Welcome To Past Times Research

My name is Louise and I will be your researcher of your family history in Scotland.

If you are requiring records of Scottish Ancestors to be researched, well this is the right place to be.

I also do visit The Mitchell Libraby that holds records for Glasgow and other Librabies that hold Family History Records.

Below is a list of records that can be search through at the main records office of Scotland which is based in Edinburgh.

Old parish registers (1553 to 1854). Before the introduction of compulsory civil registration in 1855, the parish ministers or session clerks of the established Church of Scotland in some 900 parishes kept these registers, which record births and baptisms; proclamations of banns and marriages; and deaths and burials. The surviving registers are far from complete. Some parishes' earliest register dates from the early 19th century, and for other parishes there are no registers at all. The standard of record-keeping also varied. Most entries contain relatively little information.

Register of neglected entries (1801 to 1854). Births, deaths and marriages proved to have occurred in Scotland between 1801 and 1854 but which had not been entered in the old parish registers.

Registers of births, deaths and marriages (from 1855). The statutory civil registers of events which took place in Scotland, which district registrars have compiled since 1 January 1855.

Register of still-births (from 1939). Compiled by district registrars for still-births occurring in Scotland.  These are not open to the public and we issue extracts only in exceptional circumstances.

Adopted Children Register (from 1930). Register of persons adopted under orders made by Scottish courts.  There are no entries relating to persons born before October 1909.

Register of Divorces (from May 1984). Register of divorces granted by Scottish courts.

Register of Civil Partnerships (from December 2005).  Statutory civil registers, which district registrars have compiled since December 2005.

Service records (from 1881). These include Army Returns of births, deaths and marriages of Scottish persons at military stations abroad during the period 1881-1959; Service Departments Registers which, since 1 April 1959, have recorded births, deaths and marriages outside the United Kingdom relating to persons ordinarily resident in Scotland who are serving in or employed by HM Forces, including the families of members of the Forces; and certified copies of entries relating to marriages solemnised by Army chaplains outside the United Kingdom since 1892, where one of the parties to the marriage is described as Scottish and at least one of the parties is serving in HM Forces.

War registers (from 1899). Registers are held of the South African War (1899-1902), which records the deaths of Scottish soldiers; of World War I (1914-1918), which records the deaths of Scottish persons serving as Warrant Officers, Non-Commissioned Officers or Men in the Army (but not officers); Petty Officers or Men in the Royal Navy; and of World War II (1939-1945), which comprises incomplete returns of the deaths of Scottish members of the Armed Forces.

Consular returns of births, deaths and marriages (from 1914). Certified copies are held of registrations by British consuls relating to persons of Scottish descent or birth. Records of births and deaths date from 1914, records of marriages from 1917.

High Commissioners' returns of births and deaths (from 1964). Held from certain Commonwealth countries relating to persons of Scottish descent or birth. Some earlier returns are available for India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka and Ghana, and some returns are available also for marriages in certain Commonwealth countries.

Register of births, deaths and marriages in foreign countries (1860-1965). Births of children of Scottish parents and of the marriages and deaths of Scots, the entries being made on the basis of information supplied by the parties concerned and after consideration of the evidence of each event.

Foreign marriages (from 1947). Certified copies are held of certificates (with translations) relating to marriages of persons from Scotland in certain foreign countries according to the laws of these countries, without the presence of a British consular officer.

Enumerators' transcript books (from 1841). The Registrar General holds records of the decennial census of the population of Scotland for 1841 and every tenth year thereafter (with the exception of the wartime year of 1941). The open records relate to the censuses held on 7 June 1841; 31 March 1851; 8 April 1861; 3 April 1871; 4 April 1881, 6 April 1891 and 31 March 1901. These contain particulars such as name, age, marital state, occupation and birthplace of every member of a household present on census night.  All-Scotland computerised indexes are available for the 1841 to 1901 censuses. We hold street indexes for certain urban areas and a collection of privately produced name indexes to 1841-1861 census parishes and districts.

Permission will be required before purchasing original documents i.e Certificates etc.

 A form allowing your permission to obtain this document will be sent to you with details of the document and the cost.

This is to be signed and dated and return to me before any purchase will be made.

E.mail: pasttimesresearch@hotmail.co.uk

Regards Louise