Birth records for Edinburg

[carolh7]

I'm not very familiar with researching in Scotland, so am wondering if someone can tell me if there are birth records available for the Edinburgh area. I'm looking for the birth records and parents of William Mackenzie born around 1759 and Philip Mackenzie born around 1760 or so.

Thank you for any help you can provide. Carol Harrison

[CaroleW]

Hi

Scotlands People is the main website if you haven't found anything on the IGI - Family Search site

It comes under OPR's (Old Parish Registers) and you may want to read what it says about the info available for that period

http://www.scotlandspeople.gov.uk/content/help/index.aspx?r=554&405

 

[GR2]

Best to start with the Scottish birth/baptism index on the Family Search site. The actual records are available on the Scotland's People site, but you have to pay to see them. Starting with the Family Search site will tell you whether there are any possibilities. Remember that not every baptism was recorded and not all of the recorded ones survive. Are you sure they were born in Edinburgh or the Lothians? If not, look first for Philip, as that is not such a common name as William, and search the whole of Scotland for possibilities.

[CaroleW]

This is from the IGI

WILLIAM MCKENZIE   Birth:  20 FEB 1759   Edinburgh Parish, Edinburgh, Midlothian,    Father:  JAMES MCKENZIE    Mother:  ISOBELL BELL 

http://www.familysearch.org/eng/search/frameset_search.asp?PAGE=igi/search_IGI.asp&clear_form=true

Using the parent search facility does not show a Philip born to this couple.  They had a son Kenneth in 1760

There is a submitted IGI entry for Philip but it is unsubstantiated by actual dates

[carolh7]

Thank you so much, CaroleW and GR2, for your helpful suggestions and the actual info. on William. That is certainly a possibility. I have an old bible record that says William is of Edinburgh. He came to the US at the time of the Rev. War and died 25 Feb., 1847, age 88. I believe Philip is his brother, but no actual proof.

Do you think familysearch has all the records that are on the Scotland's people website? If not, I will use that site.

Thanks again, Carol

[CaroleW]

Hi

What do you know about Philip - did he also emigrate?

There is no IGI entry for him apart from the submitted entry - I searched all Scotland, not just Midlothian and used a birthyear span 1755-1765

I have used the basic search facility on Scotlands People and there is no birth anywhere between 1750-1770 for a Philip/Phillip  MacKenzie/McKenzie

[carolh7]

Thanks again for your help and doing that searching. The story goes--William was on a ship waiting to go to fight against the colonies in the Rev. War. Philip went to say good bye to his brother, Wm, and was taken captive and forced to come also, but when he got here he joined the American forces. This is in rcords of a talk in Topsfield, Essex Co., Massachusetts by a decendant of Philip only he calls Philip, Enoch, but with the same wife and children as Philip. In the Topsfield, Essex Co., Massachusetts records they give info. on Philip's Rev. War service and mention his brother, William. I know this sounds confusing and no proof that the William mentioned is my William. I do have a piece in a county history about a granddaughter of our William that says her grandfather came from Scotland for the purpose of fighting in the Rev. War, was captured and then stayed in America.

So I'm mainly looking for info. on my William, but have always been intrigued by the story and would like to prove they were brothers. Figured if I found them with the same parents that would prove it, but if I can't it's OK.

The William with parents, James and Isobell Bell is a possibility, but William didn't name any of his children, James or Isobell. He had Roderick, William, Polly/Mary, George Leonard and Alexander.

Thanks again. Carol

[CaroleW]

Hi

Scotlands People  is showing 2 births in Midlothian for a William MacKenzie between 1757-1760 and 2 for William McKenzie -  both of which are on the IGI

Nothing for an Enoch between 1755-1765

Do you have documentary proof that William was born in Midlothian

[carolh7]

Hi, thanks so much for the info. No, I don't have documented proof, only the bible info. which of course could be wrong. I have searched on familysearch and can do that further. I was just hoping there would be something in the records in Scotland that might help. I've read the info. on the Scotland's People website about the birth/baptism records. Thanks for searching that website for me, I really appreciate that. Carol