Features: Scottish Parishes » Historic Shires » Shetland » Tingwall and Whiteness & Weisdale

TABLE OF CONTENTS

• Alternate Names and Spelling
• Location
• Parish Timeline
• Records
• Residents
• Notes

ALTERNATE NAMES AND SPELLING:

Weisdale and Whiteness (Whiteness and Weisdale)

LOCATION

Location Description:

Tingwall is a parish a little south of the centre of the mainland of Shetland. It is bounded on the north by the sea, and by Nesting and Delting, on the east by Lerwick, on the south by the sea and Quarff, and on the west by the sea and Sandsting. (1867: The Imperial Gazetteer of Scotland, by John Marius Wilson).

Shire, District, and Region Timeline:

• Shire: Zetland (Before 1707)
• County: Zetland (After 1707)
• Landward District: Tingwall (1930-1975)
• County: Shetland Islands (1975)
• Island Area: Shetland (1975-1996)

Cities, Towns, Villages, and Hamlets:

Girlsta, Hamigarth, Hoove, Houl, Houland, Ollagirth, Wadbister

PARISH TIMELINE

PRE-REFORMATION GOVERNANCE:

• Diocese: Orkney

POST-REFORMATION GOVERNANCE:

• Synod: Shetland
• Presbytery: Lerwick, previously called Shetland, and later Scalloway

PAROCHIAL OVERVIEW:

In the sixteenth century, the four parishes of Tingwall, Scalloway, Whiteness and Weisdale were all united. Whiteness and Weisdale together were severed quoad sacra from the other two on 15 Mar 1899.
Tingwall. Tingwall was a prebend held by the Archdeacon of Zetland. The church of Tingwall, which was dedicated to St Magnus, was demolished in 1788 when the present edifice was erected. There are mission churches at Scalloway and Girlsta.
Whiteness. The church of Whiteness was dedicated to St Olaf.
Weisdale. The church of Weisdale was dedicated to St Mary.

CHURCH OF SCOTLAND CLERGY:

Includes ministers, licentiates, assistants, readers, and clerks.

Tingwall, Whiteness, and Weisdale (QO)

Whiteness and Weisdale (QO)

(1928: Fasti Ecclesiæ Scoticanæ, by Hew Scott, D. D.)

RECORDS

Parochial Registers:

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.

• (1) B. 1709-1820; M. 1695-1819; D. 1740-87 (Tingwall)
• (2) B. 1820-54; M. 1819-54 (Tingwall)
• (3) B. 1727-63; M. 1728-65 (Whiteness and Weisdale)

(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)

Population:

Statistics from informal and official censuses

• 1755: 1,412
• 1831: 2,797
• 1841: 2,957
• 1861: 2,697 (Tingwall: 1,554; Whiteness and Weisdale: 1,143)
• 1901: 2,273 (Tingwall: 1,502; Whiteness and Weisdale: 771)
• 1911: 2,110 (Tingwall: 1,406; Whiteness and Weisdale: 704)

RESIDENTS

Common Surnames:

Tingwall: Hunter, Irvine, Jamieson, Leask, Nicolson, Scott, Slatter, Smith, Tait, Williamson

Whiteness and Weisdale: Arthur, Hunter, Jamieson, Johnson, Leask, Morrison, Nicolson, Smith, Thomson, Williamson

Land-owners, teachers, and other professionals:

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.

• James ANDERSON, of Stippigrind
• Henry BLAIR, of Sound
• Andrew BOLT, of Berry
• Thomas BOLT, of Crowster
• John BRUCE, of Skurron
• William BRUCE, of Simbester
• James CHEYNE, of Tanwick
• William CRAIGIE, of Brow
• Thomas DUNDAS, Earl of Zetland
• Magnus FEA, of Lerwick (Merchant)
• Gideon GIFFORD, of Busta
• Gilbert GOODLAND, of Fitch
• Malcolm HALCROW, of Fitch
• Gilbert HENDERSON, of Bardister
• Thomas HENRY, of Bayhall
• Francis HIDDLE, of Lerwick
• Peter INNES, of Frakafield
• John IRVINE, of Howl
• Hugh JAMISON, of Scater
• James LINKLATTER, of Lerwick (Merchant)
• John MOWAT, of Annsbrae
• Peter MOWAT, of Hammersland
• Arthur NICOLSON, of Lochend
• Gilbert PATERSON, of Greenwall
• James ROSS, of Lerwick (Merchant)
• Robert ROSS, of Sound
• Walter SCOTT, of Scottshall
• Thomas SMITH, of Haggersta
• George SUTHERLAND, of Lerwick (Merchant)
• Janet TATE, of Deal
• Thomas WILLIAMSON, of Haggersta

NOTES:

Primary Sources:
Statistical Account of Scotland (1791-1799), Volume 20, p. 277
New Statistical Account of Scotland (1834-1845), Volume 15, Section IV, p. 59

See Parish Page Sources for all source information and links.