Family Records and Archives
The starting point for your Scottish family history research will usually be found within the country's two foremost archival repositories - the General Register Office for Scotland and the National Archives of Scotland. Both buildings are situated beside each other on Edinburgh's Princes Street, and from Spring 2008 will merge to form the cornerstones of the new Scotland's People Family History Centre.
THE GENERAL REGISTER OFFICE FOR SCOTLAND
The GROS in Edinburgh holds the statutory birth, marriage and death records from 1855 to the present day; the pre-1855 Church of Scotland baptismal, marriage and mortcloth registers; the census from 1841 to 1901; monumental inscriptions; maps, published family histories, directories, Debrett's Peerage and other major genealogical assets to help you form the basic structure for your family tree.
Situated in the same building at New Register House is the Court of the Lord Lyons, responsible for all matters to do with Scottish heraldry.
THE NATIONAL ARCHIVES OF SCOTLAND
- Records of the Dissenting Presbyterian Churches (Free Church of Scotland etc)
- Roman Catholic Baptism and Marriage Registers
- Kirk Session Registers (Established and Non-Established Churches)
- Court Records in Scotland including Criminal Trial Papers
- Wills, Testaments, Inventories and Sasines (land transfer records)
- Maps & Plans
- Government Papers (Pre & Post the Union with England)
- Valuation Rolls and Tax Records
- Family & Estate Papers
If you live overseas, the NAS have very helpfully put their entire catalogue online at
http://www.dswebhosting.info/NAS/dserve.exe?dsqApp=Site20&dsqCmd=Index.tcl.
The buildings are open between
Copies can be purchased of many records, subject to their condition.






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