Lochalsh, Ross and Cromarty, Scotland

Scotland

Ross and Cromarty

Lochalsh

Parish #74

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

Lochalsh, Ross and Cromarty, Scotland
Type	Quoad Omnia Parish
Parish Number	74
Civil Jurisdictions
Historic County	Ross-shire
Council Area	Highland
Registration District	Lochalsh
Records begin
Parish registers: 1756
Kirk Sessions: None extant
Ecclesiastical Jurisdictions
Presbytery	Lochcarron
Synod	Glenelg
Judicial Jurisdictions
Sheriff Court	Cromarty, Dingwall, Stornoway, and Tain
Commissary Court	Ross

History

LOCHALSH, a parish, in the district of Mainland, county of Ross and Cromarty, 9 miles (W. N. W.) from Kintail; containing the village and late quoad sacra parish of Plockton. This parish, of which the name is said to be of Danish origin, and of which little of the early history is known, is situated at the south-western extremity of the county, and is bounded on the north by Loch Carron, and on the south by Loch Alsh. A church was built at Plockton by parliamentary grant in 1827, to which a quoad sacra district was assigned by act of the General Assembly in 1833.

The name of this parish is supposed to be of Danish origin. The parish has for its western boundary the Kyle, or narrow sea which separates the adjacent Island Skye from the mainland; the bays of Lochduich and Lochlong encompass it on the south; and that range of high hills which divides the east from the west coast of Scotland, bounds it on the east.

Mrs. Lillingstone of Lochalsh is sole proprietrix of the parish.

The population of the parish in 1801 was 1606, increasing to 2433 by the year 1831.

The agriculture of the parish consists of raising barley, oats, potatoes, and hay. Cows and sheep graze in the pastures.

A register of births and marriages has been kept in the parish, since the year 1820. All the families in the parish attend the Established Church, except 23 families of Roman Catholics. There is a Government church in the parish, at Plockton.

This account was written October 1838.

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

For more information about Lochalsh'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.

Here is a list of the FS Library microfilm numbers for the census records of Lochalsh as well as the library numbers for any surname indexes available:

Years	FS Library Film Number	Surname Indexes
1841	1042627	6037266 (6 fiche)
1851	1042011	none
1861	0103906	none
1871	0104092	none
1881	0203411	6086658 (4 fiche)
1891	0208627	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.

Here are the pre-1855 records that exist for this parish.

Established Church—Old Parochial Registers

Record Type	Years Covered	FS Library Film Numbers
Birth:	1775-1854	0990656 item 1
Marriage:	1775-1854	0990656 item 1
Death:	No entries	none

Condition of Original Registers—

Index: For an index to these records, see Scotland’s People website, a pay-for-view website. 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:Very irregular and incomplete throughout, the whole being contained on six pages. No entries 1804–1811 inclusive.
Marriages: No entries 1788–1794 and 1806–1821.
Source: Key to the Parochial Registers of Scotland, by V. Ben Bloxham, pub. 1970. British 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.

Here is a list of the surviving Kirk session records for this parish:

Records—
The extent of records is unknown.

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.

Lochalsh Free Church

History—
In response to an application made by the adherents of the Free Church at Dornie Ferry, the Presbytery organized a congregation at Ardleve, Lochalsh. A church was built and a minister settled in January 1844. He preached alternately at Ardleve and Dornie. In 1846–1847 the congregations of Lochalsh and Plockton became vacant. Both charges were united under the minister settled at Plockton in 1850. In 1856 it was arranged that a minister should be placed at Lochalsh and have charge also of Kintail and Glenshiel. No settlement was made until 1862. The church at Ardleve was renovated in 1866.
Membership: 1861, 450; 1900, 50.
Source: Annals of the Free Church of Scotland, 1843–1900, ed. Rev. William Ewing, D.D., 2 vols. pub. 1914. Film #918572. More details may be given in the source, including ministers.

Records—
The extent of records is unknown.

Plockton Free Church

History—
The minister of the Parliamentary Church at Plockton, with many of his people "came out" in 1843. The church and manse were soon erected. From 1850 to 1856 Lochalsh was also under the charge of the minister of Plockton. A large part of the congregation may have acceded to the Free Presbyterians in 1893.
Membership: 1855, 800; 1900, 28.
Source: Annals of the Free Church of Scotland, 1843–1900, ed. Rev. William Ewing, D.D., 2 vols. pub. 1914. Film #918572. More details may be given in the source, including ministers.

Records—
The extent of records is unknown.

Civil Registration

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

Lochalsh 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 www.scotlandspeople.gov.uk. You must register on the website but use of the index to probate records, called 'Wills & Testaments,' is free. You may then purchase a copy of the document 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.