The Church of Scotland as we know it today traces its roots back to the Scottish Reformation of 1560. The genealogical records it has left behind mirror that of the Church of England (C of E). For example instead of parish registers in the C of E, the Church of Scotland has old parochial registers (OPRs). These contain records of baptism, marriage and burial. Those with English and Welsh ancestry may find their ancestors within the marriage registers of the Church of Scotland if they eloped there due to the availability of an irregular marriage which was not possible over the border.
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Old parochial registers (OPRs)Old parochial registers (OPRs)
Old parochial registers note the baptisms, marriages and burial of the population.
- Baptisms- Along with the date of the event, the child's name and their parents names, the mother's maiden name is also likely to be given. You may also find the names, occupations and residences of the witnesses or godparents.
- Burials- Burial registers were kept less frequently in Scotland than in England and Wales. Where they survive they usually only give the name of the deceased and the date of burial. Sometimes extra detail may be given such as the deceased's age, occupation and their place of residence.
Most OPRs can be viewed online at Scotland's People. Some transcripts are also available to view online such as the Scotland, Births and Baptisms, 1564-1950, Scotland, Marriages, 1561-1910 and Scottish Deaths, 1747 - 1868 collections at MyHeritage.
Issues with OPRsIssues with OPRs
- Names were not spelt consistently and spellings may vary from entry to entry.
- Some entries can be hard to identify where the names are very common. For example, there may be several John McDonald's born in the same parish within ten years and it may be difficult to discover which baptism relates to your ancestor.
- Less church events were recorded by the Church of Scotland when compared to other religions, such as the Church of England.
- OPRs were recorded later than parish registers in England and Wales. Most in Scotland begin in 1699 although some do not start until as late as 1780.
- The Disruption of 1843 led to the establishment of the Free Church of Scotland. If your ancestors disappear from OPRs around this time it is therefore worth checking the records of the Free Church.
Kirk SessionsKirk Sessions
Similar to the vestry meetings held in England and Wales are the kirk sessions held in Scotland. These are the lowest court within the church dealing with minor cases. The meetings were held by the local minister and the elder parishioners of the church. The kirk had the power to issue punishments where a parishioner had been found guilty of an immoral act such as adultery. The kirk also had responsibility for caring for the poor within their parish boundaries. The presbytery was a more senior session where more complex cases could be referred. Minutes from the meetings of kirk sessions are being gradually released online at Scotland's People.
See alsoSee also
Explore more about Church of Scotland records in the United KingdomExplore more about Church of Scotland records in the United Kingdom
- Scotland, Births and Baptisms, 1564-1950 record collection at MyHeritage
- Scotland, Marriages, 1561-1910 record collection at MyHeritage
- Scottish Deaths, 1747 - 1868 record collection at MyHeritage
- Understanding and Using Scottish Kirk Session Records at Legacy Family Tree Webinars
- Online Sources for Scottish Genealogy Research at Legacy Family Tree Webinars
- Foundations of Scottish Genealogy 4 of 12: Using ScotlandsPeople for pre-1855 Old Parish Record at Legacy Family Tree Webinars
References
- ↑ https://www.historic-uk.com/HistoryUK/HistoryofScotland/Gretna-Green/ Historic UK. Retrieved 5th November 2024