Scotland's People
Genealogy Scotland – the official government source of Scottish genealogical data
› Where can I get old maps?› I can't find an entry in the 1841 census. Why?› I included my ancestor's birthplace in an 1881 census search, but got zero results. Why? I know he was born there because his birthplace was recorded in the 1891 census. › I can't find an entry in the wills & testaments. Why?› I can't find an entry in the 1861 census. Why?› I can't find a death/burial in the OPRs. Why?› How do I search for occupations in the wills & testaments?› How do I search for a specific place in the wills & testaments index?› Why do you have a "Court/Commissariot" field on the wills & testaments search form and why should I use it?› I am interested in wills or testaments from a particular place. Do I have to wait until this place shows up on your court list before I can search it?› I want to find out who lived in my house. Can I do this?› I know my ancestor lived at a particular address in 1881 but nothing was returned when I searched on that address. Why?› I know my ancestor's birthplace and included it in an 1881 census search but got zero results. Why?› You haven't provided enough information in the "Description" field of the wills & testaments search for me to be able to tell if I have the right person or not. Can you tell me more?› I can't find an entry in the 1851 Census. Why?› How can I keep the results of a search?› I can't find an entry in the 1901 census. Why?› I can't find an entry in the 1891 census. Why?› Why can't I find the record I am looking for?› I am looking for a married woman. Should I use her maiden surname or married surname?› I looked for a specific surname, but couldn't find it although I expected to. Why might this be?› I am researching a Mc/Mac surname. How should I go about this?› I am not sure of the spelling of a name. What can I do?› How can I find the births and/or baptisms of illegitimate children?› How accurate are the dates and names on records?› I can't find a birth/baptism in the OPRs. Why?› Can I find siblings without doing individual OPR or CPR births & baptisms searches?› I can't find a marriage in the OPRs. Why?› I searched for a marriage in the OPRs using the date and place of the parent's marriage given on their child's birth certificate, but I couldn't find it. Why?› I think my ancestors might have been non-conformists. Does this mean I will not find them in the old parish registers?› Where can I find background information about the parishes in the OPR index?› I can't find a birth in the statutory records. Why?› I can't find a marriage in the statutory records. Why?› I know from a monumental inscription that my ancestor died aged 52 in 1860, but I can't find him, even though I entered his age at death.› Can I do a city search?› I can't find a death in the statutory records. Why?› On what dates were the censuses carried out?› I can’t find an entry in the 1881 census. Why? › I can't find my ancestor in the census, although the rest of the family is recorded. Why?› I can't find an entry in the 1871 census. Why?