Symington, Ayrshire, Scotland Genealogy

Parish #618

History
Symington and Kilmarnock are the nearest towns. The name of the parish is derived from a person who formerly resided here, call Simon Lockhart; Simon’s town or Symington. About the year 1770, Dr. Fullerton of Rosemount, on his return from India, rebuilt the mansion-house at Rosemount in a modern style, cultivated his land, and tastefully ornamented the grounds with belts of planting, giving employment to a great number of poor families.The major land owners were: Lieutenant-Colonel William Kelso of Dankeith; Lady Mary Montgomerie, who is patroness; Georg Bogle, Esq. of Rosemount; William Hay Boyd, Esq. of Townend; and  James Ogilvy Fairlie, Esq. of Whitehill. The land was primarily used for, sheep, cattle, swine, oats, beans, peas, potatoes, and hay. The population in 1792 was 359, and in 1838 was 825. The registers have been kept as far back as 1642, but very irregularly until 1780. There is a Dissenting meeting held once a fortnight in a garret room, but there are not above five or six Dissenting families in the parish

This account was written in 1839 source: New Statistical Account of Scotland (FHL book 941 B4sa, series 2 vol. 5)

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:Births are intermixed with marriages and other matter prior to 1671. There are no entries 1661–1666; April 1671–August 1719. There is an imperfect page at August 1719. After May 1754 the record is extremely irregular and incomplete until April 1781. Mothers' names are seldom recorded until 1781. Marriages: Entries prior to 1671 are proclamations only and intermixed with births for that same time. No entries 1661–66, September 1671–December 1783, and March 1810–March 1815. The fact of marriage is not recorded until February 1796 except in the first four entries of December 1783. Deaths: There are no entries July 1797–October 1798, and the record ends October 1806. Source: Key to the Parochial Registers of Scotland, by V. Ben Bloxham, pub. 1970 British book 941 K23b.

Established Church—Kirk Session Records
Minutes and Accounts, 1689–1705, 1716–1736, 1778–1934 Cashbook 1787–1818 Communion Roll and Roll of School Pupils 1849–1858 Note: Available at the National Archives of Scotland, Edinburgh, record CH2/728.

Symington Free Church
History— George Orr, minister of the parish, and his congregation, "came out" at the Disruption. For a time they worshiped in a vacant public house, fitted up for the purpose; the minister living in a hired room in a farm house. Church and schoolhouse were built by February 1844. Membership: 1848, 210; 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 may be given in the source, including a list of ministers.

Records— Minutes 1843–1930 Note: Available at the National Archives of Scotland, Edinburgh, record CH3/656.

Return to the Ayrshire Parish List