Auchterless is a parish in the north-west of Aberdeenshire. It is bounded on the north-west by Banffshire, and on other sides by the parishes of Turriff, Fyvie, Rayne, Culsalmond, and Forgue. (1867: The Imperial Gazetteer of Scotland, by John Marius Wilson).
Arnhead, Auchterless, Badenscoth, Bakiehill, Cushnie, Darley, Gordonstown, Hassiewells, Kirktown, Mains of Hatton, Redhill, Seggat, Thornybank
PRE-REFORMATION GOVERNANCE:
POST-REFORMATION GOVERNANCE:
The church of Auchterless was dedicated to St Donan. Its incumbent was Chantor of the Cathedral of Aberdeen.
Disjoined Quoad Sacra Parishes:
Ythan Wells. A church built in 1864 was known as Wells of Ythan Church, a name derived from the "wells" or springs of the Ythan in the near neighbourhood. The parish of Ythan Wells was disjoined from Forgue and Auchterless, 24 May 1869.
Includes ministers, licentiates, assistants, readers, and clerks.
Auchterless (QO)
Ythan Wells (QS)
(1928: Fasti Ecclesiæ Scoticanæ, by Hew Scott, D. D.)
Parish registers turned over to the Registrar-General, as a result of the Registration of Births, Deaths, and Marriages (Scotland) Act of 1854. The letters B. D. and M. indicate Births (or Baptisms), Deaths (or Burials), and Marriages (or Proclamations of Banns) respectively. Numbers indicate separate volumes or books. Note: These records are by no means complete or without damage; consult the Detailed List of the Old Parochial Registers of Scotland (1872) to learn more about the condition of the records.
| OPR and RD Numbers | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Date Range | Name | Number | Type |
| 1680-1854 | Auchterless | 173 | OPR |
| 1855-1963 | Auchterless | 173 | RD |
| 2009 | Aberdeenshire, Turriff | 314 | RD |
| 2026 | Aberdeenshire Council; Auchterless, Inverkeithny and Fisherford Community Council | ||
(2009: Parishes and Registration Districts of Scotland - Old and New, National Records of Scotland)
Local community councils (2026) are provided as a potential source of additional information for settlements within the original boundaries of the parish. (Source)
Statistics from informal and official censuses
Clark, Cowie, Davidson, Duncan, Reid, Robertson, Smith, Stephen, Wilson, Wood
Note: Names appearing in research materials, other than censuses. Simple names (First name, surname only) have been omitted unless they appear associated with large properties. All women's names, and men's names with occupations, military ranks, or peerage titles are included.
By the Reverend Mr Alexander Rose.
"When the present incumbent was settled here in 1774, and visited his parish next spring, there were 1360 souls in it; at present there are scarcely 1200. This decrease is owing to several causes. On one estate some extensive farms have been waste, and several crofts for a number of years. On other estates, two farms have been put into one. On all these were many families, who have gone to manufacturing towns, or otherwise, where they have daily employment.
The people are, in general, very regular in their attendance on public worship, and at pains to have their children educated. They are sober, industrious, charitable and humane, and live in great harmony with the few dissenters in the parish. The principal farmers have now good houses, live in a very genteel style, are social and hospitable, and their dress corresponds with their manner of living.
There are no manufactures established. Women are employed by the stocking merchants in Aberdeen in knitting stockings, and in spinning flax for the linen manufactures."
(This section contains excerpts, at times restructured or paraphrased, from an article appearing in Statistical Account of Scotland, Sir John Sinclair, 1791-1799)
Primary Sources:
Statistical Account of Scotland (1791-1799), Volume 12, p. 306
New Statistical Account of Scotland (1834-1845), Volume 12, p. 285
See Parish Page Sources for all source information and links.
