How can I find out which censuses have been indexed?

Complete indexes for the open censuses are available on the Scotland’s People website. Online access to the indexes is free but there is a charge for downloading the schedules: for further details see the Scotland’s People website. Alternatively, there is a daily charge for in-person visits to the ScotlandsPeople Centre or to one of the local family history centres, which covers access to all the information: for more details on see the Scotland’s People website.

Indexes to the 1841, 1851, 1861 and 1871 censuses have been compiled by family history societies, other bodies and individuals for most Scottish counties or parishes. Some microfilm copies are available for sale. For a full list of what is available, arranged by county and parish, consult Peter Ruthven-Murray, Scottish Census Indexes: covering the 1841-1871 civil censuses (Scottish Association of Family History, 3rd edition, 1998), or contact the family history society for the area concerned.