Scottish Genealogy Guides & Resources
Here are some handy family history guides and useful websites to help you find your Scottish ancestry.
Family History Made Easy
Join me each month to learn more about your Scottish family history.
We hate SPAM & promise to keep your details safe.
Scottish Surnames
Do you have a Scottish family name and you would like to find out more about its origins, meaning, history and lots of other interesting information?
Click here to visit my growing resource on Scottish Surnames.
I’m aiming to grow this directory of surnames each month, hopefully you will find it useful.
Handy Guides
Download one of these handy free guides to help you grow your family tree:
Useful Websites
Here is a selection of websites that can help you with your Scottish family history research:
Ancestry
is one the largest genealogical database available online. Many Scottish records have been indexed and there is a 14-day free trial.
British Newspaper Archive
Many Scottish newspapers have been digitised and your ancestor may appear in an article, family notice or obituary.
Visit British Newspaper Archive here.
Family Search
is free to register and it has a huge collection of worldwide records, inluding Scottish records. Visit Family Search here.FindmyPast
With over 2 billion records, this genealogical database has indexed Scottish records that may help with your search. You can try their website for free for 14-days.
Forces War Records
Forces War Records is the military genealogy specialist website for the UK, including Scotland. Visit Forces War Records here.GENES REUNITED
Genes Reunited is an online genealogy website with a database of thousands of documents allowing you to build a family tree.
Go to Genes Reunited for more information.
NOT FORGOTTEN
Archive your memories and stories professionally. Create a unique online memorial for your loved one and secure your memories in a real library.
ScotlandsPeople
The ScotlandsPeople website is the official Scottish Government site for searching government records and archives. Visit ScotlandsPeople here.Here is a handy guide on useful websites to help you research your Scottish ancestry.
Upcoming Family History Virtual Events
Just scroll down to find a date that suits you. By the way, this is regularly updated so keep checking.
6 – 8 March 2025 (all day): RootsTech Conference
Cost: Free Online
- 200+ new online sessions in over 26 languages
- Join keynote sessions live from the comfort of your own home
- Chat online with other attendees worldwide
- Get digital syllabi and class handouts
Click here for more information.
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15 March 2025 (all day): Scottish Indexes Conference
Cost: Free (Donations Accepted)
- What is Ireland? Understanding the Lay of the Land’ by genealogist Chris Paton
- ‘Blackmail, Burnings, Banishment and Shipwreck: Aberdeen Crimes and Convicts 1830s-1840s’ by Dr Dee Hoole
- ‘Tracing your Scottish Family History: Solving one puzzle at a time’ by genealogist Emma Maxwell
- ‘The Orkney Archive Service’ by Lucy Gibbon, Archivist at Orkney Library and Archive
- ‘Your Scottish Archives’ by John Pelan
- ‘Tracing a Building Through Time’ by Graham Maxwell
Click here for more information.
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24 March 2025 (630pm British Time): Banyan DNA: A Power Tool for Solving Genealogical Problems
Cost: £12
John Cleary’s presentation will guide Banyan beginners in building complex trees and solving the relationship between clusters of matches.
Click here for more information.
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25 March 2025 (7pm British Time): How the Romanticism of the Highlands Influenced Architecture and Taste
Cost: Free
Mary Miersis a writer/editor who works in the field of architectural heritage, conservation and journalism.
She founded Scotland’s Buildings at Risk Register, which she ran in the 1990s, and for several decades worked for Country Life magazine, where she was Architectural Writer and then Fine Arts and Books Editor.
She has researched and written numerous articles on buildings old and new, published seven books, done lectures and broadcasts and sat on the committees of various trusts and organisations. She lives on the Black Isle and is president of the Architectural Heritage Society of Scotland and is an Honorary Fellow of the Royal Incorporation of Architects Scotland.
Click here for more information.
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26 March 2025 (630pm British Time): DNA Testing for Genealogy: Your Questions Answered
Cost: £12
Click here for more information.
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8 April 2025 (630pm British Time): Exploring the Limits of Autosomal DNA
Cost: £12
Learn about the science behind DNA: this presentation will provide a clearer understanding of the facts that underpin our DNA tests.
Click here for more information.
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10 April 2025 (630pm British Time): My DNA Matches
Cost: £12
In this webinar, you will learn about:
- Top tips for grouping matches.
- Case study: Confirming the identity of my Jewish great-grandfather.
- Case study: Using matches to reconnect a fractured family and identify a lost cousin.
Rather than looking at genetic genealogy through the lens of professional research, you will look at personal family history, and all the unique challenges that come with researching your own genetic lineages.
Click here for more information.
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13 June 2025 (2pm British Time): Researching Your Family History 1837 – 1911
Cost: Free
Learn about the key sources available for tracing the lives of your ancestors living in the 19th century.
Exploring civil registration records after 1837 and illustrating the evolution of the census, this webinar will help start your journey into discovering more about your family tree.
Click here for more information.
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What My Customers Say
“Sarah researched my father’s ancestry and did such a good job! She found him relatives he didn’t know he had, and successfully set him on the path to further find out about his family history. Thank you Sarah! Highly recommended!”
Linda from Edinburgh