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Kirkcudbrightshire Notes



Kirkcudbrightshire Parishes

Kirkcudbrightshire was the eastern part of the old district of Galloway and was much larger than the western part, Wigtonshire. It was originally increased in size by the annexation of 2 ancient parishes, Dunrod and Galtway, around 1683.

By the time of the 1841 census, Kirkcudbrightshire consisted of 28 parishes, as shown below, from Carsphairn and Dalry in the north to Borgue, Kirkcudbright and Rerrick in the south lying on the Solway coast.

These original 28 parishes remained in place until 1855 when compulsory registration started and the parishes were replaced by Registration Districts. The parish of Kelton was then dropped and 2 new districts came into being: Corsock Bridge, between Balmaclellan and Kirkpatrick Durham & Dalbeattie, between (Haugh of) Urr and Colvend.

For a brief period from 1855 to 1856, the district of Kells was split into Kells (Landward) and Kells (New Galloway), Kirkcudbright was split into Kirkcudbright (Landward) and Kirkcudbright (Burgh) and New Galloway came and went.

10 years later in 1865 the district of Bargrennan came into being as part of the Minnigaff district next to the border with Ayrshire.

In 1897 the district of Southwick came into being between Colvend and Kirkbean.

By 1938 the districts of Anwoth and Girthon had been amalgamated into a single district, Girthon & Anwoth.

In 1969 we lost all these districts: Balmaclellan, Borgue, Buittle, Crossmichael, Kells, Kirkbean, Kirkgunzeon, Kirkpatrick Durham, Parton, Rerrick, Southwick, Tongland, Twynholm and Urr.

Shortly afterwards, in 1976, the district of Irongray was dissolved and 4 years later Troqueer went too.


Map of Kirkcudbrightshire showing the parishes in 1841

Thanks to Don Jaggi & GENUKI

Link to the full interactive map on GENUKI

Kirkcudbrightshire Old Parish Register data

This table gives the dates for the OPRs of Kirkcudbrightshire for records of Births (and Baptisms), Marriages (and Banns) and Deaths up until 1854 after which compulsory registration started.


