Please also visit the page of general information applicable to all of Angus & Kincardineshire.
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 Durris
- General histories listed on the page for Books about Angus & Kincardineshire
John Alexander Henderson - Annals of Lower Deeside: being a Topographical, Proprietary, Ecclesiastical, and Antiquarian History of Durris, Drumoak and Culter (Aberdeen: D.Wyllie & Son, 1892) - here
Statistical accounts of Durris
- Old Statistical Account of the 1790s - vol. 3, p. 258
- New Statistical Account of the 1840s - vol. 11, p. 170
- 1:25000 Ordnance Survey map - published 1957
- 1:10560 (Six inch) Ordnance Survey map - surveyed 1864-5, published 1868
For the full range of maps of Durris, see National Library's Maps.
Geograph.org: Durris- Recent photographs of Durris. National Grid ref. NO7796.
Located at National Grid ref. NO772965. Built in 1822.
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
| John Duff | 1560 | parson |
| Alexander Gerrit | 1563 | reader |
| George Fraser | 1568 | of the Frasers of Durris; entered Aug 1568; probably tr. to Boharm |
| Archibald Hogg | 1574-1595 | of the Hoggs of Blairydrine; min. in 1574; d. bef. 20 Mar 1595; mar.; issue: Patrick, min. of Fetlar |
| James Irvine | 1595-1599 | son of Alexander Irvine of Beltie; adm. 1595; also had Kinnairny in the charge 1599; probably tr. to Tough 1599 |
| Alexander Youngson | 1595-1630 | M.A.; min. of Aboyne 1593; tr. to Skene 1599; pres. to parsonage and vicarage here 1 Dec 1595; removed here 1601; still min. 5 Oct 1630; mar. Elspeth, dau. of John Reid, min. of Banchory-Ternan; issue: Alexr; John; James; Andrew, prof. of Philosophy, Abd; Wm; Robert; another son? |
| William Youngson | 1653-1656 | son of above; adm. bef. 25 Dec 1653; still min. 26 Jun 1656; mar. Helen Patoun; issue: Alexr |
| William Reid | 1656-1673 | tr. from unidentified charge in Shetland 1655x1656; ill 26 Mar 1673; prob. d. soon thereafter; mar.; issue: Kath. (mar. John Dunbar, tailor, Edinburgh); Margaret (mar. John Smith, tailor, Canongate) |
| John Reid | 1675-1715 | M.A. Marischal 1669; schoolmaster Banchory-Ternan; adm. 24 Nov 1675; dep. 1715 as Jacobite; d. bef. 2 Apr 1728; mar. (1) Isabel Fraser; (2) Margaret Cruden who survived him |
| Robert Melvill | 1717-1758 | b. 1691, son of Francis Melvill, min. of East parish, Abd (i.e. 2nd charge Aberdeen); ord. 31 Jan 1717; d. 29 May 1758; mar. (1) 1717 Isabella, dau. of George Fordyce, provost of Abd; issue: Ann; Eliz. (mar. John Harper, schoolmaster); mar. (2) 1734 Janet Greig; issue: Kath.; Isobel; Francis, merchant, Amsterdam; Margaret; Sarah; John, mercht, Amsterdam; Jean |
| Alexander Leslie | 1759-1771 | M.A.; ord. 5 Apr 1759; tr. to Fordoun 31 Oct 1771 |
| William Strachan | 1772-1823 | b. 1745, son of Robert S., Aberdeen; M.A. Marischal 1766; ord. 9 Apr 1772; d. 15 Jun 1823; mar. 1774 Margaret, dau. of Arthur Mitchell, min. of Skene |
| Robert Copland | 1823-1860 | b. 1780, son of Peter C., farmer, Rathven; M.A. Kings Aberdeen 1799; ord. missionary Enzie 22 Jul 1814; tr. & adm. 30 Oct 1823; d. 3 Jul 1860; mar. 1835 Christina Wright; issue: Robt; Adam Corbet |
| James Duirs | 1858-1893 | b. ca. 1800, son of James D., builder, Laurencekirk; M.A. Marischal 1832; sub-regent Marischal 1840; schoolmaster here 1841-1858; ord. (ass & suc.) 27 Jul 1858; d. 28 Jan 1893 Durris Manse; mar. 1859 Mary Johnston, dau. of James Murray, Stonehaven |
| Charles James Watt | 1878-1882 | b. 1850, son of William Strachan Watt, min. of Foveran; M.A. St Andrews 1870; ass. St Mary's Dundee, St Columba's, Oban and Govan; ord. (ass. & suc.) 11 Apr 1878; tr. to Polwarth & adm. there 21 Mar 1882; dem. Polwarth 1925; d. 5 Dec 1935 Edinburgh; mar. 1891 Margaret, dau. of John Dick Mathie; issue: Charles Cecil; Francis Clifford; Margaret Evelyn |
| Robert Reith Spark | 1883-1932 | b. 1855, son of Archd S.; M.A. Glasgow 1878; ass. here; ord. (ass. & suc.) 18 Jan 1883; dem. 6 Dec 1932; d. 30 Jun 1947 Aberdeen; mar. 1892 Christian Taylor, dau. of James Lyon; issue: capt. Archd Douglas, M.C.; Arthur Percy, M.B., Ch.B.; Ian Robert, M.B., Ch.B.; Cecil Vivian, M.B., Ch.B.; Gladys Agnes; James Christian |
Ministers of the Free Church (later, United Free Church), Durris
| John Hendry | ?-1871-1883 | b. ca. 1814 Fettercairn; d. 12 Aug 1883 Durris; mar. Jeanie Johnston; issue: Jessie E.; John R.; Roberta M. |
| Alexander Tait | ?-1901-? | b. ca. 1850 Halkirk CAI; mar. Margaret H. --- |
| James Alexander Russell | ?-1922 | b. ca. 1854 Edinburgh; min. Newhills ABD Free Kirk in 1881; min. of Causewayend U.F. Ch., Aberdeen in 1901; d. 21 Feb 1922 Durris; mar. Charlotte ---; issue: Alexr; Robt F.; Cath.; James A. |
Monuments in Durris Kirkyard bearing pre-1855 information (ca. 100 stones) are listed in Alison Mitchell (ed.), "Pre-1855 Monumental Inscriptions in Kincardineshire" (Edinburgh: Scottish Genealogy Soc., 1999), which can be bought from the Scottish Genealogy Society. (It's listed as "Kincardineshire MI - The Mearns" in their online shop.)
Full texts of all 340 inscriptions (in 1995?), together with plan of kirkyard and location map are in:
Sheila M. Spiers - The Kirkyard of Durris (Aberdeen: Aberdeen & NE Scotland FHS, 1996: ISBN 0-947659-24-2).
The Aberdeen & North-East Scotland FHS has an online search facility for names of people on the monuments they have recorded. Their list of publications is here.
Andrew Jervise recorded some monuments at Durris in his "Epitaphs & Inscriptions", vol. 1, pp. 104-6.
See also Durris Graveyard.
Scottish War Memorials Project: Durris
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.
Burial records for Durris are held by the Registrar in Banchory. See Kincardine and Mearns Burial Grounds.
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 Durris Parish Church
| Nature of record | Dates | NRS ref. CH2/651/... |
|---|---|---|
| Minutes | 1717-1762 | 1 |
| do | 1763-1783 | 2 |
| do | 1784-1802 | 3 |
| do | 1803-1861 | 4 |
| Cash book | 1764-1802 | 5 |
| do | 1803-1907 | 6 |
| Communion roll | 1883-1894 | 7 |
| do | 1894-1919 | 8 |
| do | 1920-1928 | 9 |
| do | 1929-1932 | 10 |
| do | 1933-1940 | 11 |
| do | 1941-1956 | 12 |
| Alexander Hogg, Esq.'s mortification - minutes | 1787-1938 | 13 |
| Minutes | 1933-1950 | 14 |
| Proclamations | 1918-1933 | 15 |
| do | 1933-1977 | 16 |
| Trust funds for benevolence cash book | 1896-1988 | 17 |
Church Session Records of Durris Free Church
later, United Free; West Ch. of Scotland
| Nature of record | Dates | NRS ref. CH3/1277/... |
|---|---|---|
| Minutes | 1856-1913 | 1 |
| do | 1913-1933 | 2 |
| Deacons' court minutes | 1852-1933 | 3 |
| Cash book | 1856-1933 | 4 |
| Nature of record | Dates | NRS ref. HR736/... |
|---|---|---|
| Minute book | 1893-1927 | 1 |
| Cash book | 1891-1927 | 1 |
| Accounts | 1891-1921 | 2 |
| Papers re ecclesiastical buildings, etc. (church, manse, churchyard) | 1893-1910 | 3 |
| Papers re transference of property to Church of Scotland General Trustees | 1925-1931 | 4 |
| Letter book | 1897-1925 | 5 |
Apart from Corsehill Farm, there was only one proprietor in the parish:
| 1824-1834 | 4th duke of Gordon |
| 1834-1871 | Anthony McTier |
| 1871-1882-? | James Young, F.R.S. |
There are no surviving records of the Parochial Board or Parish Council.
