Symington is a small Clydesdale parish in the Upper Ward of Lanarkshire. It is bounded on the northwest by Covington; on the north by Libberton and Biggar; on the east by Culter; on the southeast by Lamington; and on the southwest by Wiston. (1892-6: Ordnance Gazetteer of Scotland, by Francis H. Groome)
Beoster, Kirkabister, Noss (Island)
PRE-REFORMATION GOVERNANCE:
POST-REFORMATION GOVERNANCE:
The church, previous to the Reformation, belonged to the Abbey of Kelso.
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 |
| 1692-1854 | Symington | 657 | OPR |
| 1855-1968 | Syminton | 657 | RD |
| 2009 | South Lanarkshire, Biggar | 584 | RD |
| 2026 | South Lanarkshire Council; Symington 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
Brown, Craig, Graham, Hislop, Lean, Mitchell, Moffat, Smith, Thorburn, Watson
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 Finlayson, Minister.
"The number of individuals in the parish is 307, of whom 152 are males and 155 are females. There are 8 Burgher Seceder, and 18 Relievers. Of tradesmen there are 26 weavers and their apprentices, 2 shoemakers, 1 dancing master, 1 cooper, 3 masons, 2 blacksmiths, 1 wright, 2 tailors, 1 heckler, 1 miller, and 5 day labourers.
The virtues of sobriety and industry, and a regular attendance on divine institutions, are no where more strictly observed. The people live comfortably, are contented with their situation, and well affected to the established constitution, in church and state."
(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 8, p. 585
New Statistical Account of Scotland (1834-1845), Volume 6, p. 867
See Parish Page Sources for all source information and links.
