West Dunbartonshire

genealogy Research in west dunbartonshire, 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 Collections - West Dunbartonshire Council
The British Library - London, UK
Clydebank Heritage Centre - West Dunbartonshire Council
Dumbarton Heritage Centre - West Dunbartonshire Council
East Dunbartonshire Archives
Library Branches - West Dunbartonshire Council
The National Archives of the UK - Kew, UK
National Library of Scotland - Edinburgh, UK
National Records of Scotland - Edinburgh, UK
Open Library - Dunbartonshire, Scotland
Scotland, Dumbartonshire - FamilySearch.org
Scottish Genealogy Society - Edinburgh, UK
West Scotland Archives - Scottish Council on Archives
West Dunbartonshire Council - Search
West Dunbartonshire Council Archives - Dunbarton Library

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
People Associated with West Dunbartonshire - Wikipedia
Undiscovered Scotland - Biographical Index

cemeteries

Billion Graves - West Dunbartonshire, Scotland
Cemeteries and Cematoriu - West Dunbartonshire Council
Cemeteries in West Dunbartonshire - Find A Grave
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
WorldCat.org - Dunbartonshire, 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
Scotland's Census - History of the Census
ScotlandsPeople - Census Returns

church records

The Church of Scotland - Historical Records
DustyDocs - English Parish Registers Online
National Records of Scotland - Church Records
Origin Scotland Church Directory - Dunbartonshire
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
The Scottish Genealogy Society - Directories
Stirlingshire, Dumbartonshire and Linlithgowshire Business Directory for 1893-94 - Internet Archive

emigration records

Emigration and Immigration - Chapbooks printed in Scotland
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
University of Aberdeen - 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
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
Heraldry of the World - West Dunbartonshire
Introduction to Scottish Heraldry - Scotlans
National Records of Scotland - Coats of Arms
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
West and East Dunbartonshire Coat of Arms

history

Broadside Ballad Entitled 'Dumbarton's Bonny Dell'
Dumbarton Castle: History - Historic Environment Scotland
Dumbarton - 'The Castle of Dumbritton from Kilpatrick'
The 'Dog Suicide Bridge': A Gothic Mystery in Gothic Stone
Dumbarton's Drums - Inglis Collection of Printed Music
GENUKI - A Description, Dunbartonshire
Gazetteer of British Place Names - Dunbartonshire, Scotland
Google Books - Dunbartonshire, Scotland
Greater Glasgow Jewish Community
Historic Environment Scotland - West Dunbartonshire
Historical Perspective for Dumbarton - Gazetteer for Scotland
Histories of Scottish Families - National Library of Scotland
Internet Archive - Dunbartonshire, Scotland
Old Scottish - Dunbartonshire Genealogy Records
People of Medieval Scotland
Scotland IGI Batch Numbers - Dunbarton
ScotlandsPlaces - Dunbartonshire
Scottish Tartans Authority - The Birth of Tartan
The Statistical Accounts of Scotland 1791-1845 - Dumbarton
True and Genuine Account of Murdoch Currie - National Library of Scotland
Undiscovered Scotland - West Dunbartonshire
Unpublished Poems by Agnes Owens
A Vision of Britain Through Time - West Dunbartonshire
Women Making History in West Dunbartonshire - Glasgow Women's Library
West Dunbartonshire - Britannica
West Dunbartonshire - Wikipedia

