Please also visit the page of general information applicable to all of Angus & Kincardineshire.
Note: There is a parish of the same name in Ross-shire.
Abbreviations
| NLS | National Library of Scotland |
|---|---|
| NRS | National Records of Scotland, formerly called the National Archives of Scotland [NAS] and, before that, the Scottish Record Office [SRO] HM General Register House, Edinburgh EH1 3YY (Tel: +44-131-535-1314) |
| OPR | Old Parish Registers of Births/baptisms, Banns/marriages & Deaths/burials (pre-1855) |
- See also, for history of the parish:
- The Statistical accounts of Nigg
- General histories listed on the page for Books about Angus & Kincardineshire
- Old Statistical Account of the 1790s - vol. 7, pp. 194-217 - an extended, informative article by the Rev. David Cruden
- New Statistical Account of the 1840s - vol. 11, p. 195
- 1:25000 Ordnance Survey map - published 1957
- 1:10560 (Six inch) Ordnance Survey map - surveyed 1865, published 1868
For the full range of maps of Nigg, see National Library's Maps.
Copies of the old Ordnance Survey plan of Aberdeen (Ferryhill & Torry), dated 1900 & reduced from 25 inches to the mile to about 15 inches to the mile can be bought from Alan Godfrey Maps. The plan includes the built-up area of Aberdeen south of the River Dee. These are not coloured maps.
Nigg Community Council: Gallery - photographs on Nigg Community Council's web-site
Geograph.org: Nigg - recent photographs of Nigg. National Grid ref. NJ9604.
Geograph.org: Torry - recent photographs of Torry. National Grid ref. NJ9404.
Geograph.org: Cove Bay - recent photographs of Cove Bay. National Grid ref. NJ9500.
Nigg Kirk (now closed), built in 1829, is at NJ947031. Photograph.
The ruined St Fittick's kirk is located at National Grid ref. NJ963049. It belonged to the Abbey of Arbroath.
adm.: admitted, ass.: assistant, bapt.: baptised, contr.: contract, dem.: demitted, dep.: deposed, ind.: inducted, lic.: licensed, mar.: married, min.: minister, ord.: ordained, pres.: presented, rel.: related, res.: resigned, suc.: successor, test.: testament, tr.: translated
| David Menzies | 1567 | min. of Banchory-Devenick, with Nigg also in the charge |
| John Leslie | 1567 | reader here and at Aberdeen |
| Andrew Strachan | 1574 | min. here 1574; tr. to Inverkeilor same year |
| Edward Menzies | 1574 | reader 1574 |
| Walter Richardson | 1576 | reader 1576 |
| William Carmichael | 1578-1579 | min. here and at Maryculter |
| Robert Williamson | 1580-1582 | adm. 1580; tr. to Cromarty 1582 |
| Abraham Sibbald | 1585-1586 | adm. bef. 1585; tr. to Deer 18 Jun 1586 |
| William leask | 1586-1588 | adm. 1586; tr. to Dunnottar 1588 |
| John Roche | 1588-1620 | adm. 1588; still min. 2 Oct 1620 |
| William Robertson | 1622-1630? | M.A.; adm. ca. 1622 |
| James Wemyss | 1630-1632 | adm. bef. 6 Apr 1630; d. bef. 24 Dec 1632 |
| Patrick Barclay | 1633-1656 | adm. 1633; d. Dec 1656; mar. Catherine Rickart who survived him; issue: John |
| Adam Barclay | 1656 | M.A.; said to be min. 1656; also said to be min. of Towie 1656; possible error |
| James Douglas | 1657-1673 | son of Wm Douglas, prof. of divinity, Kings, Aberdeen; M.A. Kings 1649; adm. bef. 20 Oct 1657; d. bef. 29 Jul 1673 aged ca. 45 |
