Conveth
Laurencekirk is a parish in the How district of Kincardineshire. It is bounded by Fordoun, Garvock, and Marykirk. (1867: The Imperial Gazetteer of Scotland, by John Marius Wilson).
Laurencekirk, Kirkton
Halkerton or Haulkerton
PRE-REFORMATION GOVERNANCE:
POST-REFORMATION GOVERNANCE:
The church of Conveth was dedicated to St Laurence. It belonged to the Priory of St Andrews. At Chapel Knap of Scotstoun, within the bounds, stood a chapel of St Anthony, and there a fair of St Anthony was held. At Conveth there was a yearly fair of St Laurence.
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 |
| 1702-1854 | Laurencekirk | 263 | OPR |
| 1855-1955 | Laurencekirk | 263 | RD |
| 1956-1967 | Laurencekirk and Garvock | 263 | RD |
| 1968-1971 | Laurencekirk | 263 | RD |
| 1972-2006 | Laurencekirk | 344 | RD |
| 2009 | Aberdeenshire, Laurencekirk | 344 | RD |
| 2026 | Aberdeenshire Council; Laurencekirk 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
Anderson, Bruce, Clark, Hampton, Mitchell, Murray, Robertson, Smith, Stewart, Watt
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 David Forbes.
"The whole number, to which the population at present amounts, including persons of all ages and denominations, is about 1200. Few Seceders or Episcopalians, and only two Roman Catholics reside here. The same dialect of the English language is spoken here, as along the greater part of the eastern coast of Scotland. No murders or suicides have been committed in this parish, nor have any emigrated, or been banished from it, so far as can be remembered. None have died for want, there being plenty both of bread and work in the place."
(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 5, p. 175
New Statistical Account of Scotland (1834-1845), Volume 11, Section II, p. 128
See Parish Page Sources for all source information and links.
