Dingwall, Ross and Cromarty, Scotland Genealogy

Parish # 62 

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

History
DINGWALL, a royal burgh, sea-port, and a parish, the capital of the county of Ross, 20 miles (S. W.) from Cromarty, and 174 (N. N. W.) from Edinburgh. This place, of which the name is of Scandinavian origin, is supposed to have been originally a Danish settlement, and subsequently the seat of one of the numerous royal fortresses erected along the coast, to repel the frequent incursions of that warlike people. The church is a neat, plain structure, in good repair, and contains 800 sittings; service is performed both in the English and in the Gaelic language. There is an episcopal chapel.

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 (FHL) microfilm numbers for the as well as the library numbers for any surname indexes available:

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 this website.

Established Church—Old Parochial Registers
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. Births: There are no entries December 1667–October 1670, November 1712–April 1715, April 1721–1742 inclusive, except a few irregular entries, October 1756–June 1767. Marriages: There are no entries April 1756–June 1787. Six entries 1714–1715 are on a page of the record of births after August 1719. Source: Key to the Parochial Registers of Scotland, by V. Ben Bloxham, pub. 1970. British Book 941 K23b.

Established Church—Kirk Session Records
Minutes 1745–1797 (loose sheets), 1822–1871 (many gaps), 1894–1974 Poor Rolls 1823–1841 Marriages 1782–1786 Burials 1783–1786 Note: Available at the National Archives of Scotland, Edinburgh, record CH2/711.

Dingwall Free Church
History— The parish minister did not "come out" in 1843, but the great majority of the people adhered to the Free Church. The church and manse were built in Castle Street and a school in High Street. A new church was erected in High Street in 1870. A small section of the people became Free Presbyterians in 1892. The Gaelic section of the congregation remained outside the Union in 1900. Membership: 1848, 45; 1900, 70. Source: Annals of the Free Church of Scotland, 1843–1900, ed. Rev. William Ewing, D.D., 2 vols. pub. 1914. Film #918572. More details may be given in the source, including ministers.

Records— No pre-1855 records.

Maryburgh Free Church
History— The minister of the parish, and the main body of his congregation "came out" in 1843. The church and manse were built on a site obtained from Mrs. Stewart MacKenzie of Seaforth who afterwards gifted the land to the church. Membership: 1848, 33; 1900, 72. Source: Annals of the Free Church of Scotland, 1843–1900, ed. Rev. William Ewing, D.D., 2 vols. pub. 1914. Film #918572. More details may be given in the source, including ministers.

Records— There are no pre-1855 records.

Dingwall Catholic Church
History— Though a congregation was formed about 1849, it closed in 1853. It was served from Beauly, Invernessshire. See that parish for records.

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
Dingwall was under the probate jurisdiction of the Commissary Court of Ross until 1823, and since then has been under the Sheriff's Court of Ross &amp; Cromarty. 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 Ross &amp; Cormarty and the subject of 'Probate records.' Then click on the link to the records of the Commissariat of Ross.

The Family History Library also has some post-1823 probate records for Ross &amp; Cromarty. Look in the library catalog for the 'Place-names' of Ross &amp; Cromarty and the subjects of 'Probate Records' and 'Probate Records - Indexes.' Read more about Scotland Probate Records.