Researching your family history

 

Researching your Family History can be fascinating. Following the initial work of tracking down ancestors some of the real fun can be investigating the types of work they did or community in which they lived.

The increased interest in this type of research has resulted in huge amounts of information in print and online. Stirling Libraries can help support your research by giving you access to our collections and where required we can direct you to organisations that may be able to help you.

Although each community library holds a small collection, it is at the Central Reference library that you will find the vast majority of what Stirling Libraries has to offer, including:

Books and Pamphlets

  • A small collection of Family History books offering information about how to conduct family history research, along with Gazetteers and Family History Magazines.
  • A Local History Collection containing works relating to the Stirling area from the 18th Century onwards, providing information on areas such as Local Industries and Churches.

Old Parish Records

  • Old Parish Records of the Established Church of Scotland are available on microfilm.
  • These contain records of baptisms, marriage banns and burials, complied by Parish ministers prior to1855 and cover what was Stirlingshire, Clackmannanshire and parts of Perthshire.

Census Records

  • A census has been held every 10 years since 1841 (except 1941). We hold census records for between 1841 and 1901 (Scottish records are only released after 100 years).
  • Available on microfilm,Census records list those present in each property on the night of the census –providing valuable information to help with your research.

Street and Trade Directories

  • We hold Street Directories, from 1865, which provides an alphabetical listing (similar to that of a modern day phonebook) of those living within a particular area – these may also include business listings or advertisements.
  • These directories were historically produced more frequently than census records and are therefore often used for family or local history research. Some of these are available online in partnership with the National Library of Scotland.

Newspapers

  • We hold a large newspaper collection dating back to the1820s.
  • This collection is helpful in sourcing events which have not been recorded elsewhere, including obituaries, reports on court cases, local business adverts and local news. Better yet, these are available on microfilm.

Supporting your research

We are delighted to be able to offer discounted Scotland's People Vouchers at each of our libraries to all our members.

Fore more information contact Central Reference Library or visit your local library.