| Richard Maitland | 1674-1716 | probably son of Richd M., min. of Inverkeithny; schoolmaster Foveran 1671; ord. aft. 31 Mar 1674; dep. 27 Jun 1716; d. 1719; mar. (1) contr. 1677, Susanna, dau. of Alexr Irvine, min. of Longside; mar. (2) Kath., dau. of John Mylne, min. of Fetteresso; issue: Richd; Margaret; Charles; Christian (mar. Thomas Nevay of Arduthie); Cath.; John; Richd; Elspeth; Anna (mar. Andrew Livingston, merchant); Alexr; Patrick, merchant, Abd; Wm, mercht, Abd; Helen (mar. Geo. Maitland, min. in Aberdeen); mar. (3) Mary, dau. of George Keith, min. of Deer |
| James Farquhar | 1717-1756 | b. 1666; ord. Tyrie 1701; dem. thence 31 Aug 1709; adm. 6 Mar 1717; d. 23 Dec 1756; mar.; issue: James, of Balmoor; Eliz. (mar. capt. Charles Gray of Carse); Margaret (mar. John Gellie, min. here) |
| John Gellie | 1743-1753 | b. 1708; ord. (ass. & suc.) 27 Jul 1743; d. 15 Jan 1753; mar. (1) Margaret, dau. of above James Farquhar); issue: capt. Patrick, his heir 1755; mar. (2) 1751 Eliz., dau. of Alexander Gordon of Auchleuchries) |
| John Farquhar | 1757-1768 | b. 1732, 2nd son of Robt F., min. of Chapel of Garioch; ord. 1 Sep 1757; d. 25 May 1768; mar. 1764 Anne, dau. of James Morison, provost of Abd; issue: Robt, James, John |
| David Cruden | 1769-1826 | b. 1746, son of Wm C., mercht, Abd; bro. of Wm C., provost of Abd; M.A. Marischal 1764; ord. 7 Jun 1769; D.D. Marischal 1796; d. unm. 8 Nov 1826 |
| Alexander Thom | 1826-1843 | b. 1758, son of John T. in Frosterhill; M.A. Marischal 1779; master, Gordon's Hospital, Abd; ord. (ass. & suc.) 2 Nov 1826; d. 11 Jul 1843; mar. 1827 Mary, only dau. of John Bryce, min. of South par., Abd |
| Robert Fairweather | 1843-1890 | b. 1817 Brechin, son of Geo. F., mail-coach driver; M.A. Kings Aberdeen 1835; ord. Rotterdam, Aug 1839; adm. 7 Dec 1843; d. 12 Aug 1890; mar. 1839 Isabella, 3rd dau. of John Guthrie, banker, Brechin; issue: John Bisset; Alexander Ferrier Angus, M.A., M.D.; Isabella Guthrie (mar. capt. Sam. E. Wood); Jane Agnes; Geo. Angus |
| Hugh McConnach Smith | 1888-1923 | b. 1857, son of Rev. James S., teacher, Tullynessle; M.A. Aberdeen 1879; ord. (ass. & suc.) 23 Feb 1888; res. 15 Jun 1923; d. 28 Dec 1923 Aberdeen; mar. 1901 Jane, dau. of James Beattie, farmer; issue: Hugh McConnach Beattie |
| John Edmund Mitchell | 1923-1928 | b. 1882 Omagh, son of Joseph M.; B.A., M.A. Dublin 1906; ord. Ballymore, Antrim 28 Sep 1910; ass. Bridgeton Glasgow 1918 and Shettleston; adm. 17 Oct 1923; d. 2 Jun 1928; mar. (1) --; (2) 1922 Jessie Stewart, dau. of John Downie |
Ministers of the Cove & Torry Mission of the Episcopal Church
| William Disney Innes | ?-1905-? | priest |
Full texts of all extant inscriptions in St Fittick's Kirkyard, Nigg have been published by the Aberdeen & North-East Scotland FHS. They have an online search facility for names of people on the monuments they have recorded. Their list of publications is here.
See also Nigg Churchyard and St Fitticks Churchyard.
Scottish War Memorials Project: Nigg
Births, Marriages & Deaths, 1855 to present
Indexes and actual records for Statutory Registers of Births, Marriages & Deaths, beginning 1 Jan 1855, are available online, following registration and the purchase of credits, at the official web-site, ScotlandsPeople.
Births, Marriages & Deaths, before 1855
Indexes and actual records for all extant Old Parish Registers (OPRs) (pre-1855) of the Established Church of Scotland are available online, following registration and the purchase of credits, at the official web-site, ScotlandsPeople.
