The genealogist, whether amateur or professional, will have to consult a wide range of sources to find the information required.

An increasing number of records and archives are coming on-line but it’s still usually necessary to get away from the keyboard and visit record offices. Here in Edinburgh we are fortunate in having both the General Records Office (GRO) and the National Archives of Scotland (NAS, formerly SRO) on our doorstep. We also have the National Library of Scotland and the Edinburgh Central Library in the city as well as the Mitchell Library in Glasgow.

This section of our website takes a look at the most commonly used records in genealogical searches. 

The GRO on Princes Street holds all the statutory birth, marriage and death certificates for the whole of Scotland. The GRO also hold all the census returns for Scotland from 1841 onwards. Access to the Old Parish Registers is available at the GRO as well as the Edinburgh Central Library

The NAS provides further information with access to Wills & Testaments, Court Records and Family and Estate Records available next door to the GRO.

The main libraries in Edinburgh and Glasgow provide further information with access to a Scottish Newspaper archive and many transcribed Graveyard Inscriptions as well as the Statistical Accounts of Scotland and a vast wealth of more general information.

All in all, Edinburgh is the place to be for the genealogist specialising in Scottish lineage.