Fordyce is a parish on the coast of Banffshire. It is bounded by the Moray Firth, and by the parishes of Boyndie, Ordiquhill, Grange, Deskford, and Cullen. (1867: The Imperial Gazetteer of Scotland, by John Marius Wilson).
Birkenbog, Bogburn, Bogmuchals, Fordyce, Kilnhillock, Moor of Glassaugh, Newmills, Portsoy, Sandend
Findlater
PRE-REFORMATION GOVERNANCE:
POST-REFORMATION GOVERNANCE:
The church of Fordyce was dedicated to St Talorgan. Near it was St Talorgan's Well. Fordyce was a commune kirk of the Chapter of Aberdeen.
Disjoined Quoad Sacra Parishes:
Portsoy. A mission station was commenced here in 1741. A chapel was built in 1815. The parish of Portsoy was disjoined from Fordyce on 17 July 1871. A fair of St Michael was held at Portsoy. There was here a Well of St Columba.
Includes ministers, licentiates, assistants, readers, and clerks.
Fordyce (QO)
Portsoy (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 |
| 1665-1854 | Fordyce | 153 | OPR |
| 1855-1872 | Fordyce | 153 | RD |
| 1873-1954 | Fordyce | 153-1 | RD |
| 1873-1954 | Portsoy | 153-2 | RD |
| 1955-1967 | Fordyce | 153 | RD |
| 1968-1971 | Portsoy | 153 | RD |
| 1972-2004 | Portsoy | 292 | RD |
| 2005-2009 | Aberdeenshire, Banff | 293 | RD |
| 2026 | (Fordyce) Aberdeenshire Council; Fordyce, Sandend and Rural District Community Council | ||
| 2026 | (Portsoy) Aberdeenshire Council; Portsoy and District 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
Grant, Innes, Mair, Morrison, Robertson, Smith, Sutherland, Taylor, 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 James Lawtie.
"In the year 1782, the police of the county required an account of the number, young and old, in the parish, in order to ascertain the quantity of meal necessary to be imported. A tolerably exact numeration was made, and then young and old, amounted to about 3425. The population since that period has rather increased than diminished.
None have died for want since 1700. None have left the parish for want of employment, except a few day-labourers, who removed to the contiguous parish of Cullen, for more constant employment; and a considerable number of lint-dressers dispersed into different parts upon the failure of the thread manufactory at Portsoy, a few years ago.
The people are in general disposed to industry. Since the failure of the thread-bleaching at Portsoy, there is no manufacture of consequence carried on within the parish. But most of the inhabitants raise as much flax, and weave as much linen cloth, as serve their families. Perhaps not 1000 yards of the cloth manufactured in it, are sold out of the parish at present. The people are rather inclined to the sea than the land service. However, many do not enter voluntarily, but by draughts made from the fishing boats, and pressing from the merchant service. The people are in general economical and frugal; but luxury in dress and living are creeping in."
(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 3, p. 45
New Statistical Account of Scotland (1834-1845), Volume 13, Section I, p. 178
See Parish Page Sources for all source information and links.
