The Scottish Association of Family History Societies

Useful Links

These are websites not published by the Association that you may find useful in researching your family history in Scotland.

The websites have been selected as they are either official websites operated or supported by government agencies or by universities.

Content is the responsibility of the provider, and the Association has no control over them, and does not accept any responsibility for them.

Scottish Sites

Dictionary of Scottish Architects 1840 - 1980 A database providing biographical information and job lists for all architects known to have worked in Scotland during the period 1840-1980

General Register Office for Scotland Historical births, marriages, and deaths records search

National Records of Scotland This is the main repository of historical records in Scotland and holds those created by businesses, landed estates, families, churches and other corporate bodies

Scotlands Places Information relating to places throughout Scotland

Scottish Handwriting The website offering online tuition in palaeography for historians, genealogists and other researchers

Scottish Screen Archive The Scottish Screen Archive is a film and video collection of over 100 years of Scotland's history

SCRAN A charity & online learning resource base with over 360,000 images & media from museums, galleries, archives and the media

The National Library of Scotland The National Library of Scotland is a reference library with world-class collections. NLS is also Scotland's largest library and one of the major research libraries in Europe.

The National Library of Scotland (Directories) More than 280 Scottish Post Office directories are now available for the first time to view and download via the National Library of Scotland website. By summer 2011, over 600 directories will be line and searchable in a new website that is under development.

The National Library of Scotland (Maps) Access high-resolution zoomable images of over 20,000 maps of Scotland.

The National Register of Archives for Scotland A record of papers of historical significance in private hands in Scotland

The Scottish Archive Network (SCAN) Internet access to the written history of Scotland.

The Statistical Accounts of Scotland 1791 - 1845 Essential sources of study of Scottish life from the 18th and 19th centuries.

Tobar an Dualchais - Kist o Riches This website contains thousands of oral recordings recorded in Scotland and further afield, from the 1930s onwards. The items you can listen to include stories, songs, music, poetry and factual information.

UK Sites

Families In British India Society (FIBIS) The Families In British India Society (FIBIS) is an organisation devoted to members with an interest in researching their ancestors and the background against which they led their lives in 'British India'.

Federation of Family History Societies The Federation of Family History Societies (FFHS) is an educational charity formed in 1974 and granted charitable status in 1982. Over the years, membership has grown to over 160 societies throughout the world, including national, regional and one-name groups. The principal aims of the Federation are: to co-ordinate and assist the work of societies or other bodies interested in family history, genealogy and heraldry; to foster mutual co-operation and regional projects in these subjects; and, to represent the interests of its member societies, and family historians in general, on numerous national and regional bodies

The National Archives at Kew, London The official archive of the UK government that includes military records

Forums, Blogs etc.

Business Archives of Scotland The blog for Business Archives in Scotland

Scottish Archives A forum for archive users and archives and records management professionals

Scottish Local History Forum Umbrella organisation for all interested in local history in Scotland.