Alves, Moray, Scotland Genealogy

Parish #125

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

= History =

Also available online at http://edina.ac.uk/stat-acc-scot/. Browse the scanned pages under ‘For non-subscribers,’ then search for the parish report.

= 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 Alves, 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—
Indexed: 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: Except for one entry in 1702, there are no records for October 1700–January 1705. Marriages: There are no entries for January 1648–January 1649, December 1700–March 1708, and November 1709–July 1716, except for 1801–1802. There are none for June 1778–January 1810 and November 1813– February 1819. Deaths: There are no entries for April 1674–June 1678 and May 1693–May 1696. There are four entries for 1713–1715 on the last page of the register. Source: Key to the Parochial Registers of Scotland, by V. Ben Bloxham, pub. 1970. FHL 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: 

Minutes 1649–1700, 1716–1737 Treasurer’s Accounts 1716–1732 Minutes 1703–1710, 1737–1770, 1748–1751 (these records are damaged.), 1753–1838 Accounts 1732–1756 Poor Account Including Discipline 1805–1843 Note: Available at the National Archives of Scotland, Edinburgh, record CH2/11.

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.

Alves Free Church, later United Free and then Church of Scotland
History—  In the face of hostility from landed members, the minister and most of his congregation adhered to the Free Church in 1843. Eventually a church and manse were erected. Membership: 1848, 102; 1900, 78. Source: Annals of the Free Church of Scotland, 1843 1900, ed. Rev. William Ewing, D.D., 2 vols. pub. 1914. FHL Film #918572. More details are given in the source.

Records—  FHL Film Number Session Minutes 1843–1871 1482989 item 4 Other: Session Minutes 1871–1931 Deacons’ Court Minutes 1844–1903 Note: Available at the National Archives of Scotland, Edinburgh, record CH3/14.

= 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 =

Alves was under the probate jurisdiction of the Commissary Court of Moray until 1823, and since then has been under the Sheriff's Court of Elgin. 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 Moray and the subject of 'Probate records.' Then click on the link to the records of the Commissariat of Moray.

The library also has some post-1823 probate records for Moray. Look in the library catalog for the 'Place' of Moray and the subjects of 'Probate Records' and 'Probate Records - Indexes.' Read more about Scotland Probate Records.

Return to Moray parish list.