Pencaitland, East Lothian, Scotland Genealogy

Parish #716

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

= History =

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

= 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.

= Church Records =

Established Church—Old Parochial Registers

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—
Indexed: 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: At December 1698 there are four pages of entries of children baptized in other parishes between 1698 and 1701. Mothers’ names not recorded until July 1665. Marriages: The record is blank November 1697–December 1698, March 1763–May 1813; and November 1815–January 1817, except one entry for 1804. The first few leaves of the record are very much wasted and many entries are imperfect. Deaths: The New Statistical Account of Scotland for Pencaitland 1839 states that the earliest date of deaths was 1616, so the early records appear to have been lost. The record for November 1665–December 1669 is found after the baptisms for May 1735. Records are blank from the latter date to February 1817. 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 1633–1754, 1814–1934 Accounts 1728–1807, 1814–1828, 1840–1904 Scroll Minutes 1709–1763 Disbursements 1626–1629 - 3 leaves Testificates 1656–1691 Note: Available at the National Archives of Scotland, Edinburgh, record CH2/296.

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.

Pencaitland Free Church
History— The minister of the parish, and a minority of his congregation, “came out” in 1843. They worshiped for a time in a large granary. A site was speedily secured and a church built at Fountainhall. The minister lived in part of the old house of Fountainhall; both church and ministers’ residence being thus some distance from the village. Through the kindness of a member, the hall in the village was granted for evening services. The congregation suffered from decline of population owing to the closing of a colliery, and other circumstances. It was reduced to a preaching station in 1882; but in 1891, the charge was again sanctioned. Membership: 1848, 100; 1900, 109. 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 including a list of ministers.

Records—                                           FHL Film Number  Session Minutes 1848–1935 1886235 item 4–5

= 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 East Lothian Parish lists.