Wick, Caithness, Scotland Genealogy

Parish # 43

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

= History =

The word wic in Danish, Saxon, and other northern languages of Gothic origin, signifies a corner, a flexure, a bending reach in a river, a bay. Wick was formerly spelled Weik. The parish is bounded, on the south by the parish of Latheron; on the south-west, by the parish of Wattin; on the north-west, by the parish of Bower; on the north, by the parish of Canisbay; and on the east, by the Moray Firth.

Wick in the market-town of this parish. There are several villages in Wick, Broad Haven, which is a fishing station, Staxigoe is another fishing station, and the village of Sarclet, on the estate of Thrumster.

There can be no doubt that the original inhabitants of the district which now forms the parish of Wick, were of Celtic origin. This is proved by several names of places and rivulets, such as Auchairn (Auch-charn, the field of the heap of stones), Altimarlach, ( Alt-na-mariach, thief’s burn), and Drumdriy, which are significant in the Gaelic language.

The clan Gun are said to have originated the twelfth century within the parish of Wick, where they once were very powerful, and still are very numerous.

The principal land-owner is the Right Honorable Benjamin Dunbar Sutherland, Baron of Duffus, and a Baronet. The other land-owners are, William Horne, Esq. of Scouthel; Robert Innes, Esq. of Thrumster; Kenneth Macleary, Esq. of Keiss and Bilbster; John Sinclair Esq. of Barrock; Sir George Sinclair, Bart., of Ulbster; the Earl of Caithness, of Mirelandorn; William Sinclair, Esq. of Freswick; and James Smith, Esq. of Olrig. Of these, Lord Duffus and Robert Innes, Esq. are the only constantly resident land-owners. William Horne, Esq. is occasionally a resident at Stirkoke, all the rest are non-resident.

About the year 1695, there were in the parish of Wick 2000 catechisable persons. In 1792, the population was 5000, and in the census of 1831, the population was 9850.

There are in Wick and Pulteneytown four rope-works, which employ, besides the masters, 75 men, with occasional hands. The first of these commenced in 1820, and all the ropes which they produce is consumed in this port.

Standing at the west end of the burgh, the parish church is very conveniently situated for the great body of the parishioners. Excellent roads lead towards it in all directions. Allowing eighteen inches to a sitting, the church will contain 1981 sitters. It is seated, however, to contain only 1835. All the seats are said to be free, and the church is well attended.

There are some Dissenters in the parish, the United Associate Seceders congregation was established in 1770. In 1790, the congregation of Independents was established, the Anabaptists congregation was established in 1808, Separatists congregation was established in 1824, Papists congregation was established in 1832, Original Seceders congregation was established in 1835, Reformed Presbyterians congregation was established in 1836, and the Wesleyan Methodists congregation was established in 1837.

The records belonging to the Kirk-session have not been well preserved. The earlier minutes of session have been lost. Those at present extant consist of five volumes. Of these, the first, which contains 287 folio pages, commence on the 20th of July 1701, and ends on May 13th 1723; the second, which contains 85 folios, begins on May 2nd 1742, and ends on September 24th 1758; the third, containing 145 folios, begins on October 1st 1758, and ends on January 13th 1793; the fourth, which contains 139 leaves, and is a mere ragged fragment of a quarto volume, wanting both beginning and end, commences on the 29th of October 1801, and terminates on February 9th 1816; and the fifth, in which the minutes of Session are being recorded, commences on July 12th 1816. The baptismal registers, which have not been regularly kept, consist of six volumes, and commence on the 3rd of November 1701. Up until a late date the registers of matrimonial contracts, and of births and baptisms, were strangely mixed and jumbled together. The register of marriages commences on the 28th of August 1840. There are no register of deaths.

This account was written March 1841.

Source: New Statistical Account of Scotland for Wick,FHL book 941 B4sa, series 2, vol. 15.

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 Wick. Also available at the Family History Library.

