The Earliest Records

Ancestry.com Facts page for James Dickson c. 1580

The earliest marriage record I have is that of James Dickson and Isobel Bell of Prestonpans, East Lothian in 1605. This was a century before Scotland became part of the United Kingdom in 1707. James’ daughter Marion b. 1608 is my ancestor (through the Robertsons).

James was born around 1580 when Mary Queen of Scots was still alive… WOW!

Marriage certificate on Scotland’s People

How do I keep track of which is the earliest record? Remember the Ahnentafel spreadsheet? It is the very last entry…

I’m very careful about adding people to the Ahnentafel chart. I only add people when I have confirmed their parents, date of birth, marriage, and location through records I have purchased on Scotlands People. That way I have a permanent record in my files for future generations.

The earliest records are in the early 1600s from the Robertson side of my tree in Prestonpans, Inveresk, Haddington, Edinburgh, and Leith.

The earliest Moffat side record is a marriage in 1685 in Barony, Lanarkshire.

It depends on when their parish began recording births and marriages - each place has a different start date depending on how well established the church and local government was.

I can check to see what the earliest birth record in a parish was by doing a search using just one initial for the surname and seeing what comes up. That way I know when the earliest date is that I can expect to see anyone in my family listed e.g. the earliest record in Prestonpans was 1596. I can’t expect to see James Dickson’s birth as he got married in 1605 but I have his daughter Marion’s in 1608.

Of course many families did not register their children’s births as it required paying a fee to the minister of the church. I was fortunate that several of my families did so.

Haddington, East Lothian c. 1696