A The records of Scotland's births and deaths from 1855, when the statutory registers began, until 1905 and 1955 respectively, can all be found at
www.scotlandspeople.gov.uk the official governme
nt source of genealogical data in Scotland. If you are having difficulty finding entries in the registers during this period there are several approaches to try. Always remember that the accuracy of the information in the register is only as reliable as the person providing it. You should also be careful not to include too much information in your search as this can affect the outcome.
Firstly consider trying variations on the spelling of the name of the person you are looking for. Often names are misspelt or misinterpreted by the recording registrar, providing a false trail for the genealogist. If your family either emigrated from or immigrated to Scotland, you may find the name changed from that used in their former country. Also consider that illegitimate children may be registered under either the mother's maiden name or the father's surname. To check for spelling variants, try different versions of the name. Also consider that a person might have died under a different identity to that they were born with.
Next consider that births or deaths do not necessarily take place where you may expect to find them and you should therefore consider widening the geographic aspect of your search to take in other likely places of birth or death. For example, deaths are registered where they occurred, which might not be in the same location as the deceased's usual residence. Before 1965 births had to be registered where they occurred, so consider that the mother may have returned to her parents' house to have the child.
Try widening your search years beyond that which you think it should be. A birth or death occurring at the end of a year may not have been registered until the beginning of the next year. Also, for deaths, the registration could have been delayed due to an investigation into the death. Might the person be older or younger than you think when they died? Have you calculated the gap between a known date of birth, the suspected age of the person when they died and the year you are looking at?
Finally, could the birth or death have taken place outside of Scotland? If this is the case you will need to check the records of the country in question, even if the person is considered Scottish.
