Polwarth, Berwickshire, Scotland Genealogy

Parish #754

This is a guide to the history and major genealogical records of Scotland as they pertain to the parish of Polwarth.

= History =

Available online at http://edina.ac.uk/stat-acc-scot/. Browse the scanned pages via the parish reports.

= Census Records =

A census record is a count and description of the population, taken by the government, arranged by locality and by household. Read more about Scotland Census Records.

= Church Records =

The Established Church of Scotland was Presbyterian. Read more about Scotland 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 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 Index. Births: Births, marriages, and burials, are intermixed until 1688, but there is an index at the end. After 1789, the record of births is arranged chronologically in the form of an index, under the initial letters of the children’s surnames. Mothers’ names are not recorded in entries until 1753. Marriages: Beginning in 1748, proclamation fees are mixed with other matters until June 1772. Deaths: Mortcloth Dues are mixed with the proclamation fees. 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 Kirk session was made up of he 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.

Minutes 1652–1668 Note: Available at the National Archives of Scotland, Edinburgh, record CH2/721.

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.

There are no known records. In 1834 there were only two or three dissenter families and no chapels within the parish.

= Civil Registrtion 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 =

Read more about Scotland Probate Records.

Return to the Berwickshire parish list.