Marriages - historical searches

Sources in the West Lothian Local History Library for tracing marriages:

• old parish registers for West Lothian - proclamation of banns and marriages from c.17th century till 1854
• Monumental Inscriptions (pre-1855) - often give a spouse's name

Local newspapers - the Library holds a range of local newspapers including

• West Lothian Courier 1873 to date
• Linlithgowshire Journal and Gazette 1891 to date
• Midlothian Advertiser 1906-1967
• Livingston Post 1968-1981
• Bo'ness Journal and Linlithgowshire Advertiser 1879-1950
• Lothians Express 1893-1921
• Edinburgh Evening Courant 1780-1812
• West Lothian Herald and Post 1996 to date 

Most of these papers included marriage notices.  The newspapers can be viewed on microfilm in the library.  The  local newspaper index (new window) to the first three titles above can be searched online, but note that birth, marriage and death notices were not indexed.

For other parts of Scotland, the Local History Library holds:

• the International Genealogical Index (based on old parish registers) for the whole of Scotland and Ireland
• Monumental Inscriptions (pre-1855) for many parts of Scotland - often gives a spouse's name

Statutory Records (from 1855 on)

To search for statutory records (birth, marriage or death certificates, from 1855 on), there are three options:

• go to the Scotlandspeople (new window) website
• visit New Register House (new window), Princes Street, Edinburgh.  Tel. 0131 314 4449 or 4450
• contact your local registrar's office - see phone book under Registration Service.

For online sources, see the links on the right of this page.

 

To get a copy birth, marriage or death certificate:

• apply to any Scottish Registrar's office

OR

• go online - www.scotlandspeople.gov.uk (new window)

OR

• apply to GROS, New Register House (new window).