Parish OPR ref Births Marriages Deaths
Anworth / Anwoth 855/1 1727 to 1820 1728 to 1811 1753 to 1792
    " 855/2 1820 to 1854 1827 and 1829 none
Balmaclellan 856/11 1747 to 1819 1747 to 1819 1791 to 1819
    " 856/2 1820 to 1854 1820 to 1854 1819 to 1854
Balmaghie 857A/1 1768 to 1819 1805 to 1819 none
    " 857A/2 1820 to 1854 1819 to 1854 none
Borgue 858/1 1720 to 1819 1741 to 1819 1764 to 1819
    " 858/2 1819 to 1854 1820 to 1854 1820 to 1854
Buittle 859/1 1736 to 1819 1737 to 1819 1789 to 1819
    " 859/2 1820 to 1854 1819 to 1854 1820 to 1850
Carsphairn 860/1 1727 to 1820 none none
    " 860/2 1820 to 1854 none none
Colvend 861/1 1781 to 1819 none none
    " 861/2 1819 to 1854 1826 to 1854 1838 to 1854
    " 861/3 1715 to 1744 1715 to 1732 none
    " 861/4 1744 to 1750 1744 to 1760 1750 to 1759
    " 861/4 1754 to 1787 1775 to 1780 none
Crossmichael 863/1 1735 to 1819 1783 to 1817 none
    " 863/2 1819 to 1854 1821 to 1854 1820 to 1832
Dalry 865/12 1691 to 1705 1691 to 1705 none
   " 865/23 1713 to 1819 1758 to 1778 1758 to 1783
   " 865/3 1820 to 1854 1822 to 1854 1836 to 1854
Girthon 866/1 1699 to 1819 1700 to 1819 1699 to 1735
    " 866/2 1820 to 1854 1818 to 1854 1823 to 1854
Kells 868/1 1698 to 1820 1698 to 1819 none
   " 868/2 1820 to 1854 1819 to 1854 1828 to 1854
Kelton 869/1 1717 to 1819 1717 to 1803 none
    " 869/2 1818 to 1854 1839 to 1849 1851 to 1852
Kirkbean 870/1 1714 to 1820 1714 to 1790 1714 to 1784
    " 870/2 1820 to 1854 1825 to 1854 1824 to 1854
Kirkcudbright 871/1 1743 to 1819 1743 to 1805 1783 to 1792
    " 871/2 1820 to 1854 1820 to 1854 1826 to 1853
    " 5204 1706 to 1708 none none
Kirkgunzeon 872/1 1702 to 1819 1812 to 1819 none
    " 872/2 1818 to 1854 1812 to 1854 none
    " 4744 none 1703 to 1714 1726 only
Kirkmabreck 873/1 1703 to 1819 none none
    " 873/2 1820 to 1854 1820 to 1854 1820 to 1840
    " 6734 none 1823 only none
Kirkpatrick Durham 874/1 1693 to 1820 1694 to 1704 none
    " 874/2 1776 to 1854 1837 to 1854 1837 to 1842
Kirkpatrick-Irongray 867/1 1688 (1 entry) 1772 to 1793 none
    " 867/1 1757 to 1818 1797 (1 entry) none
    " 867/2 1824 to 1854 none none
Lochrutton 875/15 1698 to 1819 1697 to 1790 1766 to 1790
    " 875/2 1792 (1 entry) 1820 (1 entry) see row below
    " 875/2 1820 to 1854 1841 to 1854 1841 to 1854
Minnigaff 876/1 1694 to 1819 1694 to 1821 none
    " 876/2 1819 to 1854 1819 to 1854 none
New Abbey 877/16 1691 to 1819 1691 to 1819 1699 to 1819
    " 877/2 1820 to 1854 1820 to 1854 1820 to 1842
Parton 878/1 1714 to 1819 1714 to 1783 1744 to 1783
    " 878/2 1820 to 1854 1833 to 1854 none
Rerrick 879/1 1732 to 1819 1736 to 1819 none
    " 879/2 1820 to 1854 1818 to 1854 none
Terregles 880/1 1724 to 1820 1792 to 1814 1792 to 1815
    " 880/2 1820 to 1854 1837 to 1854 1848 to 1851
Tongland 881/1 1691 to 1819 1712 to 1819 1807 to 1827
    " 881/2 1819 to 1854 1820 to 1841 none
Troqueer 882/1 1690 to 1764 1690 to 1819 1764 to 1783
    " 882/2 1764 to 1819 none none
    " 882/3 1819 to 1854 1819 to 1854 1821 to 1848
Twynholm 883/17 1694 to 1722 1694 to 1721 1701
    " 883/2 1762 to 1819 1763 to 1818 1762 to 1818
    " 883/2 1762 to 1819 1763 to 1818 1762 to 1818
    " 883/3 1820 to 1854 1825 to 1852 1835 to 1854
Urr 884/1 1769 to 1819 1770 to 1819 none
  " 884/2 1819 to 1854 1819 to 1854 none
  " 884/3 Index 1820 to 1854 none none
  1. Includes minutes for New Abbey from 1735 to 1746
  2. Includes minutes and accounts for Dalry from 1691 to 1705
  3. Includes minutes and accounts for Dalry from 1713 to 1719
  4. Church of Scotland records in the National Archives of Scotland which supplement the Old Parish Registers held by GROS. The number is that used by NAS.
  5. Includes Poors' accounts and school's monies for Lochrutton from 1766 to 1781 & church collections from 1781 to 1790
  6. Includes Poors' Fund minutes and accounts for Balmacellan from 1747 to 1755 & 1757 to 1758
  7. Includes minutes etc for Twynholm from 1693 to 1722

Kirkcudbrightshire Kirk Session records

This table gives the dates for which pre–1855 Kirk Session records exist in National Archives of Scotland in Edinburgh. As well as the general business of the church they can contain birth, marriage and death information.


Parish NAS reference Type of record Date ranges
Anworth / Anwoth: Established Church CH2/14 Minutes 1747 to 1752, 1770 to 1836, 1843 to 1932
Balmaclellan: Established Church CH2/981 Parochial Board Poor Accounts 1845 to 1855
Balmaghie: Established Church CH2/27 Minutes 1768 to 1777, 1839 to 1938
Balmaghie: Free Church CH3/1246 Minutes 1852 to 1949
Borgue: Established Church CH2/713 Poors' Fund Accounts 1758 to 1787, 1791 to 1794, 1847 to 1866
Borgue: Established Church CH2/713 Minutes 1825 to 1879
Borgue: Established Church CH2/713 Baptismal Register 1855 to 1943
Borgue: Free Church CH3/648 Minutes 1844 to 1933
Borgue: Free Church CH3/648 Deacons' Court Minutes 1846 to 1933
Borgue: Free Church CH3/648 Communion Roll 1844 to 1851
Borgue: Free Church CH3/648 General Sustentation Fund Register 1842 to 1851
Buittle: Established Church CH2/440 Minutes 1736 1, 1779 to 1847, 1858 to 1883
Buittle: Established Church CH2/440 Marriage Proclamations 1855 to 1893
Buittle: Established Church CH2/440 Miscellaneous Papers 1740 to 1862
Carsphairn: Established Church CH2/667 Minutes 1774 to 1907
Carsphairn: Established Church CH2/667 Accounts 1737 to 1738, 1772 to 1783
Colvend: Established Church CH2/1018 Minutes 1715 to 1782, 1786, 1788, 1794, 1806
Colvend: Established Church CH2/1018 Marriages 1715 to 1732, 1744 to 1760, 1775 to 1780
Colvend: Established Church CH2/1018 Baptisms 1715 to 1750, 1754 to 1787 (with gaps)
Colvend: Established Church CH2/1018 Deaths 1750 to 1759 (with gaps)
Crossmichael: Established Church CH2/388 Minutes 1735 to 1801, 1846 to 1849
Crossmichael: Established Church CH2/388 Account book 1769 to 1784
Dalbeattie: Dalbeattie Free Church CH3/404 Session Minutes 1843 to 1919
Dalbeattie: Dalbeattie Free Church CH3/404 Deacons' Court Minutes 1848 to 1919
Dalbeattie: Dalbeattie Free Church CH3/404 Baptismal Register 1843 to 1855, 1890 to 1918
Dalry: Established Church CH2/781 Minutes of Heritors and Session 1742 to 1796, 1827 to 1884
Dalry: Established Church CH2/781 Poors' Accounts 1739 to 1746, 1758 to 1832
Dalry: Established Church CH2/781 Accounts 1853 to 1876
Dalry: Established Church CH2/781 Communion Roll 1850 to 1900
Dalry: Glenkins Free Church CH3/1033 Minutes 1843 to 1904
Dalry: Glenkins Free Church CH3/1033 Deacons' Court Minutes 1867 to 1903
Dalry: Glenkins Free Church CH3/1033 Baptismal Register 1843 to 1945
Dalry: Dalry Burgher United Secession Church CH3/71 Session Minutes 1791 to 1847
Dalry: Dalry Burgher United Secession Church CH3/71 Session Minutes with baptisms 1789 to 1846, 1860 to 1872
Dalry: Dalry Burgher United Secession Church CH3/71 Managers' Minutes 1856 to 1919
Dalry: Dalry Burgher United Secession Church CH3/71 Baptismal Register 1847 to 1923
Dalry: Dalry Burgher United Secession Church CH3/71 Accounts 1791 to 1813, 1816 to 1887; 1870 to 1887 are damaged
Dalry: Dalry Burgher United Secession Church CH3/71 Stipend Receipts 1791 to 1831, 1834 to 1898
Dalry: Dalry Burgher United Secession Church CH3/71 Collections 1833 to 1835, 1844 to 1857
Girthon: Established Church CH2/1526 Session minutes 1694 to 1702, 1729 to 1742, 1821 to 1948
Kells: Established Church CH2/202 Minutes 1693 to 1730
Kells: Established Church CH2/202 Mortcloth etc 1731 to 1812, 1826 to 1828
Kells: Established Church CH2/202 Poors' Funds 1813 to 1817, 1826 to 1835, 1855 to 1957
