Researching Online

You can carry out some research at the National Records of Scotland (NRS) remotely, either by using this website, or by making enquiries by post, e-mail, telephone or fax. You can also use this website to make better use of your time in our search rooms.

What can I do online?

• search our online catalogue and other catalogues and indexes
• read research guides about types of records and popular research topics
• read an overview of historical records we hold

Alternatively, in our search rooms you can carry out research into any records which are open to public access and you can benefit from our full range of research facilities, including advice from staff.

What records are available online?

On the ScotlandsPeople website you can search indexes to registers of births, deaths and marriages; census returns; wills and testaments (including soldiers' wills), valuation rolls, prison registers, Highland and Island Emigration Society records and Coats of Arms; and download digital copies of the records. There is a statutory fee for this service.

On the ScotlandsPlaces website you can view tax rolls, Ordnance Survey name books, and maps and plans.

The Scottish Archive Network website has digital copies of selected records from the NRS and other Scottish archives.

The NRS Web Continuity Service enables us to archive selected websites of our stakeholders, and make these accessible in the NRS Web Archive. Access our Web Continuity Service pages.

Making enquiries

Find out how to contact us to make an enquiry by e-mail, post, telephone or fax.

Learning Online

For details of our online services for schools and palaeography, go to our Learning pages.

Can I get someone to do research for me?

There are many firms and individuals (usually known as record agents or professional researchers) who undertake legal searches, family history research and other work, using records held by us on behalf of remote researchers.