Published on National Records of Scotland (https://www.nrscotland.gov.uk)

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Research

Our collections include:

  • registers of births, deaths, marriages, divorces, civil partnerships, dissolutions and adoptions
  • Scottish government records from the 12th century to the present day
  • records created by courts of law, churches, businesses, landed estates and other corporate bodies
  • Scottish census enumeration books
  • and the National Health Service Central Register.

You can find detailed information about the records through our catalogues and indexes [1] and research guides [2].

PDF files require Acrobat Reader. Download it free Get Acrobat Reader [3].

Access Policy

Our Access Policy [4] (349 KB PDF) describes how National Records of Scotland makes archives publicly available using a variety of channels, including onsite services, digital services, education and learning and in partnership with other organisations.

Family history

Our family history [5] guide provides an overview of the records we make available to help you trace your Scottish ancestors online, at our centre in Edinburgh and at Local Family History Centres elsewhere in Scotland.

Medical Research

If you are a medical researcher you may also be interested in the National Health Service Central Register [6] pages in the Statistics and Data area of this website.

Tartan

For information on researching tartans (or registering a tartan) please go to our official Scottish Register of Tartans [7] website.

Research in Edinburgh

Visit Us [8] to carry out your research in our search rooms

Researching online

Read our guide to researching online [14]

Learning

Find out more about using our records for learning [15] for teachers, pupils and students of all ages.

Source URL: https://www.nrscotland.gov.uk/research

Links
[1] https://www.nrscotland.gov.uk/research/catalogues-and-indexes
[2] https://www.nrscotland.gov.uk/research/guides
[3] http://www.adobe.com/products/acrobat/readstep2.html
[4] https://www.nrscotland.gov.uk/files//research/nrs-access-policy-2018.pdf
[5] https://www.nrscotland.gov.uk/research/family-history
[6] https://www.nrscotland.gov.uk/statistics-and-data/nhs-central-register/about-the-register
[7] http://www.tartanregister.gov.uk/
[8] https://www.nrscotland.gov.uk/research/visit-us
[9] https://www.nrscotland.gov.uk/research/visit-us/historical-search-room
[10] https://www.nrscotland.gov.uk/research/visit-us/legal-search-room
[11] https://www.nrscotland.gov.uk/research/visit-us/scotlandspeople-centre
[12] https://www.nrscotland.gov.uk/research/visit-us/events-talks-and-visits
[13] https://www.nrscotland.gov.uk/research/visit-us/new-register-house-dome-seminar-facility
[14] https://www.nrscotland.gov.uk/research/researching-online
[15] https://www.nrscotland.gov.uk/research/learning