Newton, Midlothian, Scotland Genealogy

Scotland

Midlothian

Newton

Parish #696

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

Newton, Midlothian, Scotland
Type	Quoad Omnia Parish
Parish Number	696
Civil Jurisdictions
Historic County	Midlothian
Council Area	Midlothian and City of Edinburgh
Registration District	Newton
Records begin
Parish registers: 1628
Kirk Sessions: 1630
Ecclesiastical Jurisdictions
Presbytery	Dalkeith
Synod	Lothian & Tweeddale
Judicial Jurisdictions
Sheriff Court	Edinburgh and Leith
Commissary Court	Edinburgh

History

NEWTON, a parish, in the county of Edinburgh, 2 miles (N. W.) from Dalkeith; containing the villages or hamlets of Adamsrow, Claybarns, Edmonstone, New Engine, Old Engine, Easter and Wester Millerhill, Pentecox, Redrow, Sherriffhall-Engine, and Squaretown, and the hamlet of Backdean. This parish, includes the old parish of Woolmet, which was united with it at the Reformation. The church, rebuilt, with the exception of the ancient tower, in 1742, and repaired and reseated in 1819, is a neat structure, but containing only 430 sittings. The chapel at Edmonstone is a handsome structure in the later English style, now used, however, only as a mausoleum.

For more information about Newton'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 Midlothian (FS Catalog book 941 B4sa 3rd ser. v. 22).

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 Newton, as well as the library numbers for any surname indexes available.

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

	Years Covered	FS Library Film Number
Births:	1629-1720 - baptisms	1067786 item 4
	1720-1846 - baptisms	1067787
	1846-1854 - baptisms	1067788 items 1-2
Marriages:	1639-1819	1067787
Deaths:	1730-1805 - burials	1067787
	1823-1854 - burials	1067788 item 1-2

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 are indexed in the International Genealogical Index.
Births: There are no entries November 1640–August 1651. Entries out of order of time occasionally occur about 1781–1798.
Marriages: There are no entries July 1640–August 1651, November 1688–May 1692, or October 1695–June 1697. After April 1754 there is a record of proclamations May 1740–March 1754, after March 1754 it becomes one of proclamations and marriages. After December 1739 there is a register of proclamations September 1698–November 1739. Marriages are resumed at May 1740. The fact of marriage is not always added to the entry. Many irregular marriages are recorded after 1754; and there are 45 transcribed entries of such marriages, 1774–1799, after the record for 1819 entries.
Deaths: Burials; there are no entries January 1772–February 1790 and a page which contained entries for January–September 1772 having been cut off except the margin which bears the surnames of the deceased and the dates. There are only Mortcloth Dues for 1790–1805. There are no entries May 1805–March 1823 after which burials are recorded.
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 1630–1640, 1651–1934
Accounts 1651–1760, 1769–1830
Testimonials 1727–1753
Communion Roll 1833–1914
Poors’ Fund Minutes 1831–1859
Note: Available at the National Archives of Scotland, Edinburgh, record CH2/283.

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.

There are none.

In 1837, there were said to be 363 dissenters within the parish but there were no places of worship. Therefore, they would have worshiped in neighboring parishes. The majority were members of the Relief Church of Dalkeith.

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

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

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

Read more about Scotland Probate Records.

References

Return to Midlothian Parishes.