Scotland Research on the Internet
Updated May 22, 2012
This page was prepared by Barbara
Lewis for her class, Scottish Research on the
Internet,
which is help periodically at the Ogden
Family History Center, in Ogden, Utah.
(Sites marked with ****are those that I discuss first at conferences when I am short on time)
**** The new.Family Search.....found at new.familysearch.org......includes many LDS data bases. Register with LDS membership number.
**** Familysearch.org.... data bases and collections as a result of the LDS indexing program. The front page contains a link to the "Previous Site" that many used before this upgrade., or go right to this page. Not much for Scotland yet, but check back often, as new data bases are constantly added.
**** Library Catalog: Place Search
Always check the FamilySearch Library Catalog to see what holdings the LDS Family History Library has for your parish. Burial records are scarce, but check your parish to see if there are some there. In the library catalog, church records that are followed by indexes show that LDS has extracted those records and they are found on the IGI. (or newFamilySearch)
**** Be sure to check "Poor Law" in your Library Catalog. I found a gold mine of information here. You may find just an index, or you may find the actual records on microfilm. See this link for someone who is willing to help you with this Glasgow area Poor Law.
POOR LAW explanation given by Dr. Irene O'Brien of the Mitchel Library. This is excellent!
****The Hugh Wallis site has categorized IGI entries by county, parish, and surname..see "Scottish Batch Numbers" below.
****OPR (Old Parish Registers) Many of these records are found
on the IGI, or the new.familysearch site. The OPR Registers are also
found at the Family History Library (Salt Lake) and at the Ogden Family
History Center on a few of the computers. This database if found under the
heading of "SCOTTISH RECORDS" on the old DOS FamilySearch
Database. These Baptisms and Marriages go from early to about
the year 1855 when Scottish Civil Registration began. These records are also
found on Scotland's People. (see below)
These records contain baptisms and marriages.
Be sure to use the Parent Search option to bring up all the
children of a couple.
****GOOGLE
Probably
one of the most important research sites
on the Internet! Many find their ancestors on other's family web
sites.
GENUKI--
-Scotland...information related to
all of Scotland....Don't overlook this wonderful resource!
CENSUS RECORDS
****SCOTLAND'S PEOPLE: 1841, 1851, 1861, 1871, 1881, 1891, 1901 Census Records for a Fee.
****ANCESTRY.COM: A Pay site, but occasionally available free at the Ogden Family History Center; occasionally offered to the general public FREE for a short period of time; Covers 1841-1901 Census Records. Go to Search Tab and down to Census and Voter lists...then over to the right to UK Census collection. Scroll down to Scotland Censuses.
****FREECEN Online....absolutely FREE; not yet complete but more added every day. Before you "search the database" on the home page, check the "Information about Coverage " on the home page to see if your area has been transcribed. (I enter the very popular surname "Campbell" and if nothing is found, I can usually assume my area hasn't been transcribed yet.)
CENSUS DATES..and what information is included for each census
GAZETTEERS
GAZETTEER FOR SCOTLAND......Includes a History-Time Line
STATISTICAL ACCOUNTS OF SCOTLAND 1791-1845 ..My favorite site for information on my area for 2 different time periods
MAPS
MAPS FROM THE NAT'L LIBRARY OF SCOTLAND...About 800 maps are available here (1560 to 1928)
OLD MAPS BY COUNTIES...from the above...you can truly zoom way in to see detail!
ORDNANCE SURVEY LARGE SCALE SCOTTISH TOWN MAPS- 1849-1895
OLD MAPS: Click on "maps," type in name, make selection from list, use arrows around map to navigate....these maps can be downloaded
VITAL RECORDS
****SCOTLAND'S
PEOPLE: (Fee Based) Statutory Registers ( Civil Records
BMDs) : Births 1855-1906; Marriages 1855-1931; Deaths
1855-1956
Old Parish Registers: Births & Baptisms 1553-1854; Banns
& Marriages 1553-1854. You can search the Wills index without
fee. You must register to use this site, and you can do a general
search without paying a fee......give it a try!
Scottish Catholic Registers,
births and baptisms, are now available on Scotland's People. A great
addition to this new resource.
****LDS FILM NUMBERS for OPR AND CIVIL CERTIFICATES ( The FHL in Salt Lake City has CR certificates from 1855-1875, 1881, 1891)
CIVIL REGISTRATION LDS FILM NUMBERS for each parish....
SCOTLAND BMD.....Connect with others who have info from Civil Registration Certificates..by surname (Click on Site Search at top)
BRITISH VITAL RECORDS CD.(BVRI)..these records are not on the Internet, but this site tells what is availabe on CD at your local LDS Family History Center. The CD is available at your local Family History Center.
OLD PARISH REGISTERS.....See "OPR" records near the top of this page
****SCOTTISH RECORDS on
ANCESTRY
If the OLD front page comes up, scroll down to the the link, UK and
Ireland. If it says "Old Search" at the upper right, click on that
click to switch back to the Old Search page and then scroll down to
UK and Ireland link,. Click on map of Scotland and there you
will find all the Scottish sites available.
