Tough is a parish in the Alford district of Aberdeenshire. It is bounded by Keig, Monymusk, Cluny, Midmar, Kincardine O'Neil, Lumphanan, Leochel, and Alford. (1867: The Imperial Gazetteer of Scotland, by John Marius Wilson).
Whitehouse
Tillyfour
PRE-REFORMATION GOVERNANCE:
POST-REFORMATION GOVERNANCE:
The church of Tough was dedicated to the Nine Maidens of St Donald. In 1832 the Commissioners of Teinds united the parishes of Tough and Keig. They were severed again on 5 February 1834.
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 |
| 1706-1854 | Tough | 244 | OPR |
| 1855-1965 | Tough | 244 | RD |
| 1968-1971 | Torphins | 244 | RD |
| 2009 | (Tough) Aberdeenshire, Alford | 326 | RD |
| 2009 | (Torphins) Aberdeenshire, Garioch | 331 | RD |
| 2026 | (Tough) Aberdeenshire Council; Keig and Tough Community | ||
| 2026 | (Torphins) Aberdeenshire Council; Torphins 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
Coutts, Fraser, Hay, Leslie, Milne, Mitchell, Reid, Ross, Smith, 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 Alexander Urquhart.
"The whole population, about 12 months ago, amounted to 560. Of these, there were, 255 males and 305 females. There are 3 master wrights with 3 apprentices, 1 blacksmith, 3 master tailors with 3 apprentices, 3 master weavers with 2 apprentices, and 3 merchants or shopkeepers.
There are only 25 male, and 19 female servants in this parish. It will no doubt appear strange, that this number is so small. Many of the householders have sons and daughters, who assist at their work; and these are not reckoned among the number of hired servants. Many of the householders are crofters, and they need no servants.
The people are in general very industrious, frugal, humane, and obliging. Their morals are thought to be stricter now than 40 or 50 years ago. There is no instance, in the memory of man, of any individual being banished or capitally convicted. The general size of the people is about 5 feet 8 inches. There are some individuals about six feet.
The principal manufacture, in this and the neighbouring parishes, is the knitting of stockings. In this the females are constantly employed, except during the weeks of harvest. There are two or three tippling houses in the parish, which have an evident tendency to corrupt the morals of people."
(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. 261
New Statistical Account of Scotland (1834-1845), Volume 12, p. 611
See Parish Page Sources for all source information and links.
