Crawfordjohn, Lanarkshire, Scotland Genealogy

Crawfordjohn (#636)

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

History
CRAWFORDJOHN, a parish, in the Upper ward of the county of Lanark; including the post-village of Abington. This place, of which the name is supposed to have been derived from some proprietor of lands within the district, appears to have been originally a chapelry in the parish of Wiston. The parish is pleasantly situated on the banks of the river Duneaton, which partly separates it on the north from the parish of Douglas; it is bounded on the south by the river Glengonner. On the east flows the river Clyde, and on the west are the counties of Dumfries and Ayr. The church, which is conveniently situated, was enlarged in 1817, and will accommodate 300 persons.

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 Crawfordjohn. 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 Scotland Census Records.

Click here for a list of the Family History Library microfilm numbers for the

Below is information for any known surname indexes:

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 Scotland Church Records.

Here are the records that exist for this parish, with their Family History Library call numbers.

Condition of Original Registers
Indexed:' For an index to these records, see Scotland’s People website, a pay-for-view website. The Scottish Church Records Index is also still available at the Family History Library in Salt Lake City. Some records may be indexed in the [https://www.familysearch.org/search/collection/5 International Genealogical Index. ] Births: There is one birth entry for 1691 and only two entries, November 1697–January 1699. In 1740 there are three entries that have been partially destroyed and no entries May 1741–April 1742. Irregular entries, 1809–1816, are recorded at December 1816. Marriages: There are no marriage entries February 1695–October 1697, July 1703–April 1705, December 1706–December 1713, except for a few entries for 1710 and May 1741–June 1743. Deaths: There are burials and deaths for 1817–1854. 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:

Minutes 1693–1709, 1714–1833 Accounts 1693–1704, 1713–1724, 1752–1843 Note: Available at the National Archives of Scotland, Edinburgh, record CH2/397.

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 Lists.

Cameronian Church, Reformed Presbyterian
History— The location of this church is unknown, and indeed there was likely no church building, but there were groups of people who met together as societies. At the time of the Revolution Settlement of 1689–1690, when the Church of Scotland became the established church, the Cameronians, after their leader, also known as the “Mountain Men” remained apart and met together for their own form of worship. A Presbytery was not formed until 1743. Source: The Reformed Presbyterian Church in Scotland, by W. J. Couper, pub. 1925. Family History Library Book.

Records— Births and Marriages, 1706–1744; these are the earliest existing Cameronian records. Note: Available at the National Archives of Scotland, Edinburgh, record MR 28.

Abington and Crawfordjohn Free Church
History— A station was formed at Crawfordjohn in 1843 and one at Abington in 1845. The services were held at Abington in a school at Crawfordjohn in a ruinous house. A church was erected at Crawfordjohn in 1853 and one at Abington in 1861. The charge was sanctioned in 1866. The manse was built at Abington in 1869. The district served by the congregation is 20 miles in length and sparsely populated. Membership: 1869, 110; 1900, 131. Source: Annals of the Free Church of Scotland, 1843–1900, ed. Rev. William Ewing, D.D., 2 vols. pub. 1914. Family History Library Film #. More details may be given in the source including a list of ministers.

Records— There are no pre–1855 records.

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
Crawfordjohn was under the probate jurisdiction of the Commissary Court of Lanark until 1823, and since then has been under the Sheriff's Court of Glasgow. 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-names' of Lanark and the subject of 'Probate records.' Then click on the link to the records of the Commissariat of Lanark. The library also has some post-1823 probate records for Lanark. Look in the library catalog for the 'Place-names' of Lanark and the subjects of 'Probate Records' and 'Probate Records - Indexes.'

Read more about Scotland Probate Records.