Nature of Source
Introduction
The Sasine (pronounced “say-zin”) Register and the Land Register of Scotland record all land and property titles and transactions or transfers by grants, inheritance or sale. These legal documents are an important resource for anyone researching land ownership and property transactions in Scotland. However, some lands may not appear in these records for reasons such as:
- Land belonging absolutely to the Crown, known as ‘abiding supreme allodial sasine’.
- Land reverting to the Crown if a tenant or vassal died without an heir or superior.
Before 1617, property transfers were recorded by notaries public, however only a few of these early records have survived.
Evolution of the Sasine
The problem of identifying the true land owner particularly where debt accrued on the property led parliament to introduce the Secretary’s Register of Sasines in 1599. However, this system was short-lived and lasted only until 1609.
In 1617, a more comprehensive and regulated system was introduced, known as the Register of Sasines. This included:
- A General Register located in Edinburgh.
- Particular or County Registers located in the regions.
Additionally, the Royal Burghs exercised their own jurisdiction over property transactions, with records contained the Registers of the Burgh. This type of governance means some records are found in various local archives.
After 1981, the Sasine Register was gradually replaced by Registration of Title. This new system arranged property records county by county and managed by Registers of Scotland based in Edinburgh. From 1781 onward, abridged summaries or indexes of Sasine records became available. These include indexes of persons and places for all counties which simplifies the search process, making it easier to locate the relevant property or land.
Inheritance and Property Transfers
Until 1868, land inheritance in Scotland was established through Retours of Services of Heirs, rather than by a will. These Retours were essential for establishing legal heirs to property. The actual transfer or change in ownership was formally recorded in the Register of Sasines, making it an important source for tracing land inheritance and property changes.
Types of Sasine Registers
Secretary’s Register (1599-1609)
The register is arranged by county and incomplete.
General Register (1617-1720, 1781-1868)
Coverage includes all of Scotland except the three Lothians. Also records transactions that crossed county boundaries. The records are indexed by person from 1617 to 1735 but later entries require a search through abridgements or other methods. The Register is particularly useful for properties outside royal burghs or spanning multiple counties.
Royal Burgh Registers
Coverage relates to 66 royal burghs. Some registers are indexed from around 1809 with pre-1809 burgh registers for Glasgow, Aberdeen and Dundee held locally. The Burgh Registers were amalgamated with the county registers in the 1900s and are indexed thereafter.
Particular Register or County Registers
The registers cover 1617 to 1780, 1781 to 1868 and 1869 onwards. The registers covered individual counties or specific parts of Scotland. The registers were amalgamated with the burgh registers in the 1900s and are indexed from this date.
Researching Sasine Registers
It is important to note that the majority of ancestors were tenants rather than property owners, so very few people appear in the register.
In the absence of register indexes, minute books are particularly useful as they provide a systematic way to trace property transactions over time. These books were compiled by clerks who recorded sasines into the register in chronological order. Each entry includes a brief summary of the transaction and the date of registration from which the full sasine register document can be located. The full entry typically includes the names of parties involved and a description of the property.
Abridgements offer a useful summary of the full register entry for a specific county or registration area and often provide all the information required. The office began compiling the abridgements in 1821 going back to 1781 and cover both general and particular registers.
Although, primarily a record of land transfers, the registers are also a valuable source of information even when no property changed ownership. This is because they record instances where property was used as security for loans, providing details such as family names, relationships, and other genealogical information.
Sasine Register and Search Sheets
Another method for property searches, available since 1876, is through the Sasine Search Sheet or Property Search Form. The sheets provide a description of the property, a history of the transactions and any charges on the property. They also list the volume and page numbers for all sasines and deeds linked to the property. However, the accuracy of the information on these sheets is not guaranteed. Copies of the Search Sheets can be obtained from Registers of Scotland and are also accessible online at their website. Additionally, all land and property information, including sasines, can be searched on the land register platform ScotLIS (Scotland’s Land Information Service), which provides copies of title sheets and title plans. Since feudal baronies were historically tied to land, any sales of baronies were also documented in the register.
Additional Sources
Beyond the Sasine Register and Land Register, various other sources for researching land and property include:
- Charters
- Valuation rolls
- Electoral registers
- Hearth tax records
- Wills and testaments
- Retours
- Estate and manorial records
Future Developments
Scotland is transitioning to a single unified system for land and property registration, gradually replacing the traditional sasine register with the map-based Land Register of Scotland. The land register is replacing the General Register of Sasines and is the primary register for recording land and property ownership.
Other Scotland Resources
Census Returns
Charter Rolls
Clan & Tartan Records
County & Local Histories
Court Records
Directories, Trade, Professional, