Rosskeen, Ross and Cromarty, Scotland

Scotland

Ross and Cromarty

Rosskeen

Parish #81

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

Rosskeen, Ross and Cromarty, Scotland
Type	Quoad Omnia Parish
Parish Number	81
Civil Jurisdictions
Historic County	Ross-shire
Council Area	Highland
Registration District	Rosskeen
Records begin
Parish registers: 1766
Kirk Sessions: 1754
Ecclesiastical Jurisdictions
Presbytery	Tain
Synod	Ross
Judicial Jurisdictions
Sheriff Court	Cromarty, Dingwall, Stornoway, and Tain
Commissary Court	Ross and Edinburgh

History

ROSSKEEN, a parish, in the Mainland district of the county of Ross and Cromarty, 13 miles (N. E.) from Dingwall; containing the villages of Bridgend, Invergordon, and Saltburn. This place is supposed to have derived its name, in the Gaelic language signifying "meeting," from the junction of the districts of Easter and Wester Ross on the western boundary of the parish. The church, which is situated in the centre of the parish, was erected in 1833, and is a spacious and substantial structure containing 1360 sittings. The members of the Free Church have a place of worship.

The name of this parish seems to be derived from the Gaelic word Coinneamh, signifying a meeting or junction; and Ross-coinneamh may denote the place where the districts of Easter and Wester Ross join, which is the western boundary of this parish, and where the inhabitants might occasionally assemble. This parish is situated on the northern shore of the Firth of Cromarty. It is bounded on the east by the parish of Kilmuir; on the west by Alness; and on the north by the parish of Kincardine and Edderton; and on the south by the Firth of Cromarty.

William Macintosh, the author of Travels in Europe, Asia, and Africa, and other literary works, was born at Newmore, in this parish in 1738. He was the son of Lachlan Macintosh, a descendant of the family of Macintosh of Balnespick, in Badenoch, and of----- Macpherson, of the family as Sir John Macpherson, at one time the governor of India.

The principle heritors are, the Duke of Sutherland; M’Leod of Cadboll; M’Leary of Newmore; Hugh Rose Ross of Glastullich and Cromarty; and M’Kenzie of Kincraig.

The population in 1801 was 2074 persons, and in 1831 it increased to 2916.

Produce that is raised in the parish is wheat, barley, oats, grass, potatoes, peas, and turnips.

The church is situated in the center of the parish, and is most convenient so far as population is concerned. About 2800 of the population are within three or three and one-half miles of the church, which to a hardy Highlander is only a pleasant walk. The church which is perhaps the most comfortable and commodious in the north of Scotland, was built in 1832, and is seated for 1360 persons, and may contain about 1600, if closely occupied. There are no Dissenters of any kind or class.

The registers of births and marriages both commence in 1781, and have been regularly kept.

This account was written October 1838.

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

For more information about Rosskeen'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 Rosskeen as well as the library numbers for any surname indexes available:

Years	FS Library Film Number	Surname Indexes
1841	1042628	6037266 (6 fiche)
1851	1042059	none
1861	0103907	none
1871	0104093	none
1881	0203412	6086658 (4 fiche)
1891	0208628	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:	1783-1854	0990658 item 2
Marriage:	1781-1854	0990658 item 2
Death:	1801-1813	0990658 item 2

 

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: The first two pages of birth entries are missing. These probably contained the record from 1781 to December 1783. Between August and September 1784 eight or nine families are recorded in groups, covering the years 1767–1813.
Marriages: Marriages were regularly kept.
Deaths: Deaths also were regularly kept. There is one death entry in 1853.
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:

Minutes 1754–1778, 1780–1820, 1875–1942
Poors’ Fund Minutes and Accounts
Minutes of Heritors and Kirk Session 1844–1845
List of Male Heads of Households who are Communicants 1835–1842
Notes Including Dispositions of Lairds in Burying Ground 1796–1842
Note: Available at the National Archives of Scotland, Edinburgh, record CH2/1136.

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.

Rosskeen Free Church

History—
The minister of Rosskeen, and his congregation, adhered to the Free Church in 1843. The church and manse were erected, but no information as to dates is available.
Membership: 1855, 1400; 1900, 123
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 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

Rpsskeen 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 librar 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.