Scotland Church Records and Kirk Session Records - FamilySearch Historical Records

United Kingdom Scotland

What is in the 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. The Church of Scotland (Presbyterian faith) has been the recognized national church in Scotland since 1690. There are three main types of church records:
 * Births/Baptisms
 * Marriages
 * Burials

Collection Content
There are three main types of church records:
 * Births/Baptisms
 * Marriages
 * Deaths/Burials

Image Visibility
Whenever possible, FamilySearch makes images available for all users. However, ultimate rights to view images on our website are granted by the record custodians. These images can be viewed by registered FamilySearch Patrons, at the Family History Library or a Family History Center near you. You can register for a free FamilySearch account here. For additional information about image restrictions, please see the Restrictions for Viewing Images in FamilySearch Historical Record Collections page.

How Do I Search the Collection?
As you are searching it is helpful to know such information as your ancestor's name and some identifying details such as residence, age, and family relationships. Search by name by visiting the Collection Page: Fill in the requested information in the initial search page. This search will return a list of possible matches. Compare the information about the ancestors in the list to what you already know about your ancestors to determine if this is the correct family or person. You may need to compare the information about more than one person to find your ancestor.

I Found Who I'm Looking for, What Now?
Keep in mind:
 * Remember that there may be more than one person in the records with the same name as your ancestor and that your ancestor may have used nicknames or different names at different times.
 * When looking for a person who had a common name, look at all the entries for that specific name before deciding which is correct.
 * Continue to search the index and records to identify children, siblings, parents, and other relatives.
 * Some records show a couple’s “intent to marry,” also called the Proclamation of Banns. Usually the intent to marry was proclaimed in the parishes of both the bride and groom. The marriage was usually recorded only in the parish in which the marriage actually took place. Just because a proclamation was given does not guarantee that the marriage actually occurred.
 * Marriages usually took place in the parish where the bride resided.
 * Children were usually baptized/christened within a few days or weeks of birth.
 * Some women reverted to their maiden name when their husband died, and therefore they are buried under their maiden name.
 * Many of the records in this collection are written with old English handwriting that may be challenging to read. Reference BYU’s Script Tutorial for assistance with reading the records.
 * Record formats may vary.

I Can't Find Who I'm Looking for, What Now?
If you did not find your ancestors in the Church of Scotland registers, this may indicate that: You might try:
 * Your ancestors were members of the established church but their events were not registered.
 * They were registered but the records have been lost/damaged over time.
 * They were nonconformists (members of other religions).
 * Checking for variant spellings of the names.
 * Search the records of nearby localities (England, Ireland, Wales, etc.).
 * Try alternative search methods such as only filling in the surname search box (or the given name search box) on the search page, leaving the other box empty and then click on search. This should return a list of everyone with that particular name. You can then browse the list for individuals that may be your ancestor.

Citations for this Collection
Citing your sources makes it easy for others to find and evaluate the records you used. When you copy information from a record, list where you found that information. Here you can find citations already created for the entire collection and for each individual record or image. Collection Citation: Record Citation (or citation for the index entry): Image Citation: