Inverness-shire

genealogy Research in inverness-shire, Scotland

Scotland is a great place to do family history research because of the country's large number of archives, libraries and other repositories. A variety of records can also be found locally at registry offices, courthouses, public libraries, historical societies and elsewhere. Websites like Ancestry.com, Findmypast, ScotlandsPeople, and FamilySearch also provide access to many unique online databases relating to Scottish genealogy.

In addition to these great resources, we have compiled a large number of links that should prove helpful to your search. Many of these are listed below and on our other pages relating to all parts of Scotland. If you would like a professional genealogist to help you with your quest, please click below.

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archives and libraries

Archives - The Highland Council
Armadale Castle - Clan Donald Archives & Library
The British Library - London, UK
FamilySearch Catalog - Inverness-shire, Scotland
Hebrides People - Discover Your Hebridean Roots
Highland Archive Service
Internet Archive - Inverness-shire, Scotland
Libraries - High Life Highland
Lochaber Archive Centre
The National Archives of the UK - Kew, UK
National Library of Scotland - Edinburgh, UK
National Records of Scotland - Edinburgh, UK
Old Scottish Genealogy & Family History - Inverness-shire Genealogy Records
Open Library - Inverness-shire, Scotland
Scottish Genealogy Society - Edinburgh, UK
Skye and Lochalsh Archive Centre

biographies

Biography Online - Famous Scottish People
Duncan Forbes, Scottish Statesman - Britannica
FamilySearch - Scotland Biography
Macpherson, Donald (1821-1835) - Dictionary of Canadian Biography
National Library of Scotland - Biographical Dictionary of Eminent Scotsman
Oxford Dictionary of National Biography - Scots and Scotland
People of Medieval Scotland
Undiscovered Scotland - Biographical Index

cemeteries

Billion Graves - Highland, Scotland
Cemeteries in Inverness, Highland - Find A Grave
Chapel Yard Cemetery Historical Marker
The Commonwealth War Graves Commission - Inverness-shire, Scotland
Cyndi's List - Cemeteries & Funeral Homes in Scotland
FamilySearch - Scotland Cemeteries
Find A Grave - Find a Grave in Scotland
Findmypast - Scotland Billion Graves Cemetery Index
Funerals, Graves and Cremations - The Highland Council
Grave Location for Holders of the Victoria Cross in Inverness
Graveyards of Scotland - Inverness
Graveyards of Scotland - Inverness-shire
Highland Memorial Inscriptions
Interment.net - Scotland Cemetery Records
Inverness-shire - Monumental Inscriptions, Cemeteries and Graveyards
Jewish Cemeteries in Scotland - Inverness
Large '1,400-Year-Old Cemetery' Uncovered in Highlands
National Records of Scotland - Deaths and Burials
Skye Gravestones
WorldCat.org - Inverness-shire, Scotland

census records

FamilySearch - Scotland Census
The National Archives of the UK - Census Records
National Library of Scotland - Census Records
National Records of Scotland - Census Records
RootsWeb - Inverness-shire, Scotland Census 1841
RootsWeb - Inverness-shire, Scotland Census 1861
RootsWeb - Inverness-shire, Scotland Census 1881
RootsWeb - Inverness-shire, Scotland Census 1841 North Uist
Scotland's Census - History of the Census
ScotlandsPeople - Census Returns

church records

Church Records - Archives Service
The Church of Scotland - Historical Records
National Records of Scotland - Church Records
Scotland Church Records - FamilySearch

court records

FamilySearch - Scotland Court Records
Findmypast - Scotland Court & Criminal Database
National Records of Scotland - Chancery Records
National Records of Scotland - Court and Legal Records
National Records of Scotland - Court of Session Records
National Records of Scotland - Crime and Criminals
National Records of Scotland - High Court Criminal Trials
National Records of Scotland - Sheriff Court Records
Scottish Courts - Court Records

directories

Ancestry.com - UK City and County Directories
FamilySearch - Scotland Directories
National Library of Scotland - Directories
National Library of Scotland - Scottish Post Office Directories
Origin Scotland Church Directory
The Scottish Genealogy Society - Directories

emigration records

FamilySearch - Scotland Emigration and Immigration
GenGuide - Emigration Records
Glasgow Family History - Emigration, Immigration and Migration
The Highland Emigration of 1770 - Electric Scotland
Immigrant Ships Transcribers Guild
Library and Archives Canada - Scottish Genealogy and Family History
Library of Congress - Sources for Research in Scottish Genealogy: Emigration
The National Archives of the UK - Emigration and Emigrants
National Library of Scotland - Emigration and Passenger Lists
National Museum of Scotland - Scots and Emigration 1800 - 1950
National Records of Scotland - Emigration Records
Register of Emigrants from the Western Isles of Scotland, 1750-1900
RootsWeb - HIES Passengers
RootsWeb - Prince Edward Island
ScotlandsPeople - Emigration and Immigration
Scottish Emigration to British North America 1770-1783
Scottish Archive Network - Emigration Records
The Scottish Genealogy Society - Scottish Emigration
University of Aberdeen - Scottish Emigration Database

estate files

Ancestry.com - Scottish Calendar of Confirmations
Estate Maps of Inverness-shire, 1730s-1950s - National Library of Scotland
FamilySearch - Scotland Estate Records
Mygov.scot - Finding a Will
The National Archives of the UK - Wills and Administrations after 1858
National Library of Scotland - Estate Papers
National Records of Scotland - Wills and Testaments
Scottish Courts - Estate Records
Scottish Land and Estates - Document Library
ScotlandsPeople - Inventories of Estates

