Aberdour, Aberdeenshire, Scotland Genealogy

Parish #169

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

= History =

Aberdour is one of the oldest seats of Christianity in Scotland. The old parish church dated from before the Reformation. It was closed in 1818 and a new church was built in the north end of the village. The parish registers were said to be the oldest in the Church of Scotland but the earliest records were lost about the time of the move to the new church.

The New Statistical Account of Scotland (1835) states that the baptismal registers were defective due to the extreme negligence of parents in having their children recorded. The oldest stones in the old churchyard date from 1593.

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

You can also go to censusfinder.com and look in the Scotland section.

Established Church—Old Parochial Registers
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 [http://www.familysearch.org/eng/search/frameset_search.asp?PAGE=igi/search_IGI.asp&clear_form=true International Genealogical Index. ]

Births: The record prior to 1720 is imperfect. The record is blank July 1699–December 1700, December 1703– January 1706, except for five entries in 1705, and April 1707–November 1713. There are only two entries for May 1714–March 1719 and three for April 1721–March 1725. It is again blank August 1725–February 1726 and January 1733–May 1734. The record is defective for January 1753–October 1754. There are many irregular entries for 1790–1820.

Marriages: Except for eight entries dated between May and July 1703, the record is blank December 1700–April 1734. It is also blank April 1740–July 1742, and October 1751–May 1786. From the latter date to February 1790, the entries occur among the births for the same period. It is blank again, except for one entry in 1813, February 1790–January 1817.

Deaths: Burials for March 1787–October 1790 are recorded among the births and marriages. There is a separate record December 1790–May 1793. The record is blank for 1793–January 1817 and 1826–1847.

Source: Key to the Parochial Registers of Scotland, by V. Ben Bloxham, pub. 1970. FHL British Book 941 K23b.

Established Church—Kirk Session Records
Minutes and Accounts 1728–1753; 1834–1861

Poukburn Trustee’s Minutes, Aberdour School 1841–1953

Note: Available at the National Archives of Scotland, Edinburgh, record CH2/3.

Nonconformist Church Records
In 1835, the nonconformist population of the parish consisted of about 6 Seceders, 2 Episcopalians, and 1 Roman Catholic, and they would have attended services in neighboring parishes.

Aberdour Free Church

History—

The congregation was organized immediately after the disruption in 1843.

Membership: 1848, 313; 1900, 117.

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—

Various Minutes 1843–1940

Other post-1855 records are also available.

Note: Available at the National Archives of Scotland, Edinburgh, record CH3/784.

Return to Aberdeenshire parishes list.

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