This area of RootsChat aims to give you some of the main sources of information for research in Scotland. The links are intended to be for general information relating to whole of Scotland, or more than one county. Links and resources for research in individual counties can be found at the top of each Scottish county board page.
If you come across any websites or sources that have helped you and are of particular use to the Scottish researcher, then please post them on this board.
Thank you for all your contributions
ArchivesFrom 1 April 2011, the General Register Office for Scotland merged with the National Archives of Scotland to become the National Records of Scotland (NRS). A new combined website will be available soon. Currently, the links are:
Some other useful links:
- Scottish Record Offices and Archives - http://www.rootschat.com/links/01hq3/
Birth, Marriages and Death Registrations
- ScotlandsPeople is the official pay to view site for BMDs and entries from the Old Parish Registers (OPRs). See below, Help Guides on RootsChat, for further information.
- Births Deaths and Marriages Exchange for Scotland - www.sctbdm.com/index.php
- Baptism, marriage, and burial records, that have been transcribed by volunteers from parish and non-conformist registers www.freereg.org.uk/ (Check coverage areas here www.freereg.org.uk/parishes/index.shtml).
Burial and Monumental Inscriptions (MIs)
There is always a lot of interest regarding burial information and whether any monumental (gravestone) inscriptions may be available for an ancestor.
- See here for some help notes from ScotlandsPeople regarding death information before the start of official registration in 1855, www.scotlandspeople.gov.uk/Content/Help/index.aspx?r=554&1353
- It is worth looking at individual local history societies' publication lists for details of booklets and CDs available to purchase directly from them (check their websites for further details of what is on offer).
- The Scottish Association of Family History Societies offers a good summary of burial/MIs information which is available by area/graveyard. Just use their search facility and search for ‘burials’ - http://www.safhs.org.uk/search.asp
- Please be aware that some sites make a charge for more detailed information and/or photographs, though basic information may be free. Some external sites (all have partial coverage of Scotland):
www.memento-mori.co.uk
www.findagraveinscotland.com
www.deceasedonline.com/servlet/GSDOSearch - Always worth checking via a search engine to see what may be generally available for free on line as more information comes on line every year thanks to the efforts of volunteers.