Swinton and Simprim, Berwickshire, Scotland Genealogy

Parish #755

This is a guide to the history and major genealogical records of Scotland as they pertain to the parish of Swinton and Simprim.

= History =

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

= Census Records =

A census record is a count and description of the population, taken by the government, arranged by locality and by household. Read more about Scotland Census Records.

= Church Records =

The Established Church of Scotland was Presbyterian. Read more about Scotland 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 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. Births: Only five entries of baptisms occur until January 1707, after which date births, marriages, and deaths, Mortcloth Dues are intermixed until 1719. There are no entries December 1720–1733. Irregular entries for 1759–1824 are found on six pages after the record for 1760. Mothers’ names are rarely recorded until 1761. Marriages: Transcribed entries of proclamations occur in the record until November 1706, after which date births, marriages, and deaths, Mortcloth Dues are intermixed until 1719. Marriages are recorded on parallel columns of the register of births for 1720–1760. There are no entries January 1721–1733 and May 1760–May 1769, after which the entries are mixed with other matters. Transcribed entries of irregular marriages for 1807–1819 are found after marriages for Simprim. Deaths: Mortcloth Dues; There are no entries 1719–1769. In 1770, these records are mixed with marriage records. There are two entries of death for 1804 and 1814. 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 Kirk 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.

Records—                                                   FHL Film Number  Register of Baptisms 1668–1674      0304666 item 9 Other: Simprim Minutes 1699–1714, 1734–1761 Simprim Cash Record 1668–1684 Swinton Collections 1769–1776 Swinton Minutes and Accounts 1697–1706 Accounts of the Combined Parishes 1800–1819 Note: Available at the National Archives of Scotland, Edinburgh, record CH2/346.

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.

In 1834 there were about 25 dissenter families but no chapels within the parish. They would have attended worship services in neighboring parishes.

Swinton Free Church
History— This congregation was organized immediately after the Disruption. They built a church first in 1843 and another in 1860. The members were mostly low-income working people. Membership: 1848, 260; 1900 248. 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 1843–1900 Note: Available at the National Archives of Scotland, Edinburgh, record CH3/393.

= 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 =

Read more about Scotland Probate Records.

Return to the Berwickshire parish list.