Foveran is a parish on the east coast of Aberdeenshire. It is bounded by the German Ocean (North Sea), and by the parishes of Belhelvie, Udny, Logie Buchan, and Slains. (1867: The Imperial Gazetteer of Scotland, by John Marius Wilson).
Achnacant, Cultercullen, Fiddes, Foveran, Knockhall, Newburgh, Newtyle, Tillery
PRE-REFORMATION GOVERNANCE:
POST-REFORMATION GOVERNANCE:
The church of Foveran belonged to the Abbey of Deer. There is in the parish a Well of St Peter. At Holyrood in this parish there was of old a chapel of the Holy Rood. In it were altars of St Thomas the Martyr, St Crispin, and St Crispinian. A new church built in 1794 has been renovated since. There is now a mission chapel at Holyrood.
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 |
| 1658-1854 | Foveran | 195 | OPR |
| 1855-1967 | Foveran | 195 | RD |
| 2009 | Aberdeenshire, Ellon | 316 | RD |
| 2026 | Aberdeenshire Council; Foveran 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, Henderson, Kelly, Mitchell, Moir, Mutch, Smith, Walker, Watson, 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 William Duff.
"The number of souls in 1792 was 1243, of whom 580 were males and 663 were females. There are 50 farmers, 137 cottagers, 97 male servants, 124 female servants, 2 grooms, 2 gardeners, 2 male house-servants, 2 female house-servants, 6 smiths, 6 carpenters and wrights, 5 tailors, 7 shoemakers, 3 weavers, 6 masons, and 6 shopkeepers. In Newburgh are 6 or 7 ale-houses; chiefly frequented by sailors, smugglers, and fishermen. In the country part of the parish is only one ale-house.
The people are civil and hospitable to strangers, charitable to the poor, humane and compassionate to the ship-wrecked, when such accidents happen; and, in general, just and honest in their dealings. Smuggling, however, is frequently carried on, and tends in no inconsiderable degree to corrupt the morals of the people.
The mode of living has undergone a great alteration of late. The tenants in general are in good circumstances, live comfortably, and maintain a decent appearance. A taste for finery in dress has pervaded all ranks."
(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 6, p. 62
New Statistical Account of Scotland (1834-1845), Volume 12, p. 697
See Parish Page Sources for all source information and links.
