Methlick, Aberdeenshire, Scotland Genealogy

Parish #221

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

History
METHLICK, a parish, in the county of Aberdeen, 4 miles (N. by W.) from Tarves. This parish is said to derive its name from two Gaelic words signifying "the Vale of honey." It was anciently dedicated to St. Devenick, who flourished about the latter end of the ninth century. The church, situated on the southern bank of the Ythan, was rebuilt in 1780, and repaired in 1840; it contains 600 sittings; and adjoining the edifice is the burial-place of the family of Gordon.

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

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, as well as the library numbers for any surname indexes available:

The 1901 and 1911 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, 1841-1911, 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 Scotland’s People website, a pay-for-view website. The Scottish Church Records Index is also still available at the Family History Library in Salt Lake City. Some records may also be indexed in other FamilySearch collections for Scotland. Births: Records are blank January 1716–January 1721. The record from latter date to 1737 has been partially destroyed by dampness and want of care, and many entries are illegible. Mothers’ names are not recorded. Marriages: Record seems to have been regularly kept. Deaths: Burials, two entries July 1704–March 1707, and two entries April 1717–July 1719. The record is defective 1721–1731 inclusive. There is no entry February 1747–February 1748. It is blank October 1791–October 1794, and February 1796–1821, except for two entries 1801, 1803. Source: Key to the Parochial Registers of Scotland, by V. Ben Bloxham, pub. 1970. British Book.

Monumental Inscriptions
The Kirkyard of Methlick Aberdeen and North-East Scotland Family History Society

Family History Library Catalog British 941.25/M3 V3s

Online listing is available through the: Aberdeen and North-East Scotland Family History Society

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: 

Reference     Title                                              Date

CH2/1/43 Aberdeen Presbytery: Benefice register volume 3 1931 CH2/576 Records of Barthol Chapel Kirk Session 1885-1945 CH2/1570 Records of Methlick Kirk Session 1660-1989 CH2/1570/1/1 Methlick (Methlic) Kirk Session: Minute book 1660-1673 CH2/1570/1/2 Methlick (Methlic) Kirk Session: Minute book 1683-1688 CH2/1570/1/3 Methlick (Methlik) Kirk Session: Minute book 1704-1726 CH2/1570/1/4 Methlick Kirk Session: Minute book 1730-1749 CH2/1570/1/5 Methlick Kirk Session: Minute book 1749-1779 CH2/1570/1/6 Methlick Kirk Session: Minute book 1779-1804 CH2/1570/1/7 Methlick Kirk Session: Minute book 1804-1821 CH2/1570/1/8 Methlick Kirk Session: Minute book 1821-1833 CH2/1570/1/9 Methlick Kirk Session: Minute book 1833-1853 CH2/1570/1/10 Methlick Kirk Session: Minute book 1853-1868 CH2/1570/1/11 Methlick Kirk Session: Minute book 1868-1907 CH2/1570/1/12 Methlick Kirk Session: Discipline book 1924-1933 CH2/1570/2/1 Methlick Kirk Session: Parochial Board minutes and accounts 1845-1874 CH2/1570/3/1 Methlick Kirk Session: Cash book 1853-1880 CH2/1570/4 Methlick Kirk Session: Communion Rolls 1862-1989 CH2/1570/4/1 Methlick Kirk Session: Communion roll 1862-1865 CH2/1570/4/2 Methlick Kirk Session: Communion roll 1862-1872 CH2/1570/4/3 Methlick Kirk Session: Communion roll 1873-1879 CH2/1570/4/4 Methlick Kirk Session: Communion roll 1880-1887 CH2/1570/4/5 Methlick Kirk Session: Communion roll 1888-1894 CH2/1570/4/6 Methlick Kirk Session: Communion roll 1895-1898 CH2/1570/4/7 Methlick Kirk Session: Communion roll 1899-1902 CH2/1570/4/8 Methlick Kirk Session: Communion roll 1903-1906 CH2/1570/4/9 Methlick Kirk Session: Communion roll 1907-1926 CH2/1570/4/10 Methlick Kirk Session: Communion roll 1927-1931 CH2/1570/4/11 Methlick South Kirk Session: Communion roll 1932-1941 CH2/1570/4/12 Methlick Kirk Session: Communion roll 1942-1949 CH2/1570/4/13 Methlick Kirk Session: Communion roll 1981-1989 CH2/1570/5/1 Methlick Kirk Session: Baptismal register 1876-1884 CH2/1570/5/2 Methlick Kirk Session: Baptismal register 1884-1920 CH2/1570/6/1 Methlick Kirk Session: Proclamation register 1933-1963 CH2/1570/6/2 Methlick Kirk Session: Proclamation register 1963-1985 CH2/1570/11/1 Methlick Kirk Session: Property register 1956-1970 CH2/1570/11/2 Methlick Kirk Session: Property register 1971-1985

Note: Available at the National Archives of Scotland Catalog CH2/1570

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.

Methlick Free Church
History—  Immediately after the Disruption a congregation was formed here. In response to a petition from the people, regular supply was granted in the summer of 1846. For two years public worship was held in the hall of William Grant, merchant. The church was erected in 1848. The charge was sanctioned in 1849. The manse was built in 1850. The congregation suffered from rural depopulation and emigration. Membership: 1854, 147; 1900, 203. Source: Annals of the Free Church of Scotland, 1843–1900, ed. Rev. William Ewing, D.D., 2 vols. pub. 1914. Film #. More details are given in the source.

Records— CH3/1595 Records of Methlick Free and United Free Kirk Session 1850-1933 CH3/1595/1/1 Methlick (Methlic) Free Church: Minute book 1850-1908 CH3/1595/1/2 Methlick United Free Church: Minute book 1909-1932 CH3/1595/2/1 Methlick (Methlic) Free Church: Deacons' Court: Minute book 1850-1900 CH3/1595/2/2 Methlick United Free Church: Deacons' Court: Minute book 1900-1933 CH3/1595/4/1 Methlick United Free Church: Communion Roll 1921-1933 CH3/1595/5/1 Methlick United Free Church: Baptismal register 1908-1932 CH3/1595/9/1 Methlick Free Church: Guild minute book 1887-1920 CH3/1595/9/2 Methlick United Free Church: Guild minute book 1921-1933

Note: Available at The National Archives of Scotland, Edinburgh Catalog CH3/1595

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
Methlick 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-names' of Aberdeen and the subject of 'Probate records.' Then click on the link to the records of the Commissariat of Aberdeen. Ancestry.co.uk also has many probate records for Scotland and Scottish people indexed from 1861-1941 The library also has some post-1823 probate records for Aberdeen. Look in the library catalog for the 'Place-names' of Aberdeen and the subjects of 'Probate Records' and 'Probate Records - Indexes.' Read more about Scotland Probate Records.