Pitsligo is a parish on the north coast of Buchan, Aberdeenshire. It is bounded by the Moray Firth, and by the parishes of Fraserburgh, Tyrie, and Aberdour. (1867: The Imperial Gazetteer of Scotland, by John Marius Wilson).
Caik or Cavoch, Charleston, Fitullie, New Pitsligo, Pitsligo, Pitullie or Sandhaven, Rosehearty
PRE-REFORMATION GOVERNANCE:
POST-REFORMATION GOVERNANCE:
A church was built here in 1630. The parish of Pitsligo was disjoined from Aberdour and erected by Act of Parliament on 28 June 1633. There is at Pitsligo a Well of the Nine Maidens of St Donald. Within the bounds there is a mission chapel at Sandhaven.
Disjoined Quoad Sacra Parishes:
New Pitsligo. The village of New Pitsligo was founded on 12 September 1787 by Sir William Forbes of Pitsligo, Bart., who was superior of the lands. At Cavoch within the bounds, a chapel was built in 1799. The parish of New Pitsligo was disjoined from Tyrie, Aberdour, Strichen, and New Deer, 9 March 1853, mainly through the generous aid given by Sir John Stuart Forbes of Pitsligo, Bart.
Includes ministers, licentiates, assistants, readers, and clerks.
Pitsligo (QO)
New Pitsligo (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 |
| 1720-1854 | Pitsligo | 233 | OPR |
| 1855-1967 | Pitsligo | 233 | RD |
| 1968-1971 | Rosehearty | 233 | RD |
| 1972-1989 | Rosehearty | 311 | RD |
| 2009 | Aberdeenshire, Fraserburgh | 311 | RD |
| 2026 | (Pitsligo) Aberdeenshire Council; New Pitsligo Community Council | ||
| 2026 | (Rosehearty) Aberdeenshire Council; Rosehearty 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
Birnie, Buchan, Downie, Duncan, Duthie, Milne, Mitchell, Ritchie, Sim, Simpson
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 James Greig, Minister of the Parish.
"The number of people, at present in this parish, (anno 1791) is 1300, viz. of males 600, of females 700. Of these there are under 10 years of age 400; above it, 900. With respect to religious persuasion, there are 50 Episcopalians, and 20 Seceders.
This parish is divided into farms of various extent. There are some of 200 acres, but the generality are much smaller. Upon the sea coast, is the village of Rosehearty, which contains 42 houses, and 213 inhabitants. There are several shopkeepers in it, and mechanics, such as joiners, blacksmiths, coopers, turners, shoemakers &c. Two merchants have shares of sloops, and import wood from Norway; they likewise bring groceries from the south country."
(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 5, p. 96
New Statistical Account of Scotland (1834-1845), Volume 12, p. 396
See Parish Page Sources for all source information and links.