INFORMATION FOUND ON CR CERTIFICATES
****SCOTLAND BATCH NUMBERS....(Hugh Wallis site) to see which records in which locations have been extracted by the LDS church
BRITISH BATCH NUMBERS (Hugh Wallis site)...same as above for all of Britain and Ireland
BURIAL RECORDS: Scotland's Family is just one site...there are a number of organizations that are collecting transcriptions and Monumental Inscriptions. Try Google to bring these sites up. For a listing of Burial grounds, to to GENUKI, find your county, and scroll down to "Cemeteries."
SCOTTISH MONUMENTAL INSCRIPTIONS Click on "Products" over on the left. These people are good to answer questions and give you help.
FIND A GRAVE....big in the US..just taking off in Scotland...it's easier to bring up person's name than name of cemetery
GLASGOW & WEST OF SCOTLAND Family History Society...will photograph a grave marker for a fee....many other services on this site
COMMUNITY RESOURCES
ALL MAILING LISTS...see instructions below
****SCOTLAND MAILING LISTS....Don't forget to check the Archives on your mailing list.
MESSAGE BOARDS ON ANCESTRY...........go to the Collaborate Tab at the top and down to the Message Boards box. Click on the "Go to the boards" link in the green strip. In the Find a Board search engine, type in your surname or locality. --then select the one you need, as there will several listed. Then use the KEYWORD box to type in your key word; it is strongly suggested that you use a surname keyword on a locality board or a locality keyword for a surname message board.
Or, go directly to this page and right to "Find a Board"
OTHER COUNTY PROJECTS SIMILAR TO GENWEB....One superb example is "Wigtownshire Pages"...........use Google to find similar sites.......
GENERAL RESOURCES
****NATIONAL ARCHIVES OF SCOTLAND: This is the Scottish source for non-conformist and Roman Catholic records that may not be found elsewhere.....also non-microfilmed manuscript documents (sasines, court cases, wills, property transfers, kirk sessions, estate records, etc.) which can be consulted on site for FREE, but you need a certain level of expertise for dealing with original manuscripts.
WELCOME TO KNOWLEDGE BASE.....Some good general questions answered quickly
SCOTLAND RESOURCES ON ANCESTRY.COM
SCOTTISH ORIGINS: .to order various documents and certificates
SCOTLAND'S PEOPLE Statutory Registers (BMDs, ) Old Parish Registers, Census Records, Wills and Testaments (Search 1513-1901 Free)
GENERAL RECORD OFFICE OF SCOTLAND (GRO...home of "Scotland's People")
How to join MAILING LISTS
MAILING LISTS: http://lists.rootsweb.com/
Go to the above site and to the search engine: : FIND A MAILING LIST
After KEYWORD, Type in the name of the surname or locality of the list you wish….
Mailing Lists - SURNAME SEARCH
Example: Surname: "G" for the surname "Galbraith"
**This takes you to the Galbraith Mailing List instruction page.
Click on: "Subscribe to Galbraith -L" (mail mode) or "Subscribe to Galbraith-D" (Digest Mode)
Be sure the word "subscribe" is on the subject line. It may also appear in the message space. Do NOT put anything in the message space. Send it through.
NOTE: Subscribe does not mean send money. It is just a way of becoming a member of the list.
You will get a message asking you to CONFIRM that you want to be on the mailing list. Check that you do and send back.
You will get a welcome letter from the host/hostess of that mailing list that gives you directions on how to post a message, how to unsubscribe, or any other directions that the host feels is necessary. Keep these instructions.
To post a query, the Rootsweb address will be the same WITHOUT the word "request."
Example: GALBRAITH-L@rootsweb.com
To get off and on each list, the word "request" will be in the address.
Example: to get off and on the list: GALBRAITH-L-request@rootsweb.com
THE ARCHIVES…to search or browse to find messages that were sent to the list when you were not subscribed. The link to these archives is found at the bottom of each Mailing List Instruction page…the one that you started with above.**
Mailing Lists - LOCALITY SEARCH
Use the same site: Rootsweb User Mailing Lists
This time you will type in the name of the LOCALITY that you need: Ex: Lanark
This will take you to the LANARK instruction page **
Follow the same directions as above as you did with SURNAME.
MAILING LIST NETIQUETTE: http://hspinfo.org/ettiquette.htm
· Make sure that your postings have a meaningful subject line
Good Example: Robert GALBRAITH 1840 from Glasgow
· Don't use deceptive subject lines that you think may help attract attention
Bad example: Need help, please!!!!
· Don't use all caps. It's like SHOUTING to the other listers. Write like you normally do.
· Make your "query" short and to the point. Put surnames in caps: Robert GALBRAITH
· Don't use inflammatory remarks. This is called "flaming"
· Don't send attachments (pictures or otherwise) or to the list.
SOME SUGGESTIONS
· Before you post your first "query," read some of the posts of others to get an idea of what you need to do.
· On Locality mailing lists especially, stay subscribed long enough to learn from others about the area you are researching. Watch for people who are offering "lookups" from sources that are available to them.
· Most people who will help you are volunteers and will not charge you for sharing or looking up information. But never expect others to pay for any copying/mailing expenses.
· The more lists you are on, the more chance you have of getting responses.
· Remember to "unsubscribe" when you go on vacation, if you don't want messages to pile up in you "inbox."
Remember, FHL in Salt Lake has BMD certificates: 1855 to 1875, also 1881 and 1891
Irish Research on the Internet
English Research on the Internet