Kemback is a parish in the Stratheden district of Fife. It is bounded by the parishes of Dairsie, Leuchars, St Andrews, Ceres, and Cupar. (1867: The Imperial Gazetteer of Scotland, by John Marius Wilson).
Blebo Craigs or Blebocraigs, Blebo Mills, Duraden, Kemback Mills, Yoolfield
Blebo, Clatto
PRE-REFORMATION GOVERNANCE:
POST-REFORMATION GOVERNANCE:
The old church of Kemback belonged to the College of St Salvator at St Andrews. The present church was first used for public worship May 1814. The old church bears the date 1582. (1928: Fasti Ecclesiæ Scoticanæ, by Hew Scott, D. D.)
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 |
| 1648-1854 | Kemback | 433 | OPR |
| 1855-1930 | Kemback | 433 | RD |
| 1959-1971 | Glenrothes | 433 | RD |
| 1972-2007 | Glenrothes | 420 | RD |
| 2009 | (Kemback) Fife, Cupar | 417 | RD |
| 2009 | (Glenrothes) Fife, Glenrothes | 420 | RD |
| 2026 | (Kemback) Fife Council; Kemback, Pitscottie and Blebo Community Council | ||
| 2026 | (Glenrothes) Fife Council; Auchmuty Woodside Community Council Glenwood Community Council Kinglassie Community Council Leslie Community Council Markinch Community Council Milton and Coaltown of Balgonie Community Council North Glenrothes Community Council Pitteuchar, Finglassie and Stenton Community Council South Parks and Rimbleton Community Council Star of Markinch Community Council Thornton 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, Doig, Mitchell, Pearson, Robertson, Scott, Smith, Thomson, Wallace, 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 M'Donald.
"According to an account taken about half a year ago, the number of inhabitants is as follows: 540 belonging to the Established Church, 13 Burgher Seceders, 28 Antiburger Seceder, 3 of the Presbytery of Relief, 1 Episcopalian, 1 Anabaptist, 2 Unitarians; in all 588. Of the 540 belonging to the Established Church, 300 are females, and 240 males. There are among them 7 widowers, and 15 widows.
The inhabitants of this parish are not distinguished from their neighbours, by any peculiarity of character. In general, they are sober minded, industrious, and temperate; decent in their manners, attending to their own business, living in peace with one another, and giving regular attendance upon the public ordinances of religion. During the incumbency of the present minister, there has not occurred a single instance of any person belonging to this parish suffering the slightest punishment from a civil judge."
(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 14, p. 297
New Statistical Account of Scotland (1834-1845), Volume 9, Section I, p. 719
See Parish Page Sources for all source information and links.
