Scotland, Church Records and Kirk Session Records, 1658-1919

What is in This Collection?

This collection contains Scotland Church Records for the years 1658-1919. The records were originally filmed at the National Archives of Scotland.

This specific collection includes a compilation of records of Kirk Sessions (meetings of local church leaders), Presbyteries (church court for several parishes/areas), and Synods (church court for several Presbyteries), containing registers of births/baptisms, marriages, and burial records. It cannot be over emphasized that many of the entries found in Kirk Session records of baptisms, marriages and burials pertain to those belonging to other seceder Presbyterian spin-off churches (Non-Church of Scotland) and/or Nonconformist religions.

The Church of Scotland (Presbyterian based) has been the recognized national church in Scotland since 1690. However, the were several splits from the Church of Scotland well after this year, and there was the Reformed Presbyterian Church which has origins well before the Church of Scotland was designated as the national and the recognized state-sponsored church in 1690.

Additional records and/or images may be added to this collection in the future.

What Can These Records Tell Me?

The following information may be found in these records:
Birth/Baptism

Marriage

Burial