The following records are some of those held by Aberdeen City and Aberdeenshire Archives:
| Nature of record | Dates | Ref. |
|---|---|---|
| Crossroads School, Durris Parish: Log Books | 1873 - 1999 | ED/GR6S/K15/1 |
| Crossroads School, Durris Parish: Admission Registers | 1894 - 1998 | ED/GR6S/K15/2 |
| Woodlands School, Durris Parish: Log Books | 1912 - 2005 | ED/GR6S/K43/1 |
| Woodlands School, Durris Parish: Admission Registers | 1904 - 1975 | ED/GR6S/K43/2 |
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 | Dr Alexander Webster | |||
| 1790 | Old Statistical Account | |||
| 1801 | 605 | |||
| 1811 | 724 | |||
| 1821 | 430 | 515 | 945 | |
| 1831 | 1035 | |||
| 1841 | ||||
| 1851 | ||||
| 1871 | 504 | 517 | 1021 | |
| 1881 | 530 | 484 | 1014 | |
| 1891 | 477 | 441 | 918 | |
| 1901 | 460 | 424 | 884 | |
| 1911 | 473 | 399 | 872 | |
| 1921 | 412 | 398 | 810 |
Durris 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 Durris people from the Register of Testaments of the Commissariot of St Andrews, 1549-1823
| Jean Anderson | spouse to Alexander Gabriell, in Boig, par. of Durris | 21 Oct 1684 |
| Isobel Black | spouse to Robert Middiltoun, in Densyde, par. of Durris | 15 Mar 1637 |
| Alexander Bruce | in Essintillie, par. of Durris | 25 Apr 1620 |
| Alexander Bruce | in Brukmonth, par. of Durris | 11 Dec 1638 |
| John Bruce | in Wester Durris, par. of Durris | 4 Jun 1616 |
| Alexander Burnet | in Balladrum, par. of Durres | 5 May 1620 |
| Christian Burnet | spouse to James Hog, in Newtoun, par. of Durris | 15 Mar 1637 |
| Beatrix Cobane | spouse to William Hog, in Bog of Bleariedryne, par. of Dures | 25 Jul 1635 |
| Gilbert Collie | in Kincluny, par. of Durris | 3 Aug 1616 |
| John Collie | in Essintillie, par. of Durris | 11 Dec 1638 |
| Agnes Cowie | spouse to William Cowie, in Brachmont, par. of Durris | 25 Jul 1635 |
| Marion Craig | spouse to Andrew Measone, in Draffuird, par. of Durris | 20 Oct 1635 |
| Agnes Deveny | spouse to James Pirie, in Kincluny, par. of Durris | 4 Jun 1616 |
| Janet Duthie | spouse to Alexander Kynneir, in Littill Tulloch, par. of Durris | 5 May 1621 |
| James Ferguson | in Brakmonth, par. of Durris | 5 Jun 1683 |
| William Forrester, alias Schiphird | lawful son to William Schiphird, in Densyde of Durris, par. of Durris | 26 Aug 1619 |
| Alexander Fraser | sometime in Balladroun, par. of Durris | 18 Jul 1694 |
| James Fraser | in Easter Balbrydie, par. of Durris | 6 May 1641 |
| John Fraser | sometime at the Miln of Dooris, par. of Durris | 4 Nov 1714 |
| Mary Fraser | lawful daughter of the deceased Alexander Frazer, sometime chamberlain on the estate of Duris | 6 Jun 1771 |
| Christian Glendinning | spouse to Andrew Murray, in Overtoun of ..., par. of Durris | 21 Oct 1684 |
| James Greig | in Blerydryen, par. of Durris | 19 Dec 1618 |
| Alexander Hog | in Aquhinzache, par. of Durris | 4 Jun 1616 |
| Archibald Hog | in Carlingholl, par. of Durris | 15 Mar 1637 |
| James Hog | in Blendyn (Blerriedyne), par. of Durris | 21 Oct 1684 and 17 Jan 1687 |
| James Hog | only lawful son to umquhile Andrew Hog, sometime in Boag, residenter at the Myln of Bleadyne, par. of Durris | 15 Feb 1686 |
| John Hog | sometime in Bogie of Blaridrain, par. of Durris | 21 Aug 1673 |
| Helen Kemp | spouse to William Bruce, in Cloddis, par. of Durris | 5 May 1620 |
| Margaret Kessie | spouse to Andrew Henrie, cottar in Auchinzache, par. of Durris | 8 Mar 1616 |
| Thomas Law | at the Mylne of Ballandro, par. of Durris | 19 Jun 1619 |
| Jean Lawson | sometime spouse to Thomas Cobben, in Quithelheed, par. of Durris | 24 Jan 1683 |
| Thomas Luckie | sometime in Nibitstain, par. of Durris | 3 Jan 1724 |
| Robert Mackie | in Densyde, par. of Durris | 24 Jun 1614 |
| John Malcolm | par. of Durris | 23 Oct 1685 |
| George Mowat | sometime at the Mylne of Blairnedryne, par. of Durris | 30 Jul 1708 |
| John Pirie | in Densyde of Durris, par. of Durris | 27 Feb 1618 |
| William Ross | late in Brownie, par. of Durris | 7 Aug 1780 |
| William Shepherd | in Densyde, par. of Durris | 23 Aug 1620 |
| Christian Skene | spouse to James Fraser, in Balbredie, par. of Durris | 3 Aug 1616 |
| Rev. William Strachan | minister of Durris | 22 & 24 Jul 1823 |
Testaments registered at St Andrews that have been lost, for which only entries in the minute books are extant.
| Agnes Bruce | relict of George Collie, in Castletoun of Durris | 30 May 1739 |
Testaments of Durris people from the Register of Testaments of the Commissariot of Edinburgh, 1514-1600
| Mr Alexander Dick | Archdean of Glasgow, and parson of Durris | 9 Jun 1576 |
Images of the original records for Durris:
Images of the original records for Durris:
- Cosmo Innes (1798-1874) - born in Durris