DIY Genealogy: Two Resources for Scottish Ancestor Research

Two Favourite Scottish Ancestor Resources

In this post, I talk about two DIY genealogy resources that, in my experience, are foundational to researching Scottish ancestors in Canada and in Scotland. For those interested in researching their Scottish heritage but aren't sure where to start, as a Canadian genealogy enthusiast with Scottish heritage these two resources have stood out for me as being invaluable: 

1. Dictionary of Scottish Emigrants to Canada before Confederation (Volumes 1-4); and
2. Scotland's People online database with pay-to-view scans of original documents.

Disclaimer: This post is not a paid endorsement and I do not receive any royalties or associate fees from either Ontario Ancestors or Scotland's People; my discussion of these resoruces reflects my own personal opinion and research experience, which I freely share in the spirit of collaboration.

Dictionary of Scottish Emigrants to Canada before Confederation

Compiled from primary sources and family lore collected from Scottish descendants, Donald Whyte's Dictionary of Scottish Emigrants to Canada before Confederation is for Scottish-Canadian genealogy research what Cyprien Tanguay's Dictionnaire généalogique des familles canadiennes is to French-Canadian research into emigration to New France.

Reflecting the time period where there was an influx of Scottish migration to Canada (especially to Ontario and Quebec) beginning around the early 1800s, entries in these volumes list the names, origins, dates of migration, occupations and associated family members or are cross-referenced to entries containing this information. 

Beyond a name and any notes about place of origin and identified family members, the author makes no claims about relationships to individuals (although he may suggest where further study might be made) among entries with similar surnames - that's where the researcher's homework to find corroborating primary sources comes in. Think of each entry as a research "hint" to further explore.

Snip of two sample entries from Donald Whyte's work: Volume 2, page 80

As an example of the type of information that the author has compiled and how it is organized, the above snip shows entries for two of my ancestors in Volume 2 on page 80 of his work. I have confirmed through additional primary-source research that the George ELDER cited in the entry was in fact born in Fife, Scotland and came to Huntingdon, Quebec, Canada about 1817 by way of Port Glasgow, Renfrewshire; and that George and John ELDER are indeed related - they were father and son. (See my earlier post in the Founder Series on George ELDER Sr.)

In my experience, Donald Whyte's important work is a great starting point to launch your quest for finding your Scottish ancestors. Published by the Ontario Genealogical Society (Ontario Ancestors), Dictionary of Scottish Emigrants to Canada before Confederation is available to order at their online store in electronic format for download (the file contains the complete set of 4 volumes), and is an affordable - and in my view, essential - resource for researching your Scots-Canadian roots.

Scotland's People

So you've found a possible ancestor in an entry in Donald Whyte's work - what now? Where do you turn to find primary source material to confirm or refute the research hints? 

My go-to resource is the Scotland's People website. Especially convenient for genealogy enthusiasts researching at a distance, Scotland's People is so much more than a database - it's an online repository run by National Records of Scotland that boasts a wide range of primary archival materials (e.g., vital records, censuses, maps), plus provides links and other resources to help further your research.

Snip from the Home Page of Scotland's People

My main experience using the Scotland's People website (their offerings have grown substantially since I started using them in 2009) has been with their vital statistics (birth, marriage, death) and census records. These sources have been indexed so are easily searchable, and the original documents have been scanned. 

Their easy-to-use search tool yields instant results at the index level for free. A fee is charged to view their scanned images of original documents, which you can also download. They offer seamless and convenient credit-packages for purchase that are reasonably priced (your credits are good for up to 2 years from date of purchase). And once you have paid to view a document image, your ability to view that image doesn't expire (some of my purchases go back over a decade, and I am still able to view the documents).

To take researching your Scottish heritage to the next level, I encourage visiting the Scotland's People website to explore their free offerings, their spotlights on different collections, and to find information on their pay-to-view service and fees. They also have an online shop for some resources and branded swag, as well as offering certificates for purchase.