heraldry records

The Armorial Register - International Register of Arms
Court of the Lord Lyon - Edinburgh, UK
Facts about Heraldry in Scotland - Scots Connection
The Heraldry Society of Scotland - Edinburgh, UK
Heraldry of the World - Inverness-shire, Scotland
Introduction to Scottish Heraldry - Scotlans
Public Register of Arms - National Records of Scotland
Scotland's Heraldry - Scottish Tartans Authority
ScotlandsPeople - Coats of Arms
Scottish Armory and Heraldry - Clan Campbell Society of North America
Scottish Heraldry - Wikipedia.org
Wikipedia.org - Inverness-shire, Scotland Coat of Arms

history

maps

County Maps of Inverness-shire - National Library of Scotland
David Rumsey Historical Map Collection - Inverness-shire, Scotland
Gazetteer of British Place Names - Inverness, Scotland
Geographic.org - Highland, Scotland
Inverness-shire County - ScotlandsPlaces
Map of Inverness-shire & Skye - British History Online
Map of Isle of Skye - British History Online
Map of Outer Hebrides - British History Online
RootsWeb - Inverness-shire 1895
RootsWeb - Mainland Inverness-shire Parishes
RootsWeb - Skye & Island Parishes

military records

Army Museums Ogilby Trust
Casualty Forms
The Commonwealth War Graves Commission - Inverness-shire, Scotland
Grave Location for Holders of the Victoria Cross in Inverness
Historical Markers and War Memorials in Inverness-shire, Scotland
Military Units and Formations in Inverness-shire - Wikipedia
Ministry of Defence - GOV.UK
Rolls of Honour for Inverness-shire
RootsWeb - Inverness-shire, Scotland Muster Rolls 1745-46
Scotland's War - Highland's War
The Society for Army Historical Research

municipalities

GENUKI - Inverness-shire Towns and Parishes
Newtonmore Community Website
Place-Names of Inverness and Surrounding Area - Nature Scot
Wikipedia.org - Inverness-shire, Scotland Settlements

newspapers

The British Newspaper Archive
Cyndi's List - UK & Ireland Newspapers
Findmypast - British Newspapers
The Inverness Courier (& The Highland News)
National Library of Scotland - Newspapers Collections
National Library of Scotland - Newspapers Online
Newspaper Abstracts - Iverness-shire, Scotland
Newspapers.com - Scotland
Scotsman Digital Archive

obituaries

Death Notices - Inverness Courier
Findmypast - Death Reports & Obituaries
Funeral Notices - Inverness, Scotland
The Herald - Death Notices & Obituaries
Obits Index - Scotland
The Scotsman - Obituaries

photographs

DarkIsle.com - Scotland Castles, Cairns and Celtic Music
Historic Environment Scotland - National Collection of Aerial Photography
National Galleries of Scotland - The MacKinnon Collection
National Library of Scotland - Photographs in the Collections
National Records of Scotland - Image Gallery
Photographs of Scottish Castles and Manor Houses
RootsWeb - Inverness-shire, Scotland Old Scot Photo's
Scottish Highlander Photo Archive - Inverness
Scottish Highlander Photo Archive - Inverness-shire

property records

FamilySearch - Scotland Land and Property Search
Land Register of Scotland - Land and Property Information
Land Searches Scotland - Land Registers and Conveyancing Searches
National Records of Scotland - Deeds
National Records of Scotland - Sasines
Registers of Scotland - Scotland's Land and Property Registers
Scottish Genealogy Society - Land Records

school records

FamilySearch - Scotland School Records
GenGuide - School Records for the UK and Ireland

societies

Clan Cameron Museum
FamilySearch - Scotland Societies
Findmypast - Scottish Association of Family History Societies
Glenfinnan Railway Museum
Glengarry Heritage Centre
Inverness Museum and Art Gallery
National Library of Scotland - Historical Clubs and Societies
National Museums Scotland
New England Historic Genealogical Society - Inverness-shire, Scotland
The Scottish Association of Family Histories Societies
The Scottish Genealogy Society - Edinburgh, UK
Scotlands Nature Agency
Skye Museum of Island Life
Society of Antiquaries of Scotland - Genealogy and Ancestry

tax records

FamilySearch - Scotland Taxation
The National Archives of the UK - Records of Taxation
National Records of Scotland - Taxation Records
ScotlandsPlaces - Historical Tax Rolls
The Scottish Genealogy Society - Taxation Records

vital records

Detailed List of the Old Parochial Registers of Scotland - Google Book Search
FamilySearch - Scotland Civil Registration
The National Archives of the UK - Births, Marriages and Deaths in Scotland and Ireland
National Library of Scotland - Records of Births, Deaths and Marriages
National Records of Scotland - Birth, Death, & Marriage Records
National Records of Scotland - Deaths and Burials
RootsWeb - Inverness-shire, Scotland Birth, Christening, Marriage and Death Records
RootsWeb - Inverness-shire, Scotland Parish Information on LDS Films
ScotlandsPeople - Statutory Register of Births

Scottish Council Areas

Many Scottish family records can be found online and at various archives and libraries located throughout the United Kingdom. Many millions of records aren't yet available online, though, and many of these are awaiting your discovery at the local level at courthouses, historical societies, churches, council offices, cemeteries, and elsewhere in Scotland. To find these and other records, click on the links below to find more information about the specific counties where your ancestors lived in Scotland. You'll find information on these pages that will lead you to the specific documentation you're searching for.

It is important to keep in mind when doing research that the names and boundaries of certain areas in Scotland have changed over the past few hundred years. Your ancestors may have lived on a certain farm in one county and when borders were redrawn records relating to your family history might have been located in another area entirely. When searching for land, court, tax, and other records it is also a good idea to search for these records in adjacent areas. Following is a complete list of Scotland's 32 council areas along with their formation dates, county seats, and names of parent counties.