maps

Bathymetrical Survey of the Fresh-Water Lochs of Scotland, 1897-1909 - Lower Section
Bathymetrical Survey of the Fresh-Water Lochs of Scotland, 1897-1909 - Upper Section
Geographic.org - West Dunbartonshire, Scotland Maps
1841 Johnston Large Antique Map - The County of Dumbarton, Dunbartonshire
Johnston's Map of the County of Dumbarton - Scotland, 1580-1928
Map of Dumbartonshire - British History Online
National Library of Scotland - County Maps, 1580s-1950s Dumbartonshire / Dunbartonshire
National Records of Scotland - Maps and Plans
Old County of Dunbartonshire Map - Old County of Dunbartonshire Map - Gazetteer for Scotland
Ordnance Survey Scottish Town Plans, 1847-1895 - Town Plan of Alexandria Surveyed: 1859
Ordnance Survey Scottish Town Plans, 1847-1895 - Town Plan of Dumbarton Surveyed: 1859
Ordnance Survey Scottish Town Plans, 1847-1895 - Town Plan of Kirkintilloch Surveyed: 1859
Plan of the Castle of Dunbarton. - Military Maps of Scotland
ScotlandGenWeb Project - Dunbartonshire County, Scotland Maps

military records

Army Museums Ogilby Trust
Casualty Forms
Clydebank Burgh, Civilian Ward Dead, 1939-1945
The Commonwealth War Graves Commission - Dunbartonshire, Scotland
Ministry of Defence - GOV.UK
National Records of Scotland - Military Records
Scotland - Dunbartonshire's War
The Society for Army Historical Research
Roll of Honour - Dunbartonshire
1914-1918 Rolls of Honour - National Library of Scotland

municipalities

GENUKI - Places in Dunbartonshire
Places Names of West Dunbartonshire - West Dunbartonshire Council
West Dunbartonshire Towns and villages - Wikipedia

newspapers

The British Newspaper Archive
Clydebank Post
Cyndi's List - UK & Ireland Newspapers
Dumbarton and Vale of Leven Reporter
Findmypast - British Newspapers
National Library of Scotland - Newspapers Collections
National Library of Scotland - Newspapers Online
Newspaper Abstracts - Dunbartonshire, Scotland
Newspapers.com - Scotland
Scotsman Digital Archive

obituaries

Findmypast - Death Reports & Obituaries
Funeral Notices - Dunbartonshire, Scotland
The Herald - Death Notices & Obituaries
Obituaries - Dumbarton and Vale of Leven Reporter
Obituaries - Glasgow Times
The Scotsman - Obituaries

photographs

Archive Photograph Index - West Dunbartonshire Council
DarkIsle.com - Scotland Castles, Cairns and Celtic Music
Dumbarton 1944 - 1946 - National Library of Scotland
Dumbarton Scotland Uk Old Dumbarton - Alamy
Historic Environment Scotland - National Collection of Aerial Photography
John Brown's Shipyard in Clydebank - National Library of Scotland
The Launch of Sir Thomas Lipton's Yacht "Shamrock III - National Library of Scotland
National Galleries of Scotland - The MacKinnon Collection
National Library of Scotland - Photographs in the Collections
National Records of Scotland - Image Gallery
Plan Shewing the Course of the Roman Wall Called Grime's Dyke
Photographs of Scottish Castles and Manor Houses
Scottish Highlander Photo Archive - Dunbarton
View of Duntocher Bridge, on Grime's Dyke

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
Records of Dalmuir & West of Scotland Estates - Archives Hub
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
Glasgow Family History - Schools, Pupils and Teachers
National Records of Scotland - Education Records

societies

Dumbarton Heritage Centre - West Dunbartonshire Council
FamilySearch - Scotland Societies
Findmypast - Scottish Association of Family History Societies
Glasgow and West of Scotland Family History Society
Lennox Heritage Society - Scottish Local History Forum
National Library of Scotland - Historical Clubs and Societies
New England Historic Genealogical Society - Dunbartonshire, Scotland
The Scottish Association of Family Histories Societies
The Scottish Genealogy Society - Edinburgh, UK
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

Births, Marriages, Deaths - West Dunbartonshire Council
DustyDocs - Dunbartonshire, Scotland
FamilySearch - Scotland Civil Registration
Google Books - List of the Old Parochial Registers
Historical Birth Search - West Dunbartonshire Council
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
West Dunbartonshire Genealogy Resources & Parish Registers

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.