Falkirk Community Trust

Frequently asked questions

1. How do I find the grave of my ancestor?
2. How can I obtain a copy of my grandfather's birth certificate?
3. Do you only have Scottish birth, death and marriage records?
4. My mother was adopted, where will she obtain her birth certificate?
5. My ancestors came from Polmont – why are there records in Stirling Council Archives as well as Falkirk Council Archives?
6. Can you help me trace my long-lost relatives?
7. I think my ancestor worked in Callendar Estates. Do you have lists of the estate workers and domestic servants?
8. I think my ancestor worked in one of the foundries. Do you have lists of employees?
9. I want to find out the names of the people I went to school with.
10. My ancestor went to school in Falkirk. Where can I find the school records?
11. I need evidence of where I went to school.
12. My ancestor died in the Larbert Asylum. Where can I find records of this?
13. My relative served in the armed forces. How do I find a record of his service?

How do I find the grave of my ancestor?

Falkirk Council’s Bereavement Services can tell you where a grave is located, provided you have a name and a date of burial. If you already know which cemetery and section the grave is in, then look at the plan of the cemetery which is at the entrance, to find the location of each section of the cemetery.

How can I obtain a copy of my grandfather's birth certificate?

If your grandfather was born in Scotland you can purchase an extract of his birth entry at any local registrar's office.

Do you only have Scottish birth, death and marriage records?

Yes, but if you are looking for English, Welsh or Irish records we can advise you who to contact.

My mother was adopted, where will she obtain her birth certificate?

The ACR (Adopted Children's Register) is held at General Register Office for Scotland, therefore your mother will have to purchase a certificate from New Register House, Edinburgh. Details can be found on their website www.gro-scotland.gov.uk or at any registrar's office.

My ancestors came from Polmont – why are there records in Stirling Council Archives as well as Falkirk Archives?

Polmont was originally part of the County of Stirling until 1975 and it is not possible to separate the original archival records which relate to the whole of the County of Stirling. So you need to look at archives in both Falkirk Archives and Stirling Council Archives. This also applies to places like Slamannan, Larbert, Avonbridge, Stenhousemuir, Bonnybridge, the Braes and all the rural areas of the present Falkirk Council area.

Can you help me trace my long-lost relatives?

Sorry, we can't help you find living relatives. The best thing to do is to write to the Falkirk Herald, who are very helpful in publishing letters searching for relatives or friends. If you are lucky, someone may write back to let you know where your relatives or friends are now.

I think my ancestors worked in Callendar Estates. Do you have lists of the estate workers and domestic servants?

We have not compiled lists of estate workers or domestic servants from the Forbes of Callendar Papers, but there are some references to individuals and a few letters contain lists of servants or estate workers. You should start by searching through the finding aids, and then you will need to go to Falkirk Council Archives to see any relevant documents.

I think my ancestor worked in one of the foundries. Do you have lists of employees?

Sorry, there are very few employee records or registers still in existence. If your ancestor worked for Carron Company, you should contact the National Archives of Scotland as any surviving employee records are held there.

I want to find out the names of the people I went to school with.

Sorry, unless you started school more than 100 years ago, you can't see the school admission register entries for your former classmates. This is because school admission registers show private personal information – including, for example, information that a child was in a children's home, or move to a "List D" school. If you want a school re-union then we suggest you write a letter to the Falkirk Herald or contact one of the re-union websites as these allow individuals to choose whether they want to tell other people about themselves or not.

My ancestor went to school in Falkirk. Where can I find the school records?

There are admission registers or leavers (lefts) registers for local schools held in Falkirk Council Archives. The earliest date from about 1880. Under the Data Protection Act, access is restricted until the records are 100 years old.

I need evidence of where I went to school

Bring in some identification (including evidence of any change of name) and our archives staff can look up the school admission registers on your behalf and provide you with an extract. Your birth certificate and current photo ID are suitable documents, and evidence of how you changed your name, such as a marriage certificate.

My ancestor died in the Larbert Asylum. Where can I find records of this?

Health and Hospital records are held by local Health Boards. For details and contacts read our leaflet Medical records for family history (PDF, 30KB).

My relative served in the armed forces. How do I find a record of his service?

Most records of British armed forces personnel are held by The National Archives at Kew. For details of what they hold, contact information and other useful sources, read our leaflet Military records for family history (PDF, 24KB).