Kelton: Established Church CH2/203 Minutes 1715 to 1727, 1762 to 1794, 1803, 1821 to 1824, 1830 to 1831, 1834 to 1837, 1839 to 1890
Kelton: Established Church CH2/203 Collections 1782 to 1783, 1786 to 1789
Kelton: Established Church CH2/203 Accounts 1812 to 1821
Kelton: Established Church CH2/203 Summary accounts 1822 to 1833
Kelton: Established Church CH2/203 Cash Book 1837 to 1895
Kelton: Established Church CH2/203 Parochial Visitation Book 1826 to 1838
Kelton: Established Church CH2/203 Papers Relating to Gallery in Church 1821 to 1873
Kelton: Established Church CH2/203 Papers Relating to Stipend 1833 to 1903
Kelton: Established Church CH2/203 Papers Relating to School at Castle Douglas 1790 to 1823
Kelton: Established Church CH2/203 Miscellaneous Papers 1804 to 1880
Kirkbean: Kirkbean and Southwick Free Church CH3/1139 Deacons' Court Minutes 1845 to 1866
Kirkcudbright: Established Church CH2/520 Minutes 1692 to 1704
Kirkcudbright: Established Church CH2/520 Baptisms 1706 to 1708
Kirkcudbright: Established Church CH2/520 Baptisms 1706 to 1708
Kirkcudbright: Free Church CH3/588 Minutes 1844 to 1921
Kirkcudbright: Free Church CH3/588 Deacons' Court Minutes 1845 to 1901
Kirkcudbright: Free Church CH3/588 Baptismal Register 1843 to 1876
Kirkcudbright: Free Church CH3/588 Communion Roll 1846 to 1847
Kirkcudbright: Associate Church, later United Presbyterian Church CH3/589 Minutes 1820 to 1865, 1869 to 1914
Kirkcudbright: Associate Church, later United Presbyterian Church CH3/589 Young Communicants 1847 to 1914
Kirkcudbright: Associate Church, later United Presbyterian Church CH3/589 Congregational and Managers Minutes 1846 to 1847
Kirkgunzeon: Established Church CH2/474 Minutes 1705 to 1770, 1801 to 1900 (with gap), 1741 to 1744
Kirkgunzeon: Established Church CH2/474 Marriages 1703 to 1714
Kirkgunzeon: Established Church CH2/474 Baptism 1726
Kirkgunzeon: Established Church CH2/474 Accounts 1790 to 1832, 1856 to 1873
Kirkmabreck: Established Church CH2/673 Minutes 1703 to 1739, 1756, 1759 to 1792, 1811, 1823 to 1910
Kirkmabreck: Established Church CH2/673 Marriages 1823
Kirkmabreck: Established Church CH2/673 Collections 1703 to 1740, 1767 to 1777
Kirkmabreck: Established Church CH2/673 Scroll Minutes 1851 to 1859
Kirkmabreck: Established Church CH2/673 Accounts 1820 to 1829
Kirkpatrick Durham: Established Church CH2/231 Minutes 1694 to 1807
Kirkpatrick Durham: Established Church CH2/231 Cash Book 1746 to 1783
Kirkpatrick-Irongray: Established Church CH2/1343 Minutes and accounts 1691 to 1700, 1714 to 1715, 1743 to 1895
Kirkpatrick-Irongray: Established Church CH2/1343 Matters of Poors’ Fund Accounts, Collections, and Discipline 1714 to 1716
Lochrutton: Established Church CH2/231 Minutes and accounts 1697 to 1703, 1723 to 1724
Lochrutton: Established Church CH2/231 Minutes 1783 to 1810, 1812 to 1813, 1819 to 1823
Lochrutton: Established Church CH2/231 Collections 1742 to 1797
Lochrutton: Established Church CH2/231 Disbursements 1737 to 1788, 1841 to 1879
Lochrutton: Established Church CH2/231 Poors’ Fund Distributions 1845 to 1847
Lochrutton: Established Church CH2/231 Register of Inhabitants 1763, 1766 to 1777
Lochrutton: Established Church CH2/231 New Communicants 1759 to 1764
Lochrutton: Established Church CH2/231 Catechismal Roll 1771 to 1774, 1789 to 1790
