Updated 3/17/99!

My Favorite Books for Genealogical Research

Many of these references are culled from mailing lists I am on; my thanks to fellow genealogists who have freely offered their suggestions to the group.

General Reference

Encyclopaedia Britannica (and others). Don't overlook the obvious, and sometimes the older editions are better. While later editions may have info based on new research, older editions may have more detailed info or a cultural world view slant closer to the times you are researching.

Scotland

Blue Guide: Scotland. 10th ed. 1992 [ISBN 0-7136-3426; 0-393-30841-3 USA] A travel guide offering thumbnail history, useful not only for travel, but for maps, gauging distances, providing addresses and phone numbers of various sites (museums, libraries etc.)
A TOPOGRAPHICAL DICTIONARY OF SCOTLAND published 1846
Genealogy
Cory, Kathleen B. Tracing Your Scottish Ancestry. 1990. paperback [ISBN 0-7486-6054-2] Best recent overview, readily available in bookstores.
Scottish Record Office, Tracing your Scottish Ancestors. INDISPENSABLE! This is your guide to the manuscript records available only through the SRO (not on microfilm, not at LDS centers). This is the meat & potatoes stuff, wills, property transfers, courtcases, bankruptcies, non-conformist church records, estate records, occupational records, criminal/litigation, etc. Available at the SRO, HMSO book shops and major bookstores. [ISBN 0-11-494118-1] L5.95
Burke's Peerage and Burke's Landed Gentry (a primary reference before the name was sold to Halbert's) give the genealogies of many Chiefs and landed families. Most large libraries carry them.
General History or Economic/Social History
Cummins, W.A. The Age of the Picts, Sutton Publishing, Stroud, 1995 [ISBN 0 7509 1608 7]
Devine. T.M. & Rosalind Mitchison, editors. People and Society in Scotland: Vol I. 1760-1830. 1988 [ISBN 0-85976-210-6] A collection of articles on various topics; a bit academic but useful.
Smout, T.C. A History of the Scottish People, 1560-1830. paperback Collins/Fontana, 1972. (An older book available in used bookstores and libraries. Standard classic.) A good basic, broadstroke history. Indexed. Good bibliography. Only important individuals are mentioned. Some illustrations.
Smout, T.C. A Century of the Scottish People, 1830-1950. 1987 [ISBN 0-00-686141-5]
Stevenson, David. The Covenanters: The National Covenant and Scotland. Saltire Pamphlets, new series 11. (paperback L2.95) Available from bookshops or direct from the Saltire Society, 9 Fountain Close, High St., Edinburgh EH1 1TF. [ISBN 0-85411-0429] A very handy booklet condensing clearly a difficult topic and providing a good bibliography.
Covenanter Martyrs and Transportees--copyright 1998 by Mary Lou McHaffie Ramsey--"sometimes information on the family"
"Agricultural Records A.D. 220-1968", by J.M. Stratton, London 1969)
Ayrshire
Swain, Margaret. Ayrshire and other Whitework. Shire Album #88 [] A good introduction to Ayrshire embroidery or "sewed muslin" which was a major industry of the late 18/19th c.
The Hearth Tax for Ayrshire 1691 was launched on 2nd of June this year. Copies can be obtained from Mr. Rob Close, Ayrshire federation of Historical Societies, 1 Craigbrae Cottages, Drongon, Ayr KA6 7EN. The cost of this book is Ł14 plus P&P. (per Mary Swayne)
Kilwinning, Ayrshire
Lauchlan, Roy. Kilwinning in Old Picture Postcards, Vol. 1 & 2, 1992. [GB ISBN 90-288-5523-8/CIP]
Glasgow, Lanarkshire
Davidson, H. Lanark Past and Present 1899 (Mitchell Library has a copy per Jackie Walls )
Devine, T.M. The Tobacco Lords. A Study of the Tobacco Merchants of Glasgow and their Trading Activities c. 1740-90. Paperback 1990. Edinburgh University Press. [ISBN 0-7486-0172-4] A bit academic, but fully indexed with companies and individual names cited. Very informative.
Paisley, Renfrewshire
Clark, Sylvia. Paisley: A History. 1988. [ISBN 1-85158-110-3 Pbk] A good basic history of the town prepared on the 500th anniversary of the burgh.
Reilly, Valerie. Paisley in Old Picture Postcards, 1983. [GB ISBN 90-288-2458-8]
Reilly, Valerie. The Official Illustrated History, The Paisley Pattern. Guide to Paisley Shawls by Frank Ames. 1987 [ISBN 0-87905-317-8] The best guide to the Paisley shawl industry with full color plates and sound text all in paperback format for about $15.
Clabburn, Pamela. Shawls. Shire Album #77 [ISBN 0-85263-579-6] Broader in content than the Paisley Shawl, still it offers a good overview of the industry in a cheap source.
Highlands Before and After the Clearances
"Clans, Septs and Regiments of the Scottish Highlands" by Frank Adma, ed. Sir Thomas Innes of Learney (8th edition)
"The Highland Clans" by Sir Iain Concreiffe of that Ilk (Barrie & Rockliff, 1967)
Prebble, John:
- Culloden, Secker & Warburg 1961; Penguin 1967
- The Highland Clearances, S & W 1963; Penguin 1969.
- Glencoe, Secker & Warburg 1966; Penguin 1968.
Emigration
Craig, David. On the Crofters' Trail: In search of the Clearance Highlanders. 1991 [ISBN 0-224-03225-9]--No index, but geographically organized on both sides of the Atlantic; wonderful first person accounts of the Clearances and the emigrations which followed. Good Bibliography.
Coldham, Peter Wilson, The Complete Book of Emigrants in Bondage: 1614-1775. Reprinted by Genealogical Publishing Co., Inc., 1988 (The book contains over 900 pages and is fully documented. "This book and another by Coldham are available on Family Tree Maker CD #350" per Betty J Baker
Scottish Surnames
"Scottish Clan & Family Encyclopedia" by George Way of Plean and Romilly Squire (Harper Collins, 1994)
"Scottish Family History" by Margaret Stuart and Sir James Balfour Paul (Oliver & Boyd, 1930).
"Scottish Family Histories" held in Scottish Libraries, by Joan P S Ferguson (Scottish Central Library, Edinburgh 1960, and revised edition compiled by Joan P S Ferguson assisted by Dennis Smith and Peter Wellburn, National Library of Scotland, Edinburgh, 1986)
"The Surnames of Scotland" by George F Black (New York Public Library, 1946)
Whyte, Donald. Scottish Surnames & Families Birlinn Ltd, Edinburgh, 1996 [ISBN 1 874744 39 4]

Sources for Books--These links are provided for your convenience only. I have no experience with any of them and no endorsement is intended or implied.

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