Fyvie, Aberdeenshire, Scotland Genealogy

Parish # 197

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

History
FYVIE, a parish, in the district of Turriff, county of Aberdeen, 7½ miles (S. S. W.) from Cuminestown. This place, of which the ancient name, Fycyn, is of doubtful etymology, is chiefly distinguished for its castle, of which the original founder is unknown. The church, erected in 1808, is a spacious plain edifice, containing 1114 sittings. A chapel has been erected at Millbrex, in the northern district of the parish. It is a neat structure containing 500 sittings. There are two episcopal chapels, one at Woodhead, and the other at Meiklefolla; and the members of the Free Church have a place of worship.

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 your parish of interest. 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 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—
Index: 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 also be indexed in other FamilySearch collections for Scotland. Births: The early portion of birth records has suffered much from dampness and want of care. Many leaves are partially destroyed and they are blank May 1727–February 1729. There are two pages of irregular entries dated 1721–1755 and irregular entries dated 1740–1755 on two pages after November 1749. Mothers’ names recorded after January 1814. Records are defective for 1763 and very irregular 1764–1768, inclusive. Marriages: There are several erasures on the page commencing 20 September 1703. The records are blank July 1707–December 1712, February 1724, August 1724–March 1728, August 1734–November 1783 except for 11 entries 1749–1763, December 1802–May 1817, and July 1818–1828. Deaths: The burials are blank for February 1788–1832. Source: Key to the Parochial Registers of Scotland, by V. Ben Bloxham, pub. 1970. British Book 941 K23b. Monumental Inscriptions: For Millbrex and Woodhead of Fyvie churchyards, 941.25/F4 V3s, for Millbrex, 941.25/M2 V3m.

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 1783–1805, 1808–1876 Accounts 1783–1854 Communion Roll at end of volume Copy of Minutes of Meetings of Heritors 1840, are at end of the volume. Note: Available at the National Archives of Scotland, Edinburgh, record CH2/1152

Roll of Male Heads of Families
1834 and 1835 lists of male heads of families in this parish can be found here.

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.

Fyvie, Woodhead Free Church
History—  The minister of Fyvie, and a large number of his congregation “came out” at the Disruption. The church was erected in 1843 at Woodhead. Afterwards a hall was added, and the church enlarged. The congregation suffered heavily through rural depopulation. Membership: 1848, 386; 1900, 150. Source: Annals of the Free Church of Scotland, 1843–1900, ed. Rev. William Ewing, D.D., 2 vols. pub. 1914. Film #918572. More details are given in the source.

Records— Minutes 1843–1881 Deacon’s Court Minutes 1843–1879 Note: Available at the National Archives of Scotland, Edinburgh, record CH3/1173.

Fyvie Episcopal Churches
History— The congregation in the village of Woodhead has existed since the Revolution. The chapel was built in 1795 and enlarged in 1821. The members were chiefly composed of small–holding farmers. Another congregation, in the village of Meiklefolla, was also established early, its membership drawn mostly from other parishes. Membership: Woodhead 1821, 200; 1843, 160; Meiklefolla 1843, 188. In the 1790's the membership of the two congregations was said to be about 285. Source: History of the Scottish Episcopal Church, by John P. Lawson, pub. 1843. A copy of this book is not available in the Family History Library.

Records— The extent of records is unknown. For information write to: The Rectory Old Meldrum Inverurie AB51 0AD Scotland

This rector has stewardship over the Fyvie churches today.

Transcribed Records— Some of the records the chapel at Folla Rule have been transcribed by Archibald Maxwell Strath and were self published in 1990 as "The Registers of St George Episcopal chapel Folla-Rule 1717-1859 : Diocese of Aberdeen and Orkney, Scotland." Copies are held by the Aberdeen County Library, Meldrum Old Meg Way, Meadows Industrial Estate, Old Meldrum, AB51 OGN, Scotland Further copies at held at the Aberdeen &amp; North East Scotland Family History Society, 4 King St. Aberdeen, AB24 5BD Scotland. http://www.anesfhs.org.uk/ &lt;br

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
Fyvie was under the probate jurisdiction of the Commissary Court of Aberdeen until 1823, and since then has been under the Sheriff's Court of Ab erdeen. Probate records for 1513- 1901 are indexed online at [http://www.scotlandspeople.gov.uk/?gclid=CLKJyYGQ4ZUCFQQCagod1gp0Ww 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 Aberdeen and the subject of 'Probate records.' Then click on the link to the records of the Commissariat of Aberdeen. The library also has some post-1823 probate records for Aberdeen. Look in the library catalog for the 'Place' of Aberdeen and the subjects of 'Probate Records' and 'Probate Records - Indexes.' Read more about Scotland Probate Records.