Culsalmond, Aberdeenshire, Scotland Genealogy

Parish #186

This is a guide to the history and major genealogical records of Scotland as they pertain to the parish of Culsamond. 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 your parish of interest. 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 Culsalmond, 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. Births: A portion of the page for 1753–1754 is torn off. The record is defective about 1807. Mothers’ names are not recorded in the entries until 1795. Marriages: Prior to April 1771, marriages are recorded among births for the same period. There is a separate record from 1771. There is only one entry for 1801 and 1802. The record is blank for January 1807–December 1812 and July 1814 through 1831. Deaths: The record is Mortcloth Dues until 1739 the record is then blank, except for one entry, until October 1783, after which burials are recorded. Source: Key to the Parochial Registers of Scotland, by V. Ben Bloxham, pub. 1970. British Book 941 K23b. Monumental Inscriptions: Family History Library Book 941.25/C6 V3s.

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 1735–1743, 1748–1802, with some accounts Note: Available at the National Archives of Scotland, Edinburgh, record CH2/78.

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.

Culsalmond Free Church
History—  The forced settlement of an undesired minister in the parish church caused the congregation to separate from the Establishment a year and a half before the Disruption. They encountered bitter opposition. For about 25 years they were compelled to worship in a wooden structure in a most awkward and inconvenient situation. A site was at last obtained and a church erected in 1867. The decline of the population owing to the closing of the slate quarries and the disappearance of small farms seriously affected the numbers on the roll. Membership: 1848, 280; 1900, 143. 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— There are no known records.

Culsalmond Congregational Church
History— This congregation was formed in 1829 and a chapel was built the same year. Their chapel was closed in 1893 and the congregation presumably disbanded. Source: A History of Scottish Congregationalism, by Harry Escott, pub. 1960. Family History Library Book 941 K2es, pages 254–257. See also 941 K2mwd.

Records— The extent of records is unknown. For information, write to: The United Reformed Church Synod of Scotland 340 Cathedral Street Glasgow G1 2BQ Scotland

= 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 =

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

Return to Aberdeenshire parish list.