Liberton, Midlothian, Scotland Genealogy

Parish #693

This is a guide to the history and major genealogical records of Scotland as they pertain to the parish of Liberton. To learn more about how to use these records to search for your ancestors, go to the Scotland: Research Strategies.

=  =

The name of Liberton was formerly written Libertun, and is of Saxon origin, and may have come because it was near a hospital for the sick of Edinburgh. All traces of the hospital have vanished. The surface is very undulating and beautiful. The parish is intersected by two rivulets, by which eight water mills are driven. The parochial registers being in 1639 and have been kept regularly since. They were recently rescured, repaired, and handsomely bound and put in a fire-proof charterchest. Mr. Clement Little of Upper Liberton, founded the College Library of Edinburgh. The church of Liberton is a very handsome Gothic structure, with a fine tower in a commanding situation, and was erected in 1815 from a plan by James Gillespie Graham, Esq. The population of the parish in 1786 was 3457, and in 1831 was 4063. The suspension of coal-work at Gilmerton has decreased the population since 1831. The land is primarily used for potatoes, turnips, wheat, barley grass, oats, horses, pigs, coal, beans, line, and wool from sheep. There are twenty hamlets in the parish and the largest of these is Gilmerton. Edinburgh and Dalkeith are the the two closest market places. There is no dissenting place of worship in the parish and most of the people profess to belong to the Established Church. In 1836, 2873 persons belonged to the Estabished Church with 689 said to be Dissenters but a few who called themselves Dissenters were in fact heathens. There are no Papists.

This account was written in 1839.

Source: New Statistical Account of Scotland (FHL book 941 B4sa, series 2 vol. 1)

The New Statistical Account of Scotland (pub. 1834-45) offers uniquely rich and detailed parish reports for the whole of Scotland, covering a vast range of topics including history, agriculture, education, trades, religion and social customs. The reports, written by the parish ministers, are available online at http://edina.ac.uk/stat-acc-scot/. Click on ‘Browse scanned pages’ then search the parish reports for your parish of interest. Also available at the Family History Library.

Condition of Original Registers—
Index: For an index to these records, see the Scottish Church Records Index on computer at the Family History Library and family history centers. Some records may be indexed in the International Genealogical Index. Births: There are no entries except one, July 1650–October 1651. Mothers’ names are not recorded until September 1625. Marriages: Except one page containing entries July 1631–April 1632, there is no record until July 1654. There are no entries September 1681–May 1683 or January 1684–December 1685. After February 1689, there is a register for the meetinghouse of Craigmillar, May 1688–September 1710, a number of the leaves being partially destroyed. The regular record then begins at September 1710. After 1819 there are transcribed entries of irregular marriages January 1765–May 1783. Deaths: There are no entries May 1689–March 1691. There is a duplicate or copy of portion June 1765–July 1801, the original of which has suffered much from dampness. The record throughout bears the fee paid for the Mortcloth. On the title page of the portion beginning 1704, however, it is described as a register of burials. Source: Key to the Parochial Registers of Scotland, by V. Ben Bloxham, pub. 1970. British Book 941 K23b.

Established Church—Kirk Session Records
Minutes 1639–1689, 1697–1929 Miscellaneous Minutes 1710–1713 Collections 1738–1801 Testimonials 1690–1700 Cash and Account Books 1755–1913 Deacons Court Minutes 1844–1865 Includes Gilmerton Kirk Session Minutes 1838–1843 Note: Available at the National Archives of Scotland, Edinburgh, record CH2/383.

Liberton Free Church
History— For Dr. Begg, minister of Liberton parish who “came out” at the Disruption, a church was built at Newington. Walter Fairley, minister of the church at Gilmerton and his congregation also adhered to the Free Church. At first they worshipped in a hall in Gilmerton. A church was erected in the village of Stenhouse and opened in 1844. A new church and manse were built at Northfield in 1870, halls being added later. In 1856 with the consent of the assembly both Gilmerton and Liberton were included in the district assigned to the congregation and the name of Gilmerton, hitherto borne, was changed to Liberton. Membership: 1847, 115; 1900, 288. Source: Annals of the Free Church of Scotland, 1843–1900, ed. Rev. William Ewing, D.D., 2 vols. pub. 1914. FHL Film #918572. More details may be given in the source including ministers.

Records— Minutes 1843–1855 Deacons Court Minutes 1844–1865 Note: Available at the National Archives of Scotland, Edinburgh, record CH3/1170.

Various Dissenters
In 1836, there were said to be 689 dissenters within the parish but there were no places of worship. Therefore, they would have worshiped in neighboring parishes.

Return to the Midlothian Parish list