Knockando, Moray, Scotland Genealogy

Parish #139

This is a guide to the history and major genealogical records of Scotland as they pertain to the parish of Knockando. To learn more about how to use these records to search for your ancestors, go to the Scotland: Research Strategies.

= History =

The parish of Knockando, or as it formerly was spelled, Knockandow, derives its name from two Gaelic words, which denote Black Hill, or Hill with the Black Head. The parish of Ma Calen, or Macallan, is now annexed to Knockando, but no distinct record of union is preserved. Knockando was a vicarage depending on the parson of Inveravon, and Ma Calen or Elchies, a vicarage depending on the parson of Botarie.

It is bounded on the west by the parishes of Cromdale and Edinkillie; on the north by Dallas and Birnie; on the east by Rothes; and on the south by the river Spey, which separates Knockando from Iveravon and Aberlour, in the shire of Banaff. The river Spey is one of the most productive fishing rivers in Scotland.

There are no market-towns, within the bounds of the parish; the nearest are Charlestown of Aberlour. The only village is Archiestown, which was built on the moor of Ballintomb, by the late Sir Archibald Grant of Monymuck, in about 1760. By an accidental fire in 1783, the village was partly destroyed. The village consists of a main street, a square and several by-lanes, and contains 180 inhabitants.

The flood of August 1829 will be handed down to future generations as the greatest historical event connected with the annals of Knockando. A place called Campbell’s Cairns is supposed by some to derive its name from being the scene of battle between the Campbells and some other clan in which the Campbells were defeated; whilst others maintain that the place is so called from Cossack Dhu,m a freebooter of the olden time, who was said to have concealed his booty among the cairns.

Lord Elchies, a distinguished Scottish judge, was born in this parish, and occasionally resided in the house of Easter Elchies. The Messrs Grant of Manchester, who by their own industry have established one of the most extensive mercantile establishments in the west of England, are natives of this parish. The late Sir William Grant, Master of the Rolls, was nearly related to the Elchies family.

There are three heritors, viz. James William Grant, Esq. of Wester Elchies; George M’Pherson Grant, Esq. of Ballindalloch and Invershire; and the Right Honourable the Earl of Seafield. Mr. Grant of Wester Elchies, the chief heritor, holds a civil appointment in Bengal; his family are residents in the parish at the house of Wester Elchies. The Earl of Seafield possesses the lands of Easter Elchies. Mr Grant of Ballindalloch possesses Kirdals; and Mr. Grant of Wester Elchies, Knockando, Ballintomb, and Wester Elchies.

The population in 1755 amounted to 1267 inhabitants, in 1791 it decreased to 1600, and by 1801, the count was 1482.

Amongst the customs, it may be remarked, that married women generally retain their maiden names in preference to assuming those of their husbands. Another custom practiced is that weddings occur on Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Saturdays, the people having some absurd superstition against Monday and Fridays.

The chief crops raised in the parish are oats viz. Hopetoun early and late, Angus, Kildrummy, potatoes and black, oats; barley and Scotch bear, wheat, peas, beans, potatoes, turnips, flax, and hay. The oats and barley are chiefly sold, the remainder being used in families or for feeding domestic animals. The potato and turnip crops are consumed in the parish. The rotation of crop generally observed consists in two white crops, one green crop, and two crops of grass. The quantity of grass seeds sown in an acre amounts to eight pounds of clover, mixed with three bushels of rye-grass.

There are four meal-mills, a waulk-mill, and a carding-mill, in the parish. Saw and thrashing-mills have also been added. At the waulk and carding-mills, wool is dyed and manufactured into plaiding and broad-cloth, blankets and carpets.

The parish church of Knockando, situated about eight miles from the eastern, and seven from the western boundary, is on the whole pretty central for the population. It was built in 1757, almost close to the site of the former one. The parish church accommodates between 500 and 600 persons. The sittings are all free, and are proportioned to the tenants, according to the valued rents of the heritors. There are about 320 families attending the Established church. There is a small congregation of Independents in the parish. Only one Roman Catholic is to be found in the parish.

In consequence of a fire breaking out in the village of Archiestown on the 17th April 1783, the house of the session-clerk was burned, and three volumes of session records were consumed, commencing in 1712, and ending in 1767. The testamentary book, and the register of baptisms and marriages, commencing in the year 1768, were fortunately preserved. Since 1783, books have been kept containing accounts of the ordinary collections, distributions to the poor, and general session business, as likewise registers of baptisms and marriages. The baptismal register is by no means complete owing to parents have neglected to have their children’s names inserted. No record of deaths or funerals appears to have been kept until the year 1834, when the present minister commenced a private register.

This account was written August 1835.

Source: The New Statistical Account of Scotland for Knockando, FHL book 941 B4sa, 2nd series, vol 13.

