Closeburn, Dumfriesshire, Scotland Genealogy

Parish #816

This is a guide to the history and major genealogical records of Scotland as they pertain to the parish of Closeburn. 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 Closeburn. 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 Closeburn.

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 center. Some records may be indexed in the International Genealogical Index. Births: There are 312 numbered entries. The register commencing on January 1777 appears to record births only. There are no witnesses' names added to the entries. Marriages: There is no record, except six entries for June 1776–November 1767, until January 1777. There are no entries for July 1797–August 1807 and December 1814–September 1823 except one for 1817. The record ends 1829 except two entries dated 1848–1853. Deaths: The first existing entry is numbered 75. There are no entries 1778–January 1791 and May 1815–1830. Source: Key to the Parochial Registers of Scotland, by V. Ben Bloxham, pub. 1970. British Book 941 K23b.

Established Church—Kirk Session Records
Minutes                                 1780–1831 - with gaps Poors’ Fund Accounts             1718–1753, 1780–1800 Baptisms and Marriages          1726–1753 Baptisms                                1812–1829 Deaths                                   1737–1741, 1749–1753 Proclamations                         1807–1814, 1823–1829 Note: Available at the Scottish National Archives, Edinburgh, record CH2/1233.

Closeburn Free Church
History— The congregation was formed at the Disruption. It became a sanctioned charge in 1844. A site was obtained and a church was erected in 1844. Owing to trouble arising in this connection, in 1850 it was reduced to a preaching station, but in 1851 it was sanctioned again. The shutting of the line works, and the decrease of the population told adversely on the congregation. Membership: 1854, 200; 1900, 158. 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— The extent of the records is unknown.

Return to the Dumfries-shire parish list.