Coylton, Ayrshire, Scotland Genealogy

Parish #583

History
The parish received its name from the river Coyl. The word Coyl is Gaelic and signifies wood. It is thought that at one time this district may have been a forest. Ayr and Coylton Village are the closests villiages in the parish. A branch of the family of the Crawfords of Camlarg and Drongan was the founder of an old family, the Crawfords of Drumsuy in Coylton. William the first of this name, is designed in writ under the Great Seal in 1567, “W. Crawford of Drumsoy.” The land was primarily used for, cattle, sheep, dairy products, barley, wheat, turnip, title works, potatoes, and rye-grass hay. The population in 1791 was 667, and in 1841 was 1484. The earliest registration of births is dated 15th February 1725; and of marriages, 29th May 1725. Since that time these registers have, with few exceptions, been regularly kept. The present session-clerk has kept with great accuracy, a register of the deaths for the last fourteen years. All the inhabitants are connected with the Established Church, with the exception of six families, who are Roman Catholics; one belonging to the Relief; one to the United Secession; one to the Associate Synod of Original Seceders.

This history was written in 1841.

source:New Statistical Account of Scotland(FHL book 941 B4sa, series 2 vol. 5)

Condition of Original Registers—
Index: For an index to these records, see the Scottish Church Records Index on computer at the Family History Library and family history centers. Some records may be indexed in the International Genealogical Inedex. Births:There are no entries June 1725–August 1726. There are six irregular entries, 1790–1804, after November 1804 and six 1793–1805, after December 1812. Entries are out of the order of time about 1817–1819 inclusive. Marriages: Only one entry December 1725–January 1727. The records are blank January 1756–February 1759. There are no entries December 1769–March 1771. The records are blank March 1798–November 1802. Deaths: Burial records terminate March 1793. Source: Key to the Parochial Registers of Scotland, by V. Ben Bloxham, pub. 1970 British book 941 K23b.

Established Church—Kirk Session Records
Minutes 1723–1739, 1748–1926 Accounts and Cash Book 1723–1731, 1772–1911 Proclamation Register 1820–1949 Rolls of Male Heads of Families 1835–1839 Note: Available at the National Archives of Scotland, Edinburgh, record CH2/810.

Nonconformist Church Records
There are no known nonconformist groups.

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