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Online Records & Other Sources of Information

Guides to our Records

Our Online Catalogue includes descriptions of all our catalogued material and is a great place to start searching the records we hold. Catalogue pages don't link to the documents themselves, but will provide you with a reference. You can use this to request to see the record in person at our Town House site. Please note, not everything that we hold is catalogued, so if you are expecting us to hold a collection but cannot find it on the catalogue, please get in touch as we might have a box list that can be utilised instead.

Unlike a library catalogue, there are also entries for the collection and series that the records belong in (also referred to as the fonds and sub-fonds), as well as the entry for the record itself. This technical arrangement shows where each unique document belongs in the overall collection and although this can be confusing at first, it can be a very useful tool.

Family History Research

We hold many records which can be used not only to trace your family in the North East of Scotland, but also to flesh out the story. Information can be found on our video guide here: Family History Research

We have developed a YouTube guide to exploring your family history.

We have two leaflets on family history research. Please note, these are not current and some information regarding Old Aberdeen House is no longer applicable.

Starting Your Family History Leaflet734.02 KB
Family History Sources in the Archives Leaflet1.25 MB

 

Digitised Records

Some of our records have been digitised and are available online.

  • You can view burials records for Aberdeen City at Deceased Online. This online pay per view service is free to search but there is a charge to view the documents.
  • All the pre-1975 parliamentary and municipal electoral registers are available to search and view on Ancestry (£). 
  • The first eight surviving volumes of the UNESCO-recognised Aberdeen Burgh Registers have been digitised by the National Records of Scotland and are available on Scotland's Places. The years 1529 to 1531 are searchable at the Burgh Records Project database. 
  • You can look through our History Pin page and take a virtual journey around Union Street shops and beyond...

Links and Resources

OrganisationsResources include
Aberdeen City Registrars
  • Birth, death and marriage records for the whole of Scotland from 1855 to the present day. 
  • Census results from 1841-1911.
  • Baptisms and marriages in the Old Parochial Registers covering the whole of Scotland from 1554-1854. 
Aberdeenshire Registrars
  • Birth, death and marriage records for the whole of Scotland from 1855 to the present day. 
  • Census results from 1841-1911.
  • Baptisms and marriages in the Old Parochial Registers covering the whole of Scotland from 1554-1854. 
Aberdeen City Libraries Local Studies
  • Census, OPRs, electoral registers and valuation rolls
  • Local newspapers and maps
  • Aberdeen Post Office Directories
  • Historical photographs and postcards 
  • Silver City Vault
Aberdeenshire Local Studies
  • Census and OPRs
  • Local newspapers and maps
  • Business directories
  • Historical photographs and postcards 
Aberdeen Art Gallery and Museums
Aberdeenshire Museums
  • Shivas Photographic Collection
  • Business records relating to Crosse & Blackwell and Cleveland Twist Drill
    in Peterhead, as well as some rural trade and farming businesses
  • A small number of whaling journals kept by crew members of Peterhead whalers
  • The Arrivals/Sailings registers of Peterhead Harbour Board, 1865-1935
Aberdeen University Special Collections Centre
  • Graduates, alumni and officers of King's and Marischal Colleges, and the united University of Aberdeen
  • Family and estate collections, record of local businesses societies, trade unions and personal papers. 
  • Scottish Episcopal Church records.
  • NHS Grampian Archives
Aberdeenshire and Aberdeen City Archaeology Service
Moray Council Local Heritage Services
  • Includes records for areas of Banffshire now in Moray Council's jurisdiction
Aberdeen City Council Minutes
  • recent minutes of the Aberdeen City Council and Committees are available on the Council and Democracy pages, along with other information related to governance and democracy.
Aberdeenshire Council Minutes
National Records of Scotland
  • registers of births, deaths, marriages, divorces, civil partnerships, dissolutions and adoptions
  • Scottish government records from the 12th century to the present day
  • records created by courts of law, churches, businesses, landed estates and other corporate bodies
  • Scottish census enumeration books
  • and the National Health Service Central Register.
Historic Environment Scotland 
Aberdeen & North-East Scotland Family History Society
Kithead Trust Transport Archive
  • Historic vehicle registration information [Archives do not hold any records]

 

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