Lairg is a parish in the centre of the south of Sutherlandshire. It is bounded by Farr, Rogart, Creich, Assynt, and Eddrachillis. (1867: The Imperial Gazetteer of Scotland, by John Marius Wilson).
Achfridh, Achnairn, Balloan, Balnadelson, Gruids, Lairg, Lairg Muir, Saval, Tirryside, Torroble
Achany
PRE-REFORMATION GOVERNANCE:
POST-REFORMATION GOVERNANCE:
The church of Lairg was dedicated to St Malrubh, and a fair of St Malrubh was held beside it. A prebend of Lairg was held by the treasurer of the Cathedral of Dornoch.
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 |
| 1768-1854 | Lairg | 53 | OPR |
| 1855-1971 | Lairg | 53 | RD |
| 1972-2006 | Lairg | 179 | RD |
| 2009 | Highland, Lairg | 179 | RD |
| 2026 | Highland Council; Lairg 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
Cameron, Fraser, MacDonald, MacKay, Mackenzie, Matheson, Munro, Murray, Ross, Sutherland
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 a Friend to Statistical Inquiries.
"Notwithstanding the disadvantage of a rainy climate, surely nothing but that want of industry, which reigns among the inhabitants, could prevent their availing themselves of the limestone they have in such abundance, for meliorating their land. Respecting their character, in general, it is not much in its favour, that they seemed to entertain a particular dread of these statistical inquiries, and would not permit the minister of the district to draw up an account of it, as if conscious that it could not turn out much in their favour."
(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 11, p. 569
New Statistical Account of Scotland (1834-1845), Volume 15, Section I, p. 58
See Parish Page Sources for all source information and links.
