Genealogy Resources

A wide range of genealogical material is held in the Scottish and Local History Library. The material is available for reference use only although some titles are available for borrowing from the Lending Library.

Some genealogical sources including the Census Returns, Parish Registers, International Genealogical Index, Maps and Local Newspapers are available on microfilm/fiche.

Census Returns

Microfilm copies for Ayrshire 1841 -1901 are available for consultation on open public access in the Scottish & Local History Library. Microfilm and microfiche reading machines are available here and there is a booking system in operation for the use of these machines.

Parish Registers

Microfilm copies of the Parish Registers for all towns and villages in Ayrshire are available in the Scottish & Local History Library. They were kept by parish ministers before the introduction of statutory civil registration in 1855, listing births, deaths and marriages. Our earliest record dates back to 1624.

A surname index of births, deaths and marriages in Ayr from March 1766 to May 1820 is also available.

International Genealogical Index

Also available on open public access are the microfiche copies of extracts from the Mormon Church’s Computer File Index of Genealogical Source Material . This index is updated and increased every few years as the library acquires the new editions. Geographic areas include Great Britain, Ireland, USA, Germany and France along with several other countries.

Bound volumes to the Index of Wills covering Scotland are available from 1876-1936 and 1948-1959. This source is arranged alphabetically within each volume.