Old Machar, Aberdeenshire, Scotland Genealogy

Scotland

Aberdeenshire

Old Machar

Parish #168b

Guide to Old Machar history, family history, and genealogy: parish registers, census records, birth records, marriage records, and death records.

Old Machar, Aberdeenshire, Scotland
Type	Quoad Omnia Parish
Parish Number	168b
Civil Jurisdictions
Historic County	Aberdeenshire
Burgh	Aberdeen
Council Area	City of Aberdeen
Registration District	Old Machar (Aberdeen Burgh) and Old Machar (Landward)
Records begin
Parish registers: 1621
Kirk Sessions: 1383
Ecclesiastical Jurisdictions
Presbytery	Aberdeen
Synod	Aberdeen
Judicial Jurisdictions
Sheriff Court	Aberdeen and Peterhead
Commissary Court	Aberdeen and Edinburgh

History

Old Machar, a parish, chiefly without, but partly within, the city of Aberdeen, county of Aberdeen; comprising the quoad sacra districts of Old Aberdeen, Bon-Accord, Gilcomston, Rosemount, Holburn, Ferryhill and Woodside. This place, originally a small hamlet, consisting only of a few scattered cottages, was, from the erection of a chapel near the ancient bridge of Seaton by St. Machar, in the ninth century, called the Kirktown of Seaton, but was undistinguished by any event of importance, till the year 1137, when it became the seat of a diocese, on the removal of the see of Aberdeen. The church was formerly an elegant structure, of which the choir, with its embellishments, was destroyed by the reformers; and the remainder of the building was preserved from demolition only by the Earl of Huntly, and Leslie, of Balquhan, who, at the head of a large body of their armed retainers, drove away the band which had been assembled for its destruction. The portion of the building appropriated as the parish church, is neatly fitted up, and contains 1594 sittings; the chapel in King's College contains 350 sittings. There are places of worship for members of the Free Church.

For more information about Aberdeen'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 the City of Aberdeen 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 Old Machar, as well as the library numbers for any surname indexes available:

Year	FS Library Film Number	Surname Indexes
1841	none	none
1851	none	none
1861	none	none
1871	none	none
1881	none	6086502 (12 fiche)
1891	none	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, with their FS Library film numbers.

Established Church—Old Parochial Registers

Record Type	Years Covered	FS Library Film Number
Births:	1641-1721	0991205
	1721-1792	0991206
	1797-1819	0991140
	1776-1819	0991142
	1820-1836	0991248
	1820-1854	0991249
	1820-1854 - index	0991251
Marriages:	1621-1721	0991140
	1722-1819	0991141
	1820-1835	0991249
	1835-1854	0991250
	1820-1854 - index	0991251
Deaths:	1642-1819	0991142
	1820-1849	0991250
	1849-1854	0991251
	1772- January 1855	0991251
	1820-1854 - index	0991251
	1837-1852 -register of neglected entries	0991251

 

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.  The records may be indexed in the International Genealogical Index
Births: This record appears to have been kept with regularity throughout, and there is an appendix or supplement containing entries that were neglected to be made at the proper time, which seems to have been commenced about 1806. The dates embraced range from 1776 to 1854, inclusive. The entries bear the dates of and the authority for registration. Those made during 1855, under section 1 of the original Act, extend to 148 pages of the register.
Marriages: Records are blank October 1636–April 1638, and February 1731–April 1744.
Deaths: Records are burials which are blank September 1671–March 1673.
Source: Key to the Parochial Registers of Scotland, by V. Ben Bloxham, pub. 1970. British Book 941 K23b.
Monumental Inscriptions: FS Library Book 941.25/O1 V3m; also some on film # 0196783 item 1.

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—
Extracts from Minutes 1621–1758
Accounts 1639–1754
Note: Printed in Records of Old Aberdeen, by A.M.Minro, FS Library 941.25/A1 N2m vol. 2

Old Machar

Minutes 1621–1763, 1789–1907
Accounts 1642–1654
Collections 1621–1638, 1690–1720
Distributions 1698–1707
Miscellaneous Documents
Note: These records, National Archives of Scotland record CH2/1020, have been returned to the parish.

Holburn

Communion Roll 1853–1903
Note: Available at the New Register House, Edinburgh, record CH2/715.

Woodside

Treasurer’s Minutes 1829–1842
Seat Rent Books 1844–1846
Manager’s Minutes 1829–1842, 1845–1876
Other post-1855 records are also available.
Note: Available at the National Archives of Scotland, Edinburgh, record CH2/777.

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.

Old Machar Free Church

History—
Those in this parish who at the Disruption adhered to the Free Church formed a congregation, and the charge was sanctioned in 1844. The congregation worshiped in temporary premises until the new church was opened in July 1846. A manse also was provided. The proximity of the Cathedral and King’s College Chapel was against the development of the congregation.
Membership: 1848, 259; 1900, 164.
Source: Annals of the Free Church of Scotland, 1843–1900, ed. Rev. William Ewing, D.D., 2 vols. pub. 1914. Film #918572. More details are given in the source.

Records—
Baptisms and Marriages 1843–1943 with index
Note: Available at the Aberdeen and North East Scotland Family History Society Shop, 158–164 King St., Aberdeen AB24 5BD, Scotland; Tel: 011–44–1224–646323.
e–mail: enquiries”anesfhs.org.uk.

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.

Maps

Town of Aberdeen

A map of the Town of Aberdeen from a survey taken in 1789 can be found here.

Old Machar

A map of the parish of Old Machar from a survey taken in 1864 can be found here.

Probate Records

Old Machar was under the probate jurisdiction of the Commissary Court of Aberdeen until 1823, and since then has been under the Sheriff's Court of Aberdeen. 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 Aberdeen and the subject of 'Probate records.' Then click on the link to the records of the Commissariat of Aberdeen.

The library also has some post-1823 probate records for Aberdeen. Look in the library catalog for the 'Place' of Aberdeen and the subjects of 'Probate Records' and 'Probate Records - Indexes.'

Read more about Scotland Probate Records.

References

Return to Aberdeenshire parish list.