You are in: Home › Help › About the records ›

Questions about the records

Here is a list of typical questions about using the records available at the Centre. These are arranged under various categories. Each question sits inside a box - to reveal the answer, simply click on the box.

Example of a census record

The records

What records can I access at the Centre?

The ScotlandsPeople Centre has collated a vast amount of family history and genealogical information dating back almost 500 years. All records are digitised and available to view on computer screens.

For a complete list of the available records refer to the About the records page.

Can I see original records?

No. Centre customers have access to a computerised search engine that provides digital images of the originals. This allows faster and easier searching for family historians.

Can I see up-to-date records?

Yes. Customers can see the most up-to-date records, including up to the current year for statutory records (births, deaths, marriages and civil partnerships). Wills and census records up to 1911 and Coats of Arms entries up to 1910 can also be viewed.

Why can't I find an ancestor I know should be there?

There are many reasons why you might not be able to find an ancestor. It may be that their record does not exist or they may have used a different spelling for their name. We provide research hints for each record type, as per this example of research hints for statutory records.

Do you have records for places other than Scotland?

There are some records that relate to people of Scottish origin and events that happened abroad, such as events registered abroad by UK Consulates.

How far back can I get with my family tree?

Theoretically, customers can get back to the 1500's. If you know your ancestors lived and died in Scotland, you should easily get as far back as the mid-1800's. Records before 1855 are less reliable so there is no guarantee customers will find ancestors before this date.

Can I trust the information to be accurate?

Certainly the more recent records are accurate. However, census records, the early statutory records and Old Parish Registers are subject to the correct information being given at the time to the census enumerator or to the parish clerk.

If I need it, what help can I receive for researching the Centre records?

Customers are provided with an instruction manual. Supervisors will be on hand to give basic advice on software and the records. Customers who want more detailed help can arrange an assisted search (where a member of staff sits in). See the Assisted searches page for more details.

What advantages are there in researching the Centre records over doing research on the internet?

In the Centre, customers can view images of recent records (less than 100 years old). These are unavailable online. For a day search fee customers can view unlimited images. We have other resources to aid research, such as the library and stand alone computers. Customers also experience the wonderful surroundings of the General Register House and New Register House genealogy campus.

The costs for all our services, including prints or electronic saves, are detailed in our Charges page.

What is the difference between searching the records at the Centre, and searching online at the pay-per-view site (scotlandspeople)?

The 'pay-per-view' website is operated by 'Brightsolid' and has different search functions because it has been developed totally independently to the search application at the Centre.

The National Records of Scotland does not allow browsing of the statutory records and this is particularly important for the modern day records because the people may still be living. The 'pay-per-view' website only has index entries for modern day records, which means that these records cannot be viewed.

Are there any restrictions to viewing modern records at the Centre?

Searches are restricted to 5 year periods, although it is also possible to go up and down the years if only one year is entered in the year range box. This restriction highlights the demarcation between modern day records and historical records, ensuring these records cannot be readily browsed.

Obtaining copies of records

What records can I get copies of?

Customers can get printed copies of all wills and testaments, coats of arms and census records that are available at the Centre. The same applies for birth records over 100 years old, marriage records over 75 years old and death records over 50 years old. Formal extracts (certificates) can be ordered for the more recent records.

Can I order a Formal Extract at the Centre?

Yes. We provide a standard service and a priority service. For the standard service, you simply fill out an extract order form which will be available in the search rooms. Take it to the supervisor to check and pay the fee as detailed in our Charges page. The supervisor will then pass the order on to be processed.

If you wish to use the priority service, you will need to take the extract order form and payment by hand to the Public Counter in New Register House. There will be an additional charge for our priority service and identification may be required.

What can I do if an image is of poor quality?

If the image is a statutory record (births, marriages, deaths etc from 1855 to present) report it to the Supervisor using white forms, which are available in all of the search rooms except the Adam Dome. Once the request has been checked by the Family History Officer, this will initiate a process for the image to be re-scanned and made available electronically on the computer system. Generally, the improved image will be available on the computer system within 30 minutes of the email having been sent to imaging department by the supervisor.

If you are having trouble reading a census or Old Parish Register image, bring this to the attention of a Supervisor and they will make available the microfilm copy for you to look at. There are microfilm readers in every search room apart from the Adam Dome.