Jewish Family History Research in Scotland

Where do I start?

Start with today and work backwards.  Gather as much information as you can from your relatives and see what documents and photographs they have.

Then what?

Sketch out a basic family tree as far back as you can go, then look to fill the gaps and extend the tree.

How can the Archives Centre help me?

Tell us what you already know. Perhaps we already have a family tree for a branch of your family, or documents which can help you.  We can give you free expert advice (if you are a Friend of the Archives Centre) and access to do your own research in our collections.  Alternatively, we can do research for you – ask about our charges.

What kind of records am I looking for?

Scottish records – available at offices in Edinburgh, Glasgow and Kilmarnock, or online at www.scotlandspeople.gov.uk .

Eg birth, marriage, death certificates, censuses, wills, valuation rolls. (The Archives Centre has copies of many Jewish records – so ask us first).

Glasgow records – available at Glasgow City Archives/Mitchell Library – eg school admission records, voters rolls, city directories.

Naturalisation files – available at the National Archives in London.

Jewish community records – many of these are available at the Archives Centre, eg synagogue registers of births, marriages and deaths, circumcision registers, records of the 17 Jewish burial grounds in Scotland.

The Archives Centre has Jewish newspapers, such as the Jewish Echo (1928-1992), which often contain personal announcements, as well as membership lists and other records of congregations, social, welfare and cultural groups, educational institutions, youth groups etc and charity subscription lists..

The Archives Centre houses the Family Tree of Scottish Jewry database of over 100,000 Scottish Jews.  A consultation can be booked (charges apply).

What about records in England and further afield, or records from Eastern Europe?

Look at the online databases at:

www.jewishgen.org – main umbrella website for Jewish genealogy worldwide
www.jgsgb.org.uk  – Jewish Genealogical Society of Great Britain
www.jgsgb.org.uk/jgsgb-uk-database-jcr-uk – UK Jewish community records