commissary Court of Ross until 1823, and since then has been under the Sheriff's Court of Ross & Cormarty. Probate records for 1513-1901 are indexed online at ScotlandsPeople ($). Registration is required, but use of the index to probate records, called 'Wills & Testaments,' is free. Copies of documents may be purchased, 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-names' of Ross & Cromarty and the subject of 'Probate records.' Then click on the link to the records of the Commissariat of Ross.
The library also has some post-1823 probate records for Ross & Cromarty. Look in the library catalog for the 'Place-names' of Ross & Cromarty and the subjects of 'Probate Records' and 'Probate Records - Indexes.'

Read more about Scotland Probate Records .

References

Return to Ross & Cromarty parish list.