Abbey, Renfrewshire, Scotland Genealogy

Scotland Renfrewshire  Abbey

Abbey (#559)

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

= History =

PAISLEY, a burgh, market-town, and ancient parish, in the Upper ward of the county of Renfrew, of which it is the principal place. A monastery, which was dedicated to the Virgin Mary, St. James, and St. Mirin, flourished till the year 1220, when it was raised to the rank of a mitred abbey by Pope Honorius III. The whole of the Paisley portion of the county, at present so populously inhabited, and forming so extensive a manufacturing district, was previously to the year 1736 one parish, now divided into the Abbey parish and the town parishes. The increasing population requiring further accommodation, a Gaelic church and six chapels of ease were erected. The Gaelic church was built in 1793, for the use of the Highlanders generally in the town of Paisley and the vicinity; and to each of the chapels of ease was till lately annexed a quoad sacra district, by which they were raised to the rank of parish churches. Of the six chapels or churches, that of Johnstone was erected in 1792, the church at Levern in 1835, and that of Elderslie in 1840; and in the burgh, the North church, the Martyrs, and the South church, have been completed, and a minister ordained to each. There are places of worship for members of the Free Church, the Reformed Presbytery, Old Burghers, the Relief, and the United Secession'; also an episcopal chapel; places of worship for Wesleyan Methodists, Scottish and Berean Baptists, Independents, Glassites, Unitarians, and Universalists; and in the New Town a Roman Catholicchapel.

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 http://edina.ac.uk/stat-acc-scot/. Click on ‘Browse scanned pages’ then search the parish reports for Abbey. 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 www.scotlandspeople.gov.uk. 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 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 on computer at the Family History Library and family history centers. Some records may be indexed in the [https://familysearch.org/search/collection/list#page=1&region=EUROPE International Genealogical Index. ] Births: This record does not exhibit any blanks. The margins of some of the leaves have suffered from the effects of dampness. Mothers’ names are not recorded until May 1696, and seldom between 1709 and 1724. Marriages: There are no blanks in the record. Bookings and marriages are often separately recorded before 1686. Entries for July 1686–May 1696 are chiefly proclamations, the fact of the marriage being seldom added. After 1710, the record again becomes chiefly one of proclamations. Deaths: Record is Mortcloth Dues until 1792. They are blank February 1792–September 1795, after which deaths are recorded. Source:Key to the Parochial Registers of Scotland, by V. Ben Bloxham, pub. 1970. British Book.

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:  See also Paisley parish.

Abbey Kirk Session
Accounts 1751–1768, 1775–1785, 1795–1860 Minutes 1699–1706, 1710–1775, 1797–1903 Cash Book 1844–1927 Ledger 1844–1866 Copies of Baptismal Registers, and Proclamations of Marriage 1826–1851 Communion Roll 1846–1925 Yard Register 1816–1874 Note: Available at the National Archives of Scotland, Edinburgh, record CH2/490.

Elderslie Kirk Session
Managers’ Trustees’ Minutes 1840–1863 Note: Available at the National Archives of Scotland, Edinburgh, record CH2/878.

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.

See also Paisley parish.

Abbey Close Associate Burgher Secession, later United Presbyterian Church
History— Previous to the year 1765, the seceders resident in Paisley attended public religious ordinances at Burntshields, six miles from town. The rapid growth of the population due to the flourishing state of the silk gauze manufacture in Paisley, introduced six years before, induced the seceders to apply to the Presbytery for a disjunction from Burntshields in order to form a separate congregation, which was immediately granted. The first church was built in 1769, the second in 1827. Source: Annals and Statistics of the United Presbyterian Church, by Rev. William MacKelvie, D.D., pub. 1873. Film #477618. More details may be given in the source including a list of ministers. Records—                                                              Family History Library Film Number  Roll of Baptized Members    1849–1874     item 4 X Burial Register                    1842–1904      item 4 X Note: The X means the record has been extracted. Other: Various Minutes 1769–1864 Accounts 1812–1840 Collections 1850–1889 Building Committee and Managers’ Cash Book 1827–1855 Roll of Members 1816–1826, 1830–1927 Nomination Roll 1853–1867 Names of Proprietors of Plots in Burying Ground 1832 Copy Correspondence with Golespie Missionary Station 1837–1841 Note: Available at the National Archives of Scotland, Edinburgh, record CH3/465.

Johnstone West Associate Secession Church
History— Previous to 1781, Johnstone was a small hamlet with only ten persons. A large spinning mill was erected near it and the formation of a town was begun and it proceeded so rapidly that in 1792 the inhabitants amounted to 1434. Much of the population had been drawn from the immediately surrounding district and they were members of the Secession congregation of Burntshields in Kilbarchan parish. Finding attendance at that place inconvenient, they erected a place of worship in Johnstone in 1791, under the sanction of the Presbytery. The minister of Burntshields removed to Johnstone and Burntshields and it became a vacant charge. Source: Annals and Statistics of the United Presbyterian Church, by Rev. William MacKelvie, D.D., pub. 1873. . More details may be given in the source including a list of ministers.

Records— Extent of the records is unknown.

Johnstone East Relief Presbyterian Church
History— In the course of the rapid increase of Johnstone as a town, many persons had settled in it and connected with the Relief Church. They were desirous of having a place of worship there and they applied to the Presbytery of Glasgow in July 1828 and a church was built in 1829. Source: Annals and Statistics of the United Presbyterian Church, by Rev. William MacKelvie, D.D., pub. 1873. . More details may be given in the source including a list of ministers.

Records— Extent of the records is unknown.

Johnstone Free Church
History—  The congregation was formed here in August 1843. The charge was sanctioned in December following. A hall was rented for public worship. A church was soon erected. Membership: 1848, 135; 1900, 512. Source: Annals of the Free Church of Scotland, 1843–1900, ed. Rev. William Ewing, D.D., 2 vols. pub. 1914.. More details may be given in the source including a list of ministers.

Records— Minutes 1843–1898 Deacons’ Court Minutes 1846–1903 Note: Available at the National Archives of Scotland, Edinburgh, record CH3/884.

Johnstone Roman Catholic Church
See Paisley and Houston Parishes.

= 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 =

Abbey was under the probate jurisdiction of the Commissary Court of Glasgow until 1823, and since then has been under the Sheriff's Court of Paisley. Probate records for 1513- 1901 are indexed online at www.scotlandspeople.gov.uk. 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' of Renfrew and the subject of 'Probate records.' Then click on the link to the records of the Commissariat of Glasgow.

The library also has some post-1823 probate records for Renfrew. Look in the Library Catalog for the 'Place' of Renfrew and the subjects of 'Probate Records' and 'Probate Records - Indexes.'

Read more about Scotland Probate Records.

= References =

Return to the Renfrewshire parish list.