Carsphairn is a parish on the northern border of Kirkcudbrightshire. It is bounded on the west and north by Ayrshire, and on other sides by the parishes of Dalry and Kells. (1867: The Imperial Gazetteer of Scotland, by John Marius Wilson).
Carsphairn, Dundeugh, Woodhead
Knockgray
PRE-REFORMATION GOVERNANCE:
POST-REFORMATION GOVERNANCE:
This parish was erected in 1640. It was disjoined from Dalry and Kells. In 1815 the parish church was rebuilt.
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 |
| 1758-1854 | Carsphairn | 860 | OPR |
| 1855-1968 | Carsphairn | 860 | RD |
| 2009 | Dumfries and Galloway, Dalry | 850 | RD |
| 2026 | Dumfries and Galloway Council; Carsphairn 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
Anderson, Bell, Campbell, Gilchrist, Hannah, Hastings, Hunter, Murdoch, Murray, Wilson
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 Samuel Smith.
"In 1755, the numbers were 609. At present there are 461 individuals, of whom 112 are under 10 years of age. It is evident, from remains of old houses in every farm, that the inhabitants had at some former period been nearly double of what they are at present. They have increased a little of late years, and appear still to be increasing, from the building of a village which contains 60 inhabitants.
The inhabitants of this parish have not been careless of their own improvement, and have made no inconsiderable progress in civilization. Placed all in easy circumstances; enjoying not only the necessaries, but many of the conveniences, and some of the luxuries of life; favoured with many intervals of leisure without enticements to dissipation, they have been careful to cultivate their minds; they please themselves with rural or innocent social amusements of which they are extremely fond; and, upon the whole, appear to be in that middle state betwixt opulence and want, barbarity and refinement, which is perhaps of all other most favourable to happiness. Pride, envy, and ambition are, perhaps, the most prevalent vices: Sobriety, industry, and hospitality the most distinguishing virtues. The writer of this has been surprised to find oftentimes in their little libraries, some of the best authors in the English language."
(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 7, p. 513
New Statistical Account of Scotland (1834-1845), Volume 4, Section II, p. 273
See Parish Page Sources for all source information and links.
