Ruthven is a parish on the west border of Forfarshire. It is bounded by Perthshire, and by the parish of Airlie. (1867: The Imperial Gazetteer of Scotland, by John Marius Wilson).
Balbirnie, Barberswells or Barbaswalls, Bridgend, Ruthven, Whins
PRE-REFORMATION GOVERNANCE:
POST-REFORMATION GOVERNANCE:
The church of Ruthven belonged to the Abbey of Arbroath. A fair of St Luag was held at Ruthven.
Includes ministers, licentiates, assistants, readers, and clerks.
(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 |
| 1744-1854 | Ruthven | 318 | OPR |
| 1855-1958 | Ruthven | 318 | RD |
| 1959-1968 | Airlie and Ruthven | 270 | RD |
| 2009 | Angus, Kirriemuir | 361 | RD |
| 2026 | Angus Council; Kirriemuir Landward West 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
Allan, Carr, Cormack, Fraser, Hunter, Jack, Keith, Leslie, Moir, Thomson
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 Will.
"The number of parishioners in all, is now 110. The parish has been gradually on the decrease, owing to the enlarging of the farms. This has also contributed, in a great degree, to the removal of the cottagers. The parishioners are all of the Established Church, except 2 of the Church of England, who attend public worship regularly in the parish church, while they reside here. The parishioners, for the most part, are employed in agriculture; there are, however, a few manufacturers, tradesmen, millers, and day-labourers. They are, in general, honest, sober and industrious, living peaceably and comfortably."
(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. 290
New Statistical Account of Scotland (1834-1845), Volume 11, Section I, p. 413
See Parish Page Sources for all source information and links.
