>What information would I find on an 1854 birth certificate? My John >HENDERSON was christened 28 May 1854 in Alloa, Clackmannan, the son of John >HENDERSON and Ann KIRKWOOD. I already know the date of their marriage. >Would it give me the birthdates of the parents and the names of other >children of the marriage? > >Cheers >Jan >Canberra Australia Jan - I don't think there were official records of births in Scotland until after 1855. From the Scots Origins website you can search, for a fee, the indexes of the old parish records of baptisms and marriages up to 1855 and official indexes of births, deaths and marriages after 1855. You can order a copy of individual baptismal records in the old parish registers but they usually tell you no more than the date of the baptism, the name of the child and the names of the parents. Sometimes the name of the mother is not recorded. If you are very lucky, the entry may give the birth date of the child and state if the parents were lawfully married or not. I've not come across a baptismal record which lists other children of the marriage. The way I have found these children is to search the index for baptisms, 10 years at a time, by leaving the box for the child's name blank and just entering the parents names, remembering always to tick the soundex boxes. Good luck! __________________________ Keith Dash Sydney, Australia