Strathdon, Aberdeenshire, Scotland Genealogy

Parish #240 (formerly Invernochtie)

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

History
STRATHDON, or Invernochty, a parish, in the district of Alford, county of Aberdeen, 19 miles (W. by S.) from Alford. This place, originally called Invernochty, derived that name from the situation of its church near the influx of the river Nochty into the Don; and its present appellation, from its extensive and beautiful strath, or valley, through which the river Don takes its pleasing, winding course, dividing the parish into two nearly equal parts. The church was rebuilt in 1757, and reseated and repaired in 1808; it is a plain substantial structure containing 504 sittings. At Curgarff a church was erected; it is a handsome structure, and affords ample accommodation for the inhabitants. There is also a small Roman Catholic chapel at Curgarff.

The New Statistical Account of Scotland (pub. 1834-45) offers uniquely rich and detailed parish reports for the whole of Scotland, covering a vast range of topics including history, agriculture, education, trades, religion and social customs. The reports, written by the parish ministers, are available online at http://edina.ac.uk/stat-acc-scot/. Click on ‘Browse scanned pages’ then search the parish reports for your parish of interest. Also available at the

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 the, 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—
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. Some records may also be indexed in other FamilySearch collections for Scotland. Births: There are no entries December 1701–November 1702. It is defective 1706–1712, and then blank to May 1731. From this date to May 1740, births and marriages are intermixed with other matters. After 1748, there are five imperfect leaves containing separate record of births 1740–1743, and 1745–1747 which are very much wasted. Except irregular entries of three families 1727–1760, births are blank May 1747–October 1753. After the record for November 1761 occurs a separate register of births for Corgarff, 1753–1762. This is followed by a record for Strathdon from August 1741, which is blank August 1743–September 1745, and August 1747–October 1753, except for two entries. There are only five entries July 1758–July 1762 and no entries for 1765; and only three entries December 1766–February 1768. Mothers’ names are recorded after January 1787. Marriages: Marriages are blank April 1710–May 1731, December 1747–September 1753, and September 1761–1783. Only three entries for 1793, one for 1804, one for 1809, two for 1814, and one for 1819, recorded from December 1791–November 1830. Deaths: Two or three entries of Mortcloth Dues about 1743–1747 are among the marriages for the same. Notes: The parish name of Strathdon appears for the first time in the title page of the register of baptisms from 1741 and in that of the register of marriages from 1783. Source: Key to the Parochial Registers of Scotland, by V. Ben Bloxham, pub. 1970. 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:

Cash Book 1753–1763, with a few minutes, 1767–1815, 1826–1843 Baptisms 1752–1758, 1762–1765, 1834–1847 Proclamations 1845–1847 Note: Available at the National Archives of Scotland, Edinburgh, record CH2/343.

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.

A Free Church here, known as Strathdon and Glenbuchat, was not sanctioned until 1866. No 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
Strathdon was under the probate jurisdiction of the Commissary Court of Aberdeen until 1823, and since then has been under the Sheriff's Court of Aberdeen. 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 Aberdeen and the subject of 'Probate records.' Then click on the link to the records of the Commissariat of Aberdeen The library also has some post-1823 probate records for Aberdeen. Look in the library catalog for the 'Place-names' of Aberdeen and the subjects of 'Probate Records' and 'Probate Records - Indexes.' Read more about Scotland Probate Records.