Lochgilphead, Argyllshire, Scotland Genealogy

Parish #525

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

History
LOCHGILPHEAD, a village, and a quoad sacra parish, partly in the parish of South Knapdale, but chiefly in that of Kilmichael-Glassary, district and county of Argyll, 24 miles (S. W.) from Inverary. This place derives its name from its situation at the head of Loch Gilp, a branch of Loch Fine. The church, built in 1828, and enlarged by the addition of galleries in 1834, is a neat plain structure containing 506 sittings. There are places of worship for members of the Free Church, Baptists', Independents, and members of the Congregational Union.

Lochgilphead is a quoad sacra or extra-parochial place and village partly in the civil parish of Glassary and partly in South Knapdale. See those parishes for further information.

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 FS Library microfilm numbers for Lochgilphead:

The 1901 and 1911 censuses of Scotland are 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 ScotlandsPeople.gov.uk. Scottish censuses are also indexed on the website findmypast. This is also a subscription website but you may be able to have free access to it at family history center near you (outside of Scotland). To find your nearest center go online to FamilySearch.org. At the top of the screen, click on the link for 'Get Help,' next click on 'Visit Us,' then search for your place.

Church Records
The Established Church of Scotland was Presbyterian. Read more about church records.

Established Church—Old Parochial Registers
For records see the parishes of Glassary and South Knapdale.

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 Lochgilphead:

Minutes 1829–1870 Minutes of Heritor and Kirk Session 1831–1843 Note: Available at the Scottish National Archives, Edinburgh, record CH2/1041.

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.

Lochgilphead Free Church
History— This congregation was formed at the Disruption. The church was erected in 1844 and the manse in the 1850s. Membership: 1855, 600; 1900, 157. Source: Annals of the Free Church of Scotland, 1843–1900, ed. Rev. William Ewing, D.D., 2 vols. pub. 1914. Film. More details may be given in the source including ministers.

Records— Extent of pre-1855 records is unknown.

Lochgilphead Reformed, later Martyrs Free Church
History— A Reformed Church congregation was formed as a mission station in 1831, served from Lorn. In May 1843 it suffered through the Disruption (which led to the formation of the Free Church of Scotland), and its church building passed into Episcopalian hands. By April 1845 prospects had so far improved that a church was built. This congregation joined the Free Church in 1876. Membership: 1877, 58; 1900, 76. Source: Annals of the Free Church of Scotland, 1843–1900, ed. Rev. William Ewing, D.D., 2 vols. pub. 1914. Film. More details may be given in the source including ministers.

Records— Minutes 1851–1905 Note: Available at the Scottish National Archives, Edinburgh, record CH3/1043

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
Lochgilphead was under the probate jurisdiction of the Commissary Court of Argyll until 1823, and since then has been under the Sheriff's Court of Dunoon. 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 Argyll and the subject of 'Probate records.' Then click on the link to the records of the Commissariat of Argyll The library also has some post-1823 probate records for Argyll. Look in the library catalog for the 'Place-name' of Argyll and the subjects of 'Probate Records' and 'Probate Records - Indexes.'

Read more about Scotland Probate Records.