Whitekirk & Tynninghame, East Lothian, Scotland Genealogy

Parish #723

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

= History =

Available online at http://edina.ac.uk/stat-acc-scot/. Browse the scanned pages via the parish reports.

= 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.

= Church Records =

The parishes of Whitekirk and Tynninghame were united in 1761, and from that date the congregation assembled for public worship at Whitekirk.

Established Church—Old Parochial Registers
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 International Genealogical Index.

Whitekirk:
Births: There are only eighteen entries prior to 1731, the original records previous to that date having been accidentally burnt. Irregular entries not unfrequent after 1800. Marriages: Perhaps the lack of marriage records prior to 1761 may be explained by the following statement made in the New Statistical Account of Scotland for the parish 1835: “The schoolmaster’s house at Whitekirk was burnt in the year 1760, and the session register previous to that date destroyed.” Records are blank May 1773–May 1776 and there is only one entry December 1793–May 1795. The precise date at which the records for the United Parish begin does not appear.

Tynninghame:
Births: The leaf at 1746 is imperfect. The record ends March 1776. Marriages: There is only one entry December 1748–May 1751. Record terminates May 1759. 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 he 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:

Tynninghame Kirk Session
Minutes 1615–1694, 1699–1760 Accounts 1717–1762, 1793–1800 Note: Available at the National Archives of Scotland, Edinburgh, record CH2/359.

Whitekirk Kirk Session
Minutes 1691–1756, 1760–1823, 1827–1893 Accounts 1759–1783 Heritors’ Minutes and Accounts 1786–1822 Cash Books 1808–1852 Communion Roll 1853 includes attendances tabulated from 1832–1875 Notes: Available at the National Archives of Scotland, Edinburgh, record CH2/371.

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.

There are none. The New Statistical Account of Scotland for the parish 1835 states that there were then 16 or 17 Dissenting families within the combined parishes, who would have attended services in neighboring parishes.

= Civil Registration 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.

= Probate Records =

Read more about Scotland Probate Records.

Return to the East Lothian Parish list.