Crathie and Braemar, Aberdeenshire, Scotland Genealogy

Parish #183

This is a guide to the history and major genealogical records of Scotland as they pertain to the parish of Crathie &amp; Braemar. 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 Crathie and Braemar, 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 centeres. The records may be indexed in the International Genealogical Index. Births: Crathie’s records commence in 1720; there are only two entries earlier. Previous to June 1725, births are recorded among the Session Minutes. Between then and May 1762, the record contains, with a few exceptions, only irregular entries – whole families are sometimes recorded in groups. Braemer has only a few birth entries prior to 1771. The record is defective for 1775–1776. There is only one entry for May 1786–April 1789 and entries are irregular in 1790. After 1820, there are ten pages of irregular entries dated 1743–1808. Marriages: Previous to 1721, the entries for Crathie are recorded among the births. The record is blank for June 1721–February 1737. There are only two entries for October 1738–January 1745. It is again blank July 1750–June 1764 except for two entries for 1781, October 1773–January 1782, January 1784–August 1789 and April 1795–1825. Braemer has only three marriage entries for January 1743–January 1751. The record is defective about 1754–1758. There are no entries for 1769. The record is blank for January 1771–June 1774. There are only two entries for April 1781–January 1784, one entry for 1812, none for 1817, and one for 1818. Deaths: There are a few entries of Mortcloth Dues for Crathie prior to 1739. Burials are recorded in October 1789–September 1794. 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 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: 

Crathie

See the parochial registers.

Braemer, Kindrochet

Minutes and Accounts 1716–1729, 1737–1738, 1767–1863 Collections and Disbursements 1771–1879 Note: Available at the National Archives of Scotland, Edinburgh, record CH2/217.

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.

Braemar Free Church
History— The minister of the parish and about 180 people adhered to the Free Church at the Disruption. Membership: 1848, 78; 1900, 121. 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 1843–1894 Other post-1855 records Note: Available at the National Archives of Scotland, Edinburgh, record CH3/360.

Craithie Free Church
History—  In 1849, a preaching station was established here. Great difficulty was found in obtaining a site for a place of worship. In 1853, a church was erected on a corner of land on the Abergeldie Estate granted by the Prince Consort. Membership: 1871, 47; 1900, 36. 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 records is unknown.

Roman Catholic Church
History— The chapel, dedicated to St. Andrew in1703, was at Ardearg to 1795 and then at Auchindryne to 1839. After that it was at Castletown. In 1706 there were said to be 400 Catholics in the area and between 700 and 800 in 1763. In 1772, 62 people were confirmed but names were not recorded. Source: Catholic Missions and Registers, 1700–1880, by Michael Gandy, pub. 1993. FHL Book Ref 942 K24gm vol. 6.

Records— FHL Call Number Register of Baptisms 1703–1757 - indexed 941.25/C1 K29c, 2 vols. 0873821 item 7–8 Register of Baptisms for Braemar and Glengairn, 941.25 K29m 1781–1845 0873821 item 6 Other: Births to 1919, Marriages 1736–1968, Deaths 1844–1913 Note: Available at the National Archives of Scotland, Edinburgh, record RH21/15. In addition, Confirmations from 1845 are in the hands of the parish priest. There are gaps in records.

= 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 =

Crathie &amp; Braemar 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 catalog for the 'Place' of [County] and the subjects of 'Probate Records' and 'Probate Records - Indexes.' Read more about Scotland Probate Records.

Return to Aberdeenshire parish list.