Lochrutton: Established Church CH2/231 Population Roll 1821, 1831, 1841
Lochrutton: Established Church CH2/231 Communion Roll 1835 to 1842
Minnigaff: Established Church CH2/1404 Register of Discipline 1694 to 1696
Minnigaff: Established Church CH2/1404 Collections and Distributions 1695 to 1737
Minnigaff: Established Church CH2/1404 Minutes 1748 to 1856
Minnigaff: Established Church CH2/1404 Poors' Fund Accounts 1694 to 1819
Minnigaff: Established Church CH2/1404 Accounts 1829 to 1840
Minnigaff: Established Church CH2/1404 Mortcloth Accounts 1749 to 1821
Minnigaff: Established Church CH2/1404 Mortality Register 1823 to 1903
New Abbey: Established Church CH2/1042 Minutes and some Accounts 1691 to 1694, 1697 to 1735, 1746 to 1860
New Abbey: Established Church CH2/1042 Collections and Distributions 1692 to 1695
Parton: Established Church CH2/1473 Minutes 1692 to 1706, 1744 to 1791, 1800 to 1850
Parton: Established Church CH2/1473 Accounts 1744 to 1791, 1800 to 1830, 1832 to 1852, 1856 to 1951
Parton: Established Church CH2/1473 Poors' Fund 1714
Rerrick: Established Church CH2/311 Minutes 1751 to 1792, 1903 to 1940
Rerrick: Established Church CH2/311 Cash book 1812 to 1885
Rerrick: Auchencairn Free Church CH3/1199 Various minutes 1844 to 1883
Rerrick: Auchencairn Free Church CH3/1199 Baptismal register 1843 to 1900
Rerrick: Auchencairn Free Church CH3/1199 Marriages 1844 to 1871
Rerrick: Auchencairn Free Church CH3/1199 Communion roll 1843 to 1863
Terregles: Established Church n/a None exist
Tongland: Established Church CH2/1244 Minutes 1822 to 1841, 1857 to 1909
Tongland: Established Church CH2/1244 Accounts 1748 to 1756
Tongland: Established Church CH2/1244 Cash books 1822 to 1852, 1858 to 1885, 1903 to 1912
Tongland: Tongland and Twynholm Free Church CH3/1241 Baptismal register 1843 to 1932
Tongland: Tongland and Twynholm Free Church CH3/1241 Various minutes 1844 to 1932
Tongland: Tongland and Twynholm Free Church CH3/1241 Communion roll 1844 to 1894
Troqueer: Established Church CH2/1036 Various minutes 1698 to 1929 (with gaps)
Troqueer: Established Church CH2/1036 Accounts 1705 to 1711, 1714 to 1718, 1742 to 1760, 1780 to 1805, 1817 to 1842
Troqueer: Established Church CH2/1036 Collections cashbook 1795 to 1815
Troqueer: Maxwelltown Chapel of Ease CH2/1564 Lists of Communicants 1839 to 1844
Troqueer: Maxwelltown Chapel of Ease CH2/1564 Pew rents 1832 to 1848
Troqueer: Maxwelltown Chapel of Ease CH2/1564 Collections 1829 to 1841
Troqueer: Maxwelltown Chapel of Ease CH2/1564 Treasurers' Accounts 1830 to 1859
Twynholm: Established Church CH2/952 Minutes 1730 to 1741, 1762 to 1804, 1835 to 1932
Urr: Established Church CH2/1038 Various minutes 1772 to 1774, 1806 to 1904 (with gaps)
Urr: Established Church CH2/1038 Poors' Fund Minutes and Accounts 1777 to 1814 (with gaps)
Urr: Established Church CH2/1038 Discipline 1815 to 1838
Urr: Old Associate Secession Church Anti-Burger CH3/1038 Minutes 1840 to 1846

Full details of existing records for all parishes can be found here and also here.

Useful Publications

The following is a selected list of books about Kirkcudbrightshire and its parishes, some of which may be of interest and help to the genealogist.

Most of these are general books covering the whole of Scotland and can read in their entirety online: