Scotland Births and Baptisms - FamilySearch Historical Records

Record Description
This index covers events from 1564 through 1950. 95% of this collection consists of pre 1875 records. Most of the remaing 5% are pre 1910. There are no Scotland indexing projects currently, so this collection is not expected to change in the foreseeable future.

The index, Scotland Births and Baptisms, 1564-1955, is to be used as a tool to locate and view the original documents. The documents or records record more than what is found in the index.

95% of the names indexed within this collection are:


 * Pre 1855 Church of Scotland Records
 * Civil Registration 1855 to 1875

5% of the names indexed with in this collection are:


 * Church of Scotland post 1855
 * Denominations other than the Church of Scotland

The primary record classes, pre 1855 Church of Scotland and Civil Registration 1855 to 1875 are not to be considered complete; though, a high percentage of the records are in the index. (95% to 98%)

For over 30 years, volunteer indexers extracted this information from microfilm copies of the original records. In 2001, some of the entries were published on 16 CDs by the Family History Department of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints as the “British Isles Vital Records Index: England, Ireland, Scotland, and Wales.” Now the names and information on these CD's are included in this collection.

Citation for This Collection
The following citation refers to the original source of the data and images published on FamilySearch.org Historical Records. It may include the author, custodian, publisher, and archive for the original records.

This collection may include information previously published in the International Genealogical Index or Vital Records Index collections.

This collection is an index to civil registration and church records. Church records and civil registration were official records and are some of the most reliable sources of information available for those who were born, married, or died in Scotland.

Suggested citation format for a record in this collection.

Record Content
The key genealogical facts found in birth or christening index entries may include:


 * Name of the child
 * Gender
 * Names of the parents
 * Birth date
 * Birthplace
 * Christening date (if the source is a church record)
 * Family History Library Microfilm and item numbers for the source materials

How to Use the Record
Upon finding a person in the index, the typical data one would expect to find is a Name, Date and Place. Two other relevant items are the:


 * Indexing Project (Batch) Number: The hyperlinked batch number takes you to all those records in that batch which covers one parish for a particular number of years, so you can search just the records in that batch. (There is typically more than one batch number per parish) A website commonly referred to as Hugh Wallis IGI Batch Numbers is a site where you can view and search all the batch number for a Parish.
 * IGI Batch Number Descriptions help one understand the meaning of the batch numbers. The batch number prefixes related to this collection are 'C' and "i"
 * Source Film Number: The source film number refers to a microfilm of an orginal record from which the batches have been created. This is the record that may provide additional information not found in the index. Search the library catalogue using the film number, and if need be order the film through a Family History Center. Reading the hand writing may be a challenge

Related Websites

 * Scotland's People. Subscription website (£) that includes Church of Scotland and Catholic parish registers, as well as Scotland civil registration records.

Related Wiki Articles

 * Scotland Church Records
 * Scotland Statutary Registers - Vital Records

Citing FamilySearch Historical Collections
When you copy information from a record, you should list where you found the information on a research log. This will help you or others to find the record again. It is also good to keep track of records where you did not find information, including the names of the people you looked for in the records.

A suggested format for keeping track of records that you have searched is found in the wiki article Help:How to Cite FamilySearch Collections.

Citation Example for a Record Found in This Collection
“Scotland, Births and Baptisms, 1564-1950," index, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.1.1/XT6F-PSZ : accessed 24 May 2012), Peter Hennessy, 1881; citing Scotland Registrar General, Registers of births, marriages and deaths, FHL microfilm 232638, The New Register House, Edinburg, Scotland.