Shetland Islands

genealogy Research in the shetland islands

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

The British Library - London, UK
FamilySearch Catalog - Shetland
Lerwick Scotland Family History Centre - FamilySearch
The National Archives of the UK - Kew, UK
National Library of Scotland - Edinburgh, UK
National Records of Scotland - Edinburgh, UK
Open Library - Shetland, Scotland
Scottish Genealogy Society - Edinburgh, UK
Shetland Library
Shetland Museum and Archives

biographies

Biography Online - Famous Scottish People
FamilySearch - Scotland Biography
National Library of Scotland - Biographical Dictionary of Eminent Scotsman
Oxford Dictionary of National Biography - Scots and Scotland
Undiscovered Scotland - Biographical Index

cemeteries

Billion Graves - Shetland Islands
Cemeteries and Headstones - Shetland Family History
Cemeteries in Shetland Islands - Find A Grave
The Commonwealth War Graves Commission - Shetland Islands
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
Interment.net - Scotland Cemetery Records
National Records of Scotland - Deaths and Burials
Shetland – Graveyards of Scotland
WorldCat.org - Shetland

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
Scotland's Census - History of the Census
ScotlandsPeople - Census Returns

church records

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
Schools Directory – Shetland Islands Council
The Scottish Genealogy Society - Directories

emigration records

FamilySearch - Scotland Emigration and Immigration
GenGuide - Emigration Records
Glasgow Family History - Emigration, Immigration and Migration
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
ScotlandsPeople - Emigration and Immigration
Scottish Archive Network - Emigration Records
The Scottish Genealogy Society - Scottish Emigration
Shetland Isles Migrant - Emmigration Lists and Records
University of Aberdeen - Scottish Emigration Database
User Guide - Scottish Emigration Database

estate files

Ancestry.com - Scottish Calendar of Confirmations
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
Heraldry of the World - Shetland Islands
ScotlandsPeople - Coats of Arms
Court of the Lord Lyon - Edinburgh, UK
Facts about Heraldry in Scotland - Scots Connection
The Heraldry Society of Scotland - Edinburgh, UK
Introduction to Scottish Heraldry - Scotlans
Public Register of Arms - National Records of Scotland
Scotland's Heraldry - Scottish Tartans Authority
Scottish Armory and Heraldry - Clan Campbell Society of North America
Scottish Heraldry - Wikipedia.org

history

maps

County Maps of Shetland Islands, 1600s-1960s - National Library of Scotland
David Rumsey Historical Map Collection - Shetland Islands
Gazetteer of British Place Names - Shetland Islands
Geographic.org - Shetland Islands
Old maps of Shetland Islands
ScotlandsPlaces - Shetland
Shetland Maps - National Library of Scotland

military records

Army Museums Ogilby Trust
Casualty Forms
Ministry of Defence - GOV.UK
Scotland's War - Shetlands
Shetland's War 1914 - 1918 – Shetland Islands Council
The Shetland Bus
The Society for Army Historical Research
World War II - Sumburgh Head

municipalities

GENUKI - Shetland Parishes
Geographic.org - Shetland Islands
List of places in Shetland - Wikipedia

newspapers

The British Newspaper Archive
Cyndi's List - UK & Ireland Newspapers
Findmypast - British Newspapers
National Library of Scotland - Newspapers Collections
National Library of Scotland - Newspapers Online
Newspaper Abstracts Shetland
Newspapers.com - Scotland
Scotsman Digital Archive
Shetland News
The Shetland Times

obituaries

Funeral Notices - Shetland
Findmypast - Death Reports & Obituaries
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
Scottish Highlander Photo Archive - Shetland
Photo Archive - Shetland Museum & Archives

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
Schools Directory – Shetland Islands Council

societies

Böd of Gremista
FamilySearch - Scotland Societies
Findmypast - Scottish Association of Family History Societies
National Library of Scotland - Historical Clubs and Societies
New England Historic Genealogical Society - Shetland, Scotland
The Scottish Association of Family Histories Societies
The Scottish Genealogy Society - Edinburgh, UK
Scalloway Museum
Society of Antiquaries of Scotland - Genealogy and Ancestry
Shetland Family History Society

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

Births, Marriages and Deaths – Shetland Islands Council
DustyDocs - English Parish Registers Online
Google Books - List of the Old Parochial Registers
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
ScotlandsPeople - Statutory Register of Births
Shetland Births, Deaths and Marriages

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.