Western Isles

genealogy Research in the Western Isles

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

Angus Macleod Archive
The British Library - London, UK
CnES Web - Libraries and Archives
Hebridean Connections - Community Archives and Heritage Group
The National Archives of the UK - Kew, UK
National Library of Scotland - Edinburgh, UK
National Records of Scotland - Edinburgh, UK
Open Library - Western Isles
Scottish Genealogy Society - Edinburgh, UK
The Scottish Records Association - Archives in the Western Isles
Western Isles Libraries

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 - Western Isles, Scotland
Cemeteries in Outer Hebrides - 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
Obits Index - Scotland
Outer Hebrides - Viking Burials in 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
Churches in North Uist, Western Isles
Churches in Stornoway, Western Isles
National Records of Scotland - Church Records
Origin Scotland Church Directory
Wikipedia.org - List of Churches in Na h-Eileanan Siar
Wikipedia.org - Religion in the Outer Hebrides
Scotland Church Records - FamilySearch

court records

FamilySearch - Scotland Court Records
Findmypast - Scotland Court & Criminal Database
Lochmaddy Sheriff Court
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
Scottish Courts - Court Records
Stornoway Sheriff Court

directories

Ancestry.com - UK City and County Directories
Business Directory - Hebrides
FamilySearch - Scotland Directories
Google Books - Wetern Isles of Scotland Directory
National Library of Scotland - Directories
National Library of Scotland - Scottish Post Office Directories
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
John Gray Centre - A Brief History of Emigration & Immigration in Scotland
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
WorldCat.org - Register of Emigrants from the Western Isles of Scotland, 1750-1900

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 - Estate Records
National Records of Scotland - Wills and Testaments
Scottish Courts - Estate Records
Scottish Land and Estates - Document Library
ScotlandsPeople - Inventories of Estates
Tasglann Nan Eilean Siar: A'fosgladh Dorsan Gu Ulaidhean

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 - Comhairele Nan Eilean Siar - Coat of Arms
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

history

Britannica - Outer Hebrides Islands, Scotland, United Kingdom
British History Online
Electric Scotland - History of the Western Isles
Google Books - Western Isles, Scotland
Historic Environment Scotland - Western Isles
History - Hebrides People
History and Mystery - Outer Hebrides
History of the Outer Hebrides - Hebridean Hopscotch Holidays
History of the Western Isles
Islands - The Western Isles of Scotland
Internet Archive - Western Isles, Scotland
People of Medieval Scotland
Resources - Hebridean Connections
The South Harris Machair - Sources and Settlements
Scotland.org - The Outer Hebrides
ScotlandsPlaces - Western Isles
A Vision of Britain Through Time - Western Isles, Scotland
Western Isles Travel Guide, History and Attractions
Wikipedia.org - Outer Hebrides

maps

BBC Scotland - The Western Isles Maps
County Maps of the Hebrides, 1580s-1960s - National Library of Scotland
David Rumsey Historical Map Collection - Western Isles, Scotland
Gazetteer of British Place Names - Western Isles, Scotland
Hebrides Map - Scotland, United Kingdom
National Records of Scotland - Maps and Plans
Pre-1900 , Western Isles - Vatican
Statistical Accounts of Scotland - Western Isles
Undiscovered Scotland - Western Isles
Undiscovered Scotland - Western Isles Council

military records

Army Museums Ogilby Trust
British Army Soldiers up to 1913 - The National Archives
British Army Muster Rolls and Pay Lists c.1730-1898 - The National Archives
Casualty Forms
The Commonwealth War Graves Commission - Western Isles, Scotland
Military and Maritime - Outer Hebrides
Military Naval - National Library of Scotland
Ministry of Defence - GOV.UK
National Records of Scotland - Military Records
National Records of Scotland - Soldiers' and Airmen's Wills
Scotland - Western Isles' War
Scotland Military Records - FamilySearch
Scotland's People and the First World War - National Records of Scotland
Scottish Prisoners of War 1914-1918 - National Records of Scotland
The Society for Army Historical Research

municipalities

Islands - The Western Isles of Scotland
Outer Hebrides Including Harris Lewis and Uist – Scotland Info Guide
Outer Hebrides - Wikitravel
Undiscovered Scotland - Western Isles

newspapers

Archives – West Highland Free Press
The British Newspaper Archive
Cyndi's List - UK & Ireland Newspapers
Daily Record - Western Isles
Findmypast - British Newspapers
Hebrides News
Islands News - Press and Journal
National Library of Scotland - Newspapers Collections
National Library of Scotland - Newspapers Online
Newspapers.com - Scotland
Scotsman Digital Archive
Stornoway Gazette

obituaries

Findmypast - Death Reports & Obituaries
Funeral Notices - Western Isles
The Herald - Death Notices & Obituaries
Hebrides News - Funeral Notices
The Scotsman - Obituaries
Stornoway Gazette - Obituaries

photographs

DarkIsle.com - Scotland Castles, Cairns and Celtic Music
Historic Environment Scotland - National Collection of Aerial Photography
A Love Affair With the Scottish Isles in Photographs - National Geographic
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 Western Isles Photos - Dreamstime
Western Isles High Resolution Stock Photography and Images - Alamy
Western Isles, Scotland - Cody Duncan Photography

property records

FamilySearch - Scotland Land and Property Search
Highland & Western Isles – Highland and Western Isles Assessor's website
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

Achmore School Board, Lewis - Tasglann nan Eilean Siar
Barvas School Board, Lewis - Tasglann nan Eilean Siar
Collections - Comhairle nan Eilean Siar
FamilySearch - Scotland School Records
GenGuide - School Records for the UK and Ireland
Lochs School Board, Lewis - Tasglann nan Eilean Siar
National Records of Scotland - Education Records
Stornoway School Board - The National Archives
Uig School Board, Lewis - Tasglann nan Eilean Siar

societies

Back Historical Society
Barvas & Brue Historical Society
Barra and Vatersay Historical Society
Benbecula Historical Society
Berneray Historical Society
Carloway Historical Society - Hebridean Connections
East Loch Roag - Museum & Tasglann Nan Eilean
Eriskay Historical Society
FamilySearch - Scotland Societies
Findmypast - Scottish Association of Family History Societies
The Islands Book Trust
Kinloch Historical Society
Museum & Tasglann nan Eilean
National Library of Scotland - Historical Clubs and Societies
National Museums Scotland
Ness Historical Society
New England Historic Genealogical Society - Western Isles, Scotland
North Lochs Historical Society - Hebridean Connections
North Tolsta Historical Society
North Uist Historical Society
Pairc Historical Society
South Harris Historical Society
South Uist Historical Society
The Scottish Association of Family Histories Societies
The Scottish Genealogy Society - Edinburgh, UK
Society of Antiquaries of Scotland - Genealogy and Ancestry
Stornoway Historical Society
Uig Historical Society
Western Isles Archives - Glasgow and West of Scotland Family History Society
Western Isles Transport Preservation Group

tax records

Comhairle nan Eilean Siar - Council Tax
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

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

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.