Scottish Genealogy: Finding and Understanding Civil Registration Records
Alison Spring
Content
About this webinar
To follow on from my pre-1855 Scots research webinar, here I'll talk about what to expect when researching in the post-1855 civil registration records of Scotland, with detailed explanations about the contents of birth, marriage & death records. I'll also demonstrate how to search the ScotlandsPeople website for these records, and show you where else to find them.
About the speaker
Key points and insights
Unlocking the secrets of your Scottish heritage begins with understanding the rich, detailed record-keeping system of Scotland’s civil registration. In this expert-led Legacy Family Tree Webinar, genealogist Alison Spring provides a comprehensive roadmap for navigating Scottish birth, marriage, and death records from 1855 to the present. Viewers will discover the distinct advantages of Scottish records over those of other regions, learn how to navigate the official databases, and gain practical techniques for tracking down elusive ancestors across generations. Whether just starting out or working to overcome a stubborn brick wall in a family tree, this presentation offers essential knowledge for anyone tracing lineages back to Scotland.
- The Goldmine of 1855 Records: The inaugural year of compulsory civil registration in Scotland collected extraordinary details—such as parents' birthplaces, ages, and total number of living and deceased children—making 1855 certificates an invaluable treasure trove for researchers.
- Decoding Irregular Marriages and Corrected Entries: Scottish legal traditions permitted valid "irregular marriages" by simple declaration in front of witnesses, while the Register of Corrected Entries (RCE) offers vital updates appended to original certificates, revealing crucial details like divorce decrees, paternity suits, or detailed causes of accidental death.
- Cost-Effective Search Strategies: Genealogists can utilize free search tools on Scotland's People to view indexed results, cross-reference female maiden and married surnames, or leverage FamilySearch centers and affiliate libraries to inspect digitized microfilmed registers without spending credits.
Ready to dive deeper into your Scottish roots and take your family history research to the next level? Watch the full webinar today to gain a thorough understanding of these unique historical records, avoid common research pitfalls, and hear direct answers to real-world genealogy questions from the audience Q&A. Be sure to explore the accompanying webinar syllabus, which features a curated list of reference links, search tips, and further reading recommendations to help guide every step of the journey.
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Comments (33)
Well done! I learned a great deal today
Lots of very interesting information for finding Scottish relatives. Thank you
Alison was wonderful. I guess I will have to look at church records for the Methodist Church. My 3x great grandfather John McLean was born c 1779 in either Scotland or Ireland. Wonderful presentation. When I am finished with the Learning Path for the Maritimes of Canada, I will do the Learning Paths for Scotland and Ireland.
Excellent suggestions on using Scotland's People website and other Scotland research.
Very informative. Well organized. I found Fife parish records very helpful with my Scottish searches. They went back to 13 C or thereabouts. I shall use the Scottish People website as well as others listed in Alison’s presentation. Thank you very much.
Seeing the images while Alison was talking was very helpful.
Very informative.Excellent presenter.
Fantastic webinar, so much information. I think this will be of great help when I dive deeper into my Scottish ancestory