Durrisdeer, Dumfriesshire, Scotland Genealogy

Parish #823

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

= History =

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 Durrisdeer. Also available at the Family History Library

= Census Records =

A census is a count and description of the population, taken by the government, arranged by locality and by household. Read more about Scotland Census Records.

Click here for a list of the Family History Library microfilm numbers for the census records of Durrisdeer.

Below is information for any known surname indexes:

The 1901 census of Scotland is indexed on www.scotlandspeople.gov.uk. To use it, you must register and pay a small access fee. All available censuses, 1841-1901, are indexed on this website. It may be easier for you to pay to use the website rather than access indexes through the library.

= Church Records =

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: No entries, except one, December 1784–January 1788. Marriages: It does not appear that any registers of marriages or of deaths or burials were kept prior to 1855. However, the Statistical Account of Scotland for 1791 states that between 1770 and 1790, 155 couples had been married and 323 persons had died. And in 1833, the average number of marriages per year was 10 and of deaths12. Source: Key to the Parochial Registers of Scotland, by V. Ben Bloxham, pub. 1970. British Book 941 K23b.

Established Church—Kirk Session Records
Minutes 1771–1782, 1818–1848, 1855–1903 Treasurer's Accounts - including proclamation fees, 1764–1770 Accounts 1770–1786, 1816–1839 Note: Available at the Scottish National Archives, Edinburgh, record CH2/436.

Durrisdeer Station, Free Church
History— This rural mission or preaching station was connected at first with Penpont congregation, but in 1847 it became a Presbyterial mission. It supplied ordinances to scattered Free Church families in the parishes of Durrisdeer and Crawford. Source: Annals of the Free Church of Scotland, 1843–1900, ed. Rev. William Ewing, D.D., 2 vols. pub. 1914. Film #918572. More details are given in the source.

Records— No pre–1855 records.

Note: In 1791, there were within the parish 27 Seceders including 7 who belonged to the Reformed church. By 1833 there were 85 families of Dissenters and Seceders. Return to the Dumfries-shire parish list.