Old Monkland and Coatbridge, Lanarkshire, Scotland Genealogy

Old Monkland and Coatbridge (#652)

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

= History =

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 Old Monkland and Coatbridge. Also available at the Family History Library.

= 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 Scotland Census Records.

Click here for a list of the Family History Library microfilm numbers for the [http://www.familysearch.org/eng/library/fhlcatalog/supermainframeset.asp?display=titlefilmnotes&columns=*%2C0%2C0&titleno=640405&disp=Census+returns+for+Old+Monkland+%28paris++ census records of Old Monkland. ]

Below is information for any known surname indexes:

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 indexes through the library.

= 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—
Indexed: 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: There are no entries November 1696–July 1700. From September 1765–February 1775 the record is irregular and incomplete. There are irregular entries 1782–1793, there are two families on the page after December 1788 and three pages of similar entries, 1786–1809 after December 1808, after which the record again begins July 1800. Marriages: Marriage registers are chiefly proclamations. 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: 

Minutes 1684–1687, 1692–1693, 1700–1742, 1789–1868 Mortcloth Money 1711–1713 Accounts 1707–1742 Poors Accounts 1743–1755, 1759, 1765–1788, 1802–1839 Heritors Records 1715–1839 Note: Available at the National Archives of Scotland, Edinburgh, record CH2/461.

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 Lists.

Coatbridge Middle Free Church
History— This congregation was formed in 1843. After great difficulty a site was secured and church, manse and school erected. The school was made over to a School Board in 1873. In 1876 the church was sold to the Miners Mission and a new church built. Membership: 1848, 464; 1900, 515. Source: Annals of the Free Church of Scotland, 1843–1900, ed. Rev. William Ewing, D.D., 2 vols. pub. 1914. FHL Film #918572. More details may be given in the source including a list of ministers.

Records— Baptismal Register 1844–1929 Various Minutes 1844–1959 Note: Available at the National Archives of Scotland, Edinburgh, record CH3/491.

Coatbridge Relief, later United Presbyterian Church
History— In 1836, the population of Old Monkland was at least 17,000 and the parish church and chapel combined had only seating for 1500. The Relief Presbytery of Glasgow chose Coatbridge as the location of a preaching station which began the following year. The Established church immediately supplied sermon there also, so that there were then two places of worship in Coatbridge where there had been none. The Relief congregation built a church in 1839. A new church was built in 1872. This congregation was also called Dunbeth. Source: Annals and Statistics of the United Presbyterian Church, by Rev. William MacKelvie, D.D., pub. 1873. FHL Film #477618. More details may be given in the source including a list of ministers.

Records— FHL Film/Fiche Number Baptisms 1838–1868 0889486 - printout 6901845 Proclamations 1848–1858 0889486 - printout 6901846 Various Minutes and Accounts 1836–1907 Communion Roll 1839–1856 Note: Available at National Archives of Scotland, Edinburgh, records CH3/524.

Coatbridge Roman Catholic Church
History— Founded in 1845, the church was dedicated to St. Patrick in 1848. Source: Catholic Missions and Registers, 1700–1880: Vol. 6 Scotland, by Michael Gandy, pub. 1993. FHL Ref. Book 942 K24gm Vol. 6.

Records— Baptisms 1851–1881 Marriages 1847–1952 Note: Copies are available at the National Archives of Scotland, record RH21/3.

Bailleston Branch, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter–Day Saints
Records—                                                   FHL Film Number  Record of Members    1851–1853     0104149 item 6

= 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 =

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

Read more about Scotland Probate Records.

Return to the Lanarkshire parish list.