Kennoway, Fife, Scotland Genealogy

Parish #434

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

= History =

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 Kennoway. 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 Scotland Census Records.

Here is a list of the Family History Library microfilm numbers for the census records of Kennoway 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 indexes through the library.

= 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 available on computers at the Family History Library and family history centers. The records may be indexed in the International Genealogical Index. Births: Prior to 1654 births are intermixed with marriages and other matters. There are no entries September 1654–February 1691; then they are recorded in parallel columns until November 1724. Marriages: There are no entries 1654–February 1691. The marriages are then recorded in parallel columns until November 1724. There are no entries 1724–April 1737, from which date to January 1740 there is a separate record of marriages after the births for June 1737. Marriages are again recorded in parallel columns with births 1740–1770, but no entries June 1751–April 1756. There is a separate record of births and marriages from January 1771. After July 1765 entries of contracts or proclamations only are recorded. Deaths: There are no entries of deaths or burials January 1755–February 1762 and December 1773–January 1776. Source: Key to the Parochial Registers of Scotland, by V. Ben Bloxham, pub. 1970. FHL British Book 941 K23b.

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 1654–1675, 1690–1755, 1761–1858 Collections 1691–1753 Accounts 1636–1722, 1820–1889 Note: Available at the National Archives of Scotland, Edinburgh, record CH2/206.

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.

Kennoway United Presbyterian Church
History— In May 1738, several parishioners of Kennoway acceded to the Associate Presbytery. The Presbytery not being able to supply them with sermon, they attended public worship at Kirkcaldy until 1743 when, at their own request, they were joined to the congregation of Ceres. The Breach in 1747 divided them; the majority of those from Kennoway adhering to the Burgher Synod, and attending ordinances at Kirkcaldy, while the majority of the congregation of Ceres adhered to the other branch of the Secession. In 1750, a number of parishioners, being in opposition to the newly ordained parish minister of Kennoway, withdrew from the Established Church, and along with the Associate Seceders already in the parish applied for and obtained supply of sermon from the Associate Presbytery of Dunfermline. A church was built soon after and was extensively repaired in 1872. Source: Annals and Statistics of the United Presbyterian Church, by Rev. William MacKelvie, D.D., pub. 1873. Film #477618. More details may be given in the source including a list of ministers.

Records— Baptisms 1848–1854, 1865–1918, 1925–1974 Note: Available at the National Archives of Scotland, Edinburgh, record CH3/1369.

Kennoway Free Church
History— After the Disruption, services were provided at Milton and a church was built at Windygates. By March 1844 services at Milton had become unnecessary and at the request of the local Free Church residents a station was established at Kennoway, in connection with an Old Light congregation, in whose church services were at first held. The charge was sanctioned in 1848 in which year they opened their own church. A station was established at Windygates in 1897. Membership: 1855, 163; 1900, 158. Source: Annals of the Free Church of Scotland, 1843–1900, ed. Rev. William Ewing, D.D., 2 vols. pub. 1914. Film #918572. More details may be given in the source.

Records— Minutes 1849–1900 Deacon’s Court Minutes 1845–1892 Note: Available at the National Archives of Scotland, Edinburgh, record CH3/145.

= 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 =

Kennoway was under the probate jurisdiction of the Commissary Court of St. Andrews until 1823, and since then has been under the Sheriff's Court of Fife at Cupar. 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 Fife and the subject of 'Probate records.' Then click on the link to the records of the Commissariat of Fife.

The library also has some post-1823 probate records for Fife. Look in the library catalog for the 'Place' of Fife and the subjects of 'Probate Records' and 'Probate Records - Indexes.'

Read more about Scotland Probate Records.

[Return to the Fife parish list.]