Church Session Records of Nigg Parish Church
| Nature of record | Dates | NRS ref. CH2/555/... |
|---|---|---|
| Minutes (register of doctrine & discipline) | 1757-1787 | 1 |
| do | 1787-1818 | 2 |
| do | 1817-1839 | 3 |
| do | 1839-1862 | 4 |
| do | 1862-1884 | 5 |
| do | 1884-1893 | 6 |
| do | 1893-1902 | 7 |
| Discipline | 1759-1763 | 8 |
| Accounts | 1757-1800 | 9 |
| do | 1800-1831 | 10 |
| do | 1831-1867 | 11 |
| Accounts (cash book) | 1867-1891 | 12 |
| do | 1892-1900 | 13 |
| General ledger | 1875-1894 | 14 |
| Money register | 1757-1799 | 15 |
| Baptisms (copy) | 1819-1854 | 16 |
| do (scroll copy) | 1819-1826 | 17 |
| Marriages | 1819-1826 | 17 |
| Burials | 1830-1835 | 18 |
| do | 1836-1854 | 19 |
| Seat register | 1773-1799 | 20 |
| do | 1800-1828 | 21 |
| Extract K.S. minutes re burial grounds & church officers | 1757-1891 | 22 |
| Burials | 1881-1893 | 22 |
| Communion rolls | 1874-1899 | 23 to 27 |
| Minutes & accounts of society of whitefishers in Cove, or the Cove-Society | 1803-1827 | 28 |
| Commonplace book of Dr David Cruden, min. of Nigg | 1810-1826 | 29 |
| Minutes | 1902-1999 | 30 to 35 |
| Register of discipline | 1905-1934 | 36 |
| Congregational Board minutes | 1966-1976 | 37 |
| do | 1996-2000 | 38 |
| Communion roll | 1834 | 39 |
| do | 1865 | 40 |
| do | 1880 | 41 |
| do | 1994-1997 | 42 |
| Communicants' roll | 1900-1925 | 43 to 47 |
| do | 1927-1941 | 48 to 49 |
| do | 1957-1966 | 50 |
| do | 1979-1991 | 51 |
| do | 1997-2000 | 52 |
| Supplementary communion roll | 1938-1994 | 53 |
| Baptisms | 1888-1920 | 54 |
| Proclamations | 1889-1902 | 55 |
| do | 1902-1909 | 56 |
| do | 1909-1916 | 57 |
| do | 1916-1932 | 58 |
| do | 1932-1952 | 59 |
| do | 1952-1973 | 60 |
| do | 1973-1977 | 61 |
| Nature of record | Dates | NRS ref. HR487/... |
|---|---|---|
| Minute book | 1842-1851 | 1 |
| do | 1861-1877 | 2 |
| Minute book (with accounts) | 1914-1928 | 3 |
| Minutes | 1829-1928 | 4 |
| Accounts | 1830-1928 | 5 |
| Papers re ecclesiastical buildings, etc. (church, manse, glebe, churchyard, Nigg and Cove schools) | 1827-1920 | 6 |
| Papers re transference of property to Church of Scotland General Trustees | 1926-1927 | 7 |
| Correspondence | 1848-1923 | 8 |
| Abstracts of Accounts of County Road Clerk and Treasurer, county of Kincardine | 1877-1889 | 9 |
The chief proprietors of land in the parish in 1838:
- John Menzies, Pitfoddels
- Alexander Davidson of Balnagask and North & South Kirkhill
- John Morice of Tullos & Middleton
- Alexander Crombie of North Loirston
- James Ferguson of Altens
- Alexander Muir of South Loirston
Records of the official censuses of the parish in 1841, 1851, 1861, 1871, 1881, 1891, 1901, 1911 and 1921 are held in Register House, Edinburgh and are open to the public on payment of a fee.
Indexes to all the original census records, and the records themselves, can be accessed online at modest charge at ScotlandsPeople.
Microfilm copies are also widely available in libraries. The 1881 census is available on CD-ROM.
The early censuses of 1801-31 do not name individuals.
| Year | male | female | total | ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1755 | 1289 | Dr Alexander Webster | ||
| 1791 | 1090 | Old Statistical Account | ||
| 1801 | ||||
| 1811 | ||||
| 1821 | 605 | 676 | 1281 | |
| 1831 | ||||
| 1838 | 1684* | |||
| 1841 | ||||
| 1851 | ||||
| 1871 | 1170 | 1178 | 2348 | |
| 1881 | 1432 | 1503 | 2935 |
After change of parish boundary:
| 1891 | 783 | 789 | 1572 |
| 1901 | 773 | 755 | 1528 |
| 1911 | 783 | 790 | 1573 |
| 1921 | 719 | 792 | 1511 |
* i.e., 370 in Torry, 393 in Cove, 60 in Burnbank, 198 in Charlestown, 663 in the landward part
Nigg was in the Commissariot of St Andrews.
