Kintail, Ross and Cromarty, Scotland

Scotland

Ross and Cromarty

Kintail

Parish #72

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

Kintail, Ross and Cromarty, Scotland
Type	Quoad Omnia Parish
Parish Number	72
Civil Jurisdictions
Historic County	Ross-shire
Council Area	Highland
Registration District	Kintail
Records begin
Parish registers: 1776
Kirk Sessions: 1774
Ecclesiastical Jurisdictions
Presbytery	Lochcarron
Synod	Ross
Judicial Jurisdictions
Sheriff Court	Cromarty, Dingwall, Stornoway, and Tain
Commissary Court	Ross

History

KINTAIL, a parish, in the county of Ross and Cromarty, 10 miles (E. S. E.) from Lochalsh; containing the village of Dornie and Bundalloch. This parish derives its name from a Gaelic term, signifying "the head of two seas," and descriptive of its situation on a point of land where two seas meet. The church, which is inconveniently situated at a great distance from the body of the parishioners, is capable of accommodating about 300 persons; it was repaired about 1820, when two small galleries were erected; but is at present in a dilapidated state, and too small for the population. The Roman Catholics have a place of worship.

The name is of Gaelic origin, Cean da shaill, and signifies head of two seas. The parish is located on the west coast of the county of Ross, and chiefly along the north shore of Lochduich.

Along the north-east shore of Lochlong, there are two fishing villages, Dornie and Bundalloch. They are densely peopled; but, with the exception of Dornie, there are a few good houses.

There is no market of any kind established in the parish, the nearest market-towns being Dingwall and Inverness.

The land-owners of the parish are; Mr. M’Kenzie, of Applecross and Inverinate, W. S.; and the Chisholm; and the estate of the late Sir Hugh Innes.

The population in 1801 was 1038, and increased to 1240 by 1831.

The parish church is as conveniently situated for the majority of the parishioners, as well as it could be. It is built at the eastern inhabited extremity of the parish, within the easy reach of a dozen families, while the great body of the congregation are from three to six miles away. Notwithstanding such inconvenience, the church is well attended. There are no Chapel of Ease in the parish, nor Government ministers, nor Missionaries. The parish registers are all of modern date, the earliest entry being 1787. They are by no means voluminous, and are now regularly kept.

This account was written September 1836.

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

For more information about Kintail'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.

FS Library microfilm numbers for the census records of Kintail as well as the library numbers for any surname indexes available:

Years	FS Library Film Number	Surname Indexes
1841	1042627	6037266 (6 fiche)
1851	1042010	none
1861	0103906	none
1871	0104092	none
1881	0203410	6086658 (4 fiche)
1891	0208626	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 Numbers
Birth:	1776-1854	0990654 item 2
Marriage:	No entries	none
Death:	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: There is only one entry for 1774, one entry for October 1777–May 1781 and none for February 1785–February 1786. The records are very incomplete 1787–1802.
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:

Minutes with Communion Rolls 1828–1952
Baptisms 1855–1879
Note: Available at the National Archives of Scotland, Edinburgh, record CH2/1204.

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.

Dornie Catholic Church

History
A congregation was formed here as early as 1703. However, there are no records. In 1782 the area was being served jointly with Glenmoriston and Abertarf. A church was built and consecrated to St. Duthac in 1866.

Records
Baptisms 1844–1970
Note: Available at the National Archives of Scotland, Edinburgh, record RH21/24. This Church is cataloged as Fort Augustus.
Marriages 1844–1896.
Note: Available online for a fee, at ScotlandsPeople, Edinburgh, record MP/18 This record includes Glenshiel, Glenelg, Bundaluch, Strome, Ardnarff, and Fadoch.

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

Kintail 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 & Cromarty. 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.

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