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 edina.($) Click on ‘Browse scanned pages’ then search the parish you are interested in. Also available at the

= 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 census records.

Here is a list of the Family History Library microfilm numbers for the, as well as the library numbers for any surname indexes available:

The 1901 census of Scotland is indexed on scotlandspeople.($) 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 the separate indexes through the library.

= Church Records =

The Established Church of Scotland was Presbyterian. Read more about church records. Here are the pre-1855 records that exist for this parish.

Condition of Original Registers—
Indexed: For an index to these records, see the Scottish Church Records Index available on computers at the Family History Library and family history centers. Some of these records may be indexed and searchable on familysearch.org.

Births: Three volumes of birth records of this parish dated 1712–1767 appear to have been burnt, together with the session clerk's house in the year 1783. Entries prior to 1768 are irregular. There are six pages of irregular entries, dated 1757–1804 at the beginning of the volume. The lower portion of the second page is cut off and there are several years out of chronological order. Pages are generally attested to by the session clerk. Marriages: There are no entries March 1794–December 1796. Deaths: There are no records prior to 1841. Source: Key to the Parochial Registers of Scotland, by V. Ben Bloxham, pub. 1970. British Book 941 K23b.

Established Church—Kirk Session Records
The Kirk session was the court of the parish. The session was made up of the minister and the land owners and business men of the parish, chosen to serve on the session. The Kirk session dealt with moral issues, minor criminal cases, matters of the poor and education, matters of discipline, and the general concerns of the parish. Kirk session records may also mention births, marriages, and deaths.

Here is a list of the surviving Kirk session records for this parish: 

Kirk Session Minutes 1806–1898 Register of Baptisms and Marriages 1760–1794 Cash Book 1783–1804 List of Interments in Churchyard 1841–1873 Register of Discipline 1783–1795 Note: Available at the National Archives of Scotland, Edinburgh, record CH2/1509.

Nonconformist Church Records
A nonconformist church is any church that is not the Established church. Read more about nonconformity in Scotland in the article on the Scotland Church Records Union List.

Knockando Free Church
History—  Those who left the Established Church in 1843 formed a congregation, and the charge was sanctioned in March 1844. The congregation built a church in 1845. Membership: 1848, 147; 1900, 175. Source: Annals of the Free Church of Scotland, 1843 1900, ed. Rev. William Ewing, D.D., 2 vols. pub. 1914. FHL Film #918572. More details are given in the source.

Records—  Kirk Session Minutes 1844–1915 Deacons’ Court Minutes 1845–1933 Note: Available at the National Archives of Scotland, Edinburgh, record CH3/1525.

Archieston United Presbyterian Church
History—  In 1825 this congregation left the Established Church and obtained supply of sermon from the United Associate Presbytery of Elgin. There are two church buildings connected with this station, both in the parish of Knockando; Tomdoe, built in 1826 and Archieston, built in 1841. The minister shared his time preaching at Archieston during the day and at Tomdoe of Garlinbeg in the evening. Source: Annals and Statistics of the United Presbyterian Church, by Rev. William MacKelvie, D.D., pub. 1873. FHL Film #477618.

Records— Extent of the records is unknown.

Knockando Congregational Church
History—  A small church was formed here in 1804. The church gradually declined after the death of its only pastor in 1853, and by 1860, it was discontinued. Source: A history of Scottish Congregationalism, by Harry Escott, pub. 1960. FHL book 941 K2es.

Records—  Extent of the records is unknown. For information write to: The United Reformed Church, Scottish Synod Office P.O. Box 189 240 Cathedral Street, Glasgow G1 2BX, Scotland

= Civil Registration Records =

Government or civil registration of births, marriages, and deaths (also called statutory records) began on January 1, 1855 in Scotland. Each parish has a registrar's office and large cities have several. The records are created by the registrars and copies are sent to the General Register Office in Edinburgh. Annual indexes are then created for the records for the whole country.

See the article on Scotland Civil Registration for more information and to access the records.

= Probate Records =

Knockando was under the probate jurisdiction of the Commissary Court of Moray until 1823, and since then has been under the Sheriff's Court of Elgin. Probate records for 1513- 1901 are indexed online at scotlandspeople.($) You must register on the website but use of the index to probate records, called 'Wills &amp; Testaments,' is free. You may then purchase a copy of the document or, if the document is before 1823, it will be on microfilm at the Family History Library. To find the microfilm numbers, search in the library catalog for the 'Place-names' of Moray and the subject of 'Probate records.' Then click on the link to the records of the Commissariat of Moray.

The library also has some post-1823 probate records for Moray. Look in the library catalog for the 'Place-names' of Moray and the subjects of 'Probate Records' and 'Probate Records - Indexes.' Read more about Scotland Probate Records.  Return to Moray parish list.