= 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 census records of Wick 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 the Scottish Church Records Index available on computers at the Family History Library and family history centers. The records may be indexed in the International Genealogical Index. Baptisms: There are no entries from July 1705-January 1706 and June 1706-January 1707. There are a few pages of irregular entries at 1732. There is a duplicate for June 1753-April 1756. Marriages: No entries exist for December 1705-November 1707, November 1711-June 1717, and January 1756-February 1760. 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:

Minutes 1701-1723, 1742-1758, 1801-1928 Accounts 1815-1843, 1845-1909 Poor Fund Minutes and Accounts 1815-1843 Communion Roll 1844-1928 Note: Available at the National Archives of Scotland, Edinburgh, record CH2/821.

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.

Wick Secession, Anti-burgher Church
History—  This congregation began about 1768. Newton, one and a half miles from Wick, was the site of the first church in 1771. In 1815, the congregation moved to Pulteneytown, a suburb of Wick. Source: Annals and Statistics of the United Presbyterian Church, by Rev. William MacKelvie, D.D., pub. 1873. Film #477618. More details are given in the source.

Records— Minutes 1841-1950 Managers’ Minutes 1813-1814, 1837-1949 Collections 1814-1822 Communicants Roll 1842-1843 Other post-1855 records are available. Note: Available at the National Archives of Scotland, Edinburgh, record CH3/1444.

Wick Free Church
History— The Wick congregation and minister left the Established Church in 1843. Soon after the Disruption, a church and manse were built, and later in 1863, a new church was built. Membership: 1855, 1200 including adherents; 1900, 363. 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— The extent of the records is unknown.

Bruan Free Church
History— This congregation was a mission of the Society for Promoting Christian Knowledge. When the minister adhered to the Free Church in 1843, the Society withdrew from the mission and the buildings became the property of the Free Church. In 1845, the charge was sanctioned and in 1847 a minister was settled. Membership: 1855, 500 including adherents; 1900, 102. 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— Baptismal Register 1847-1946 Note: Available at the National Archives of Scotland, Edinburgh, record CH3/883.

Pulteneytown Free Church
History— At the time of the Disruption in 1843 the people of this church joined the Free Church. Since Pulteneytown at the time was not a parish, the British Fishery Society’s grounds were given to this congregation as its district. The church was built in 1853. Membership: 1855, 600 including adherents; 1900, 167. 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 1844-1854 Deacons’ Court Minutes 1844-1853 Baptismal Register 1845-1931 Communion Roll 1843-1886 Note: Available at the National Archives of Scotland, Edinburgh, record CH3/888.

Wick Congregational Churches
History—  In 1799, after the visit of James Haldane and John Aikman, a congregation was formed in Wick, and a Tabernacle built in Parliamentary Square. This was closed in 1962. In 1846, another congregation was organized and met in a chapel on Victoria Place. In 1871, this congregation joined the Evangelical Union, but closed in 1902. Source: A History of Scottish Congregationalism, by Harry Escott, pub. 1960; FHL book 941 K2es. Source includes lists of ministers.

Records—

The extent of records for both of the above congregations is unknown. For information, write to: The United Reformed Church, Scottish Synod Office PO Box 189 240 Cathedral Street Glasgow G1 2BX Scotland

Wick Catholic Church
History— In 1833, a congregation was organized without a parish priest. It was served from Keith, Banffshire, “in the fishing season” 1833-1837. It was vacant 1837-1839, was served from Strichen, Aberdeenshire, “in the fishing season” 1839-1842, and “then from some of the nearest missions” until Wick received its own priest. Source: Catholic Missions and Registers, 1700-1880, Volume 6, Scotland, by Michael Gandy, pub. 1993. FHL Ref book 942 K24gm, vol. 6.

Records— No pre-1855 records exist. See the other localities referred to in the history.

= 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 =

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

Read more about Scotland Probate Records.

Return to Caithness parish list.