ScotlandsPeople

Overview
If you are searching Scottish people, use the Scotland’s People Web site. It contains many census, civil registration, testament and church records. Due to privacy laws, Internet access is limited to birth records over 100 years old, marriage records over 75 years, and death records over 50 years.

Databases
The site contains indexes and many images for the following records.


 * Old Parish Records (Church of Scotland), birth/baptisms and banns/marriages, 1553-1854
 * Census, 1841-1901
 * Statutory Registers (Civil Registers), starting 1855
 * Testaments (Wills), 1513-1901

Content
Genealogical information in each database varies but the following can be found.
 * Names of individuals.
 * Dates of birth, marriage or death.
 * Places of residence, birth, marriage or death.
 * Ages.
 * Relationships.
 * Date of a testament (probate).

Internet Address:

 * www.scotlandspeople.gov.uk/

Using the site

 * 1) Type in your user name and password and click Login. If you don't have a login, click the link to Register.
 * 2) Click on a type of record you wish to search.
 * 3) Enter information into the search boxes provided.
 * 4) Click Search.
 * 5) Detailed help on how to use the ScotlandsPeople website is found in the FamilySearch publication "Finding records of your ancestors: Scotland 1855-1901". You can download this free at http://www.familysearch.org/Eng/docs/Finding_Records_Scotland.pdf

Cost

 * Registration on the site is free.
 * Credits (a minimum of 30 for 6 GBP) are required to search for a specific record and to view details and digitized images of records.
 * Each page of search results costs 1 credit to view.
 * Each record image costs 5 credits to view.
 * Searching the index of testaments (wills) does not require pre-payment.

Tips

 * A person can do a free search for surname without a login. The result of this search shows the number of surnames in each database.
 * For information about the availability of a group of records, click the What’s in the Database tab near the top of the screen.
 * Credits can be paid by credit card on their secure site.
 * Credits can be used at any time. The current number of credits is shown at the top right after you log in.
 * If you have not visited the site for awhile, you will be asked to buy more credits.
 * The IGI can be used as an index to pre-1876 births and marriages in Scotland. Most of these events from 1855 to 1875 are included in the IGI.  Using this as an index can save you credits in ScotlandsPeople, enabling you to go straight to the entry you wish to see the image for.