Urray, Ross and Cromarty, Scotland

Scotland

Ross and Cromarty

Urray

Parish #85

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

Urray, Ross and Cromarty, Scotland
Type	Quoad Omnia Parish
Parish Number	85
Civil Jurisdictions
Historic County	Ross-shire
Council Area	Highland
Registration District	Urray
Records begin
Parish registers: 1751
Kirk Sessions: 1861
Ecclesiastical Jurisdictions
Presbytery	Dingwall
Synod	Ross
Judicial Jurisdictions
Sheriff Court	Cromarty, Dingwall, Stornoway, and Tain
Commissary Court	Ross and Edinburgh

History

URRAY, a parish, partly in the county of Inverness, but chiefly in the Mainland district of the county of Ross and Cromarty, 5 miles (S. S. W.) from Dingwall; containing portions of the two late quoad sacra parishes of Carnoch or Strathconon, and Kinloch-Luichart. This place, which consists of the ancient parishes of Urray and Kilchrist, derives its name from the river Orrin, on whose banks its church is situated, near the confluence of that water with the Conon, or Conan. The church is a spacious and handsome structure, well adapted for the accommodation of the parishioners. The members of the Free Church have erected a place of worship.

Urray is composed of the united parishes of Urray and Kilchrist, hence it is probable the name is derived from Ur-a, the new ford. Kilchrist is evidently Cella Christi, a burying ground consecrated to Christ. It is situated chiefly in the county of Ross, a small part of it lies in Inverness-shire.

There are no towns or villages in the parish.

There are eleven land-holders, in the parish, the principle of whom are: A. Stewart Mackenzie of Seaforth; George Gillanders, Esq. of Highfield; Thomas Mackenzie of Ord; Fowler of Fairburn; Balfour of Strathconnon; and Colonel Baillie of Tarradale.

The population in the parish in 1801 was 2083, and by 1831 it increased to 2768.

All families in the parish belong to the Established Church, with the exception of 25 families, who are attached to the Episcopal Church; and excepting also one Roman Catholic family.

There is a register of births and marriages, the former commencing with the year 1756, and the latter with the year 1815. The register of births previous to the year 1820 was very irregularly kept, a great many names having been left out, and those in many cases entered improperly.

This account was written July 1840.

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

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

Years	FS Library Film Number	Surname Indexes
1841	1042628,  1042629	6037266 (6 fiche)
1851	1042060	6206400 (4 fiche)
1861	0103907	none
1871	0104093	none
1881	0203413	6086658 (4 fiche)
1891	0208629	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.

Established Church—Old Parochial Registers

Pre-1855 records that exist for this parish:

Record Type	Years Covered	FS Library Film Number
Birth:	1756-1854	0990661
Marriage:	1815-1854	0990661
Death:	No entries	none

 

Condition of Original Registers

Index: For an index to these records, see ScotlandsPeople ($), 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: Irregular entries for 1754–1800 are recorded on five pages after entries for 1819.
Marriages: There is only one entry for 1813.
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:
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.

Urray Free Church

History—
The minister of Urray, "came out" in 1843, with a large congregation. A church was erected in 1844. A new church was later built in 1861 which served a very wide district.
Membership: 1848, 102; 1900, 100.
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 given in the source, including ministers.

Records—
The extent of records is unknown.

Highfield Episcopalian Church

History—
The New Statistical Account of Scotland for Urray 1840, states that the Episcopalian congregation at that time consisted of 25 families. There was also a school run by the church there. There is no congregation there currently.

Records—
The extent of records is unknown. For information write to:
Moray and Caithness Diocesan Office
11 Kenneth Street
Inverness PA34 5DR
Scotland

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

Urray 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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