Indexes to all extant pre-1926 testamentary records (wills & inventories of moveable property) can be searched free of charge at ScotlandsPeople. Digital (and paper) copies of the documents can be purchased at that site. See further the introduction to Angus & Kincardineshire at Testaments.
Testaments of Nigg people from the Register of Testaments of the Commissariot of St Andrews, 1549-1823
The list includes some people who may have been residents of Torryburn FIF, rather than Torry in Nigg KCD.
| John Anderson | burges of Aberdon, residenter in Torrie | 7 Dec 1672 |
| Robert Anderson | farmer, Coves, par. of Nigg | 8 Oct 1804 |
| George Baxter | in Torry, par. of Nigg | 24 Jan 1771 |
| Elspet Bisset | spouse to Andrew Skinner, husbandman in Banagask, par. of Nigg | 20 Oct 1635 |
| Miss Marjory Cruden | residing at Manse of Nigg | 31 May 1819 & 9 Apr 1822 |
| Mr James Farquhar | minister at Nigg | 11 Feb 1757 |
| William Finlay | in Torie, par. of Nig | 18 Feb 1614 |
| Alexander Forbes | whitefisher and pilot in Torrie, par. of Nigg | 1 & 2 Mar, & 17 Jul 1820 |
| Andrew Forbes | white fisher in Torry, par. of Nigg | 20 Jan & 1 Feb 1816 |
| Mr John Gellie | minister at Nigg | 28 Nov 1753 |
| Elspet Harrow | in Cove, par. of Nigg | 13 Jun 1676 |
| James Harvie | in Balnagask, par. of Nigg | 18 Feb 1614 |
| Elspet Hay | spouse to Andrew Clyde, in Torrie [Nigg?] | 9 May and 7 Jun 1620 |
| Andrew Hunter | in Lowristoun, par. of Nig | 12 Oct 1675 |
| Robert Jamieson | sometime in Tullois, par. of Nigg | 18 Feb 1614 |
| Robert Jamieson | in Over Torrie, par. of Nigg | 22 Mar 1627 |
| Gilbert Keith | in Loirstoune, par. of Nigg | 26 Aug 1619 |
| Janet Lochhead | relict of John Hunter, feuar in Torry [Nigg?] | 28 Nov 1800 |
| Janet Low | in Cove, par. of Nigg | 10 Jul 1779 |
| John Mackean | at the Ferrie heugh of Torrie, par. of Nigg | 26 Apr 1673 |
| Alexander Menzies | natural son to umquhile Thomas Menzies, Provost of Aberdeen, par. of Nigg | 21 Dec 1615 |
| David Robertson | at Bridge of Dee, par. of Nigg | 12 Feb 1816 |
| William Somer | in Kirkhill, par. of Nigg | 18 Feb 1614 |
| Andrew Summer | in Balnagask, par. of Nig | 18 Jul 1650 |
| George Summer | in Torrie, par. of Nigg | 10 Dec 1706 |
| Marjorie Taylor | spouse to George Sym, bailie in Torrie, par. of Nigg | 21 Oct 1684 |
| James Templeman | smith in Torrie [Nigg?] | 1 July 1650 |
| James Troup | in North Potheugh or Faughinches, par. of Nigg | 2 May & 30 Jun 1810 |
Testaments registered at St Andrews that have been lost, for which only entries in the minute books are extant.
| John Davidson | in Balnagask, par. of Nigg | 22 Nov 1765 |
| Margaret Hutchison | spouse of Alexander Sadler, in Cove, par. of Nigg | 13 Sep 1738 |
| Mary Keith | spouse to Mr Richard Maitland, minister at Nigg | 3 May 1738 |
Testaments of Nigg people from the Register of Testaments of the Commissariot of Aberdeen, 1715-1800
| Mr Richard Maitland | minister at Nigg | 11 Nov 1725 and 27 Nov 1740 |
Testaments of Nigg people from the Register of Testaments of the Commissariot of Brechin, 1576-1800
'T' before the date indicates that the copy in the register is lost, but the original testament is extant.
| Mr Patrick Barclay | minister at Nigg, and Catherine Rilkert | 26 Jul 1657 |
Images of the original records for Nigg:
Images of the original records for Nigg: