Discover Archives
Scotland’s stories
Scotland’s archival collections are full of fascinating stories, hidden heritage, evidence of Scotland’s people and all kinds of inspiration.
Here are some guides to finding the records and information you are looking for, and to support you in understanding the records you find.
Tracing your ancestors
Family history, or genealogy, is a fascinating way of getting to know more about your own family’s story. The papers held in archival collections are essential to sketching out your family tree, putting faces to names, or filling in those details about home, community and daily life that give a real sense of your ancestors’ experiences. You can use the Your Scottish Archives search pages to find where archives which tell your family’s history may be found.
Family History Guide
We have collected some tips, tricks and resources for starting research on the history of your family. The Your Scottish Archives family history guide offers a springboard for your research, whether you are not sure how to get started, want to know which historical sources to look for, or want to delve deeper into historical professions.
Collections held privately
Many important collections relating to Scottish businesses and families remain in private hands. In some cases, it is possible to visit and view these collections, or to submit a research enquiry. A number of organisations hold information on these collections.
The National Register of Archives in Scotland
A good place to start is National Register of Archives for Scotland (NRAS).
The NRAS team conducts regular surveys of many privately held collections, such as those kept by landed estates, businesses, charities and sports clubs. Some of the surveys – lists of archival items – produced by the NRAS may be searched on the NRAS On-line Register. Note that not all collections surveyed by the NRAS are available in full on their digital catalogue. Access to these catalogues may be requested by email. Summary information on each NRAS survey can be found on The National Archives’ Discovery catalogue.
- If you hold a private collection, the National Register of Archives will provide support and advice on listing and caring for your collection.
National Archives
The National Archives Discovery catalogue includes some basic information regarding privately held archives in Scotland; these can be discovered using the “Scotland” region filter, and use archive type filters such as “family”, “business” or “organisation”.
Business Archives
The Business Archives Surveying Officer
Scotland has had a Surveying Officer for business archives since 1977. The Surveying Officer carries out surveys of historic records held by businesses, professional organisations, charities and trade unions in Scotland. The Surveying Officer can also provide advice and guidance on the management and use of business archives to businesses, archivists, and researchers.
Finding records about yourself in archives
Under Freedom of Information and Data Protection legislation you have the right to request information, including information which is held about you.
A useful resource on your rights under this legislation is available from the The Scottish Information Commissioner.
National Records of Scotland have produced a wide-ranging series of research guides, which provide an excellent starting point in exploring which records may be available about yourself, your family or your property.
Further information is available in our guide to finding your own records.
Weights and measures
The Your Scottish Archive guide to weights and measures offers a outline of historical approaches to measuring volume, weight and distance in Scotland.
Coinage
National Archives currency converter: Currency converter: 1270–2017 (nationalarchives.gov.uk)
Dates
Your Scottish Archives Knowledge Base entry on days, dates and calendars
Tips on how to read Jaj… dates
Reading Roman Numerals: Roman numerals – The National Archives
Places and geography
NRS guide to researching places: Researching Places | National Records of Scotland (nrscotland.gov.uk)
Scotland’s Places: ScotlandsPlaces
Scotland’s People Scottish historic county guide: Counties, cities and burghs | ScotlandsPeople
Scotland’s People Scottish parish guide: Parishes and districts | ScotlandsPeople
National Library of Scotland digital historic map collection: National Library of Scotland – Map Images (nls.uk)
Scots Words Place Names: Scots Words and Place-Names :: Place-Name Glossary (gla.ac.uk)
National Archives research guide on places: Research guides – The National Archives
Colonial geography: Colonies and dependencies from 1782 – The National Archives
Built environment: Welcome to Canmore | Canmore
Groome’s Ordnance Gazetteer of Scotland: A Gazetteer of Scotland
Resources on Gaelic place names in Glasgow: Glaschu
Reading old handwriting (palaeography)
Reading wills and testaments
Scottish Handwriting: Scottish Handwriting home page
Read me (St Andrews): Read Me! for English (Medieval) · ReadMe (st-andrews.ac.uk)
National Archives palaeography tutorial: The National Archives | Palaeography tutorial (how to read old handwriting)
Short course on Scottish Palaeography and archives: Scottish History Through Handwriting – Online Course – FutureLearn
Palaeography for Latin and European languages: Paleography – Medieval Manuscript Research – Library Guides at UChicago
Beginner’s guides to palaeography of European languages: Home page (byu.edu)
Languages
Dictionary of the Scots Language: Dictionaries of the Scots Language (dsl.ac.uk)
Dictionary of Scots Gallic: Faclair na Gàidhlig – Dictionary of the Scottish Gaelic Language
National Archives introduction to medieval Latin: Stage 1 – Latin (nationalarchives.gov.uk)
Archives in Scotland
The largest collection of records in Scotland: National Records of Scotland
National Records of Scotland research guides, covering diverse topics from Coats of Arms to Lighthouses
The National Register of Archives Scotland: NRAS
National Library of Scotland, with an extensive collection of books, publications and archives
Scottish Records Association: SRA
UK and worldwide archive resources
The National Archives Discovery catalogue
Archives Hub allows you to search collections across the UK
Business Archives Council, promoting the preservation and use of business archives
SCRAN collection of digitised items: Scran ::: Welcome to Scran
Archives Portal Europe: Archives Portal Europe Homepage
European Holocaust Research Infrastructure: Portal of Holocaust Related Archives
BFI Player: BFI Player
Imperial War Museums Film: IWM Films
Resource that shows all UK public film archives: Members – Film Archives UK
How to use archive services
National Archive research guides: Research guides – The National Archives
National Archives intro to archives: How to use archives – The National Archives
Archives Hub intro to archives: Using Archives: A Guide for the Inexperienced – Archives Hub (jisc.ac.uk)
Other associations
Dictionary of Scottish Architects: Dictionary of Scottish Architects – Home
The Court of the Lord Lyon: index (courtofthelordlyon.scot)
Scottish Society of Antiquaries: https://www.socantscot.org/
There are a huge range of archive services and archival collections in Scotland. This index is intended to offer an overview of archives in Scotland to provide a guide for those seeking to do research.
Note that is list does not include all archives in Scotland.
If you care for an archival collection which is not listed, and would like to be included, please get in touch.
If your archival collection is included and you would like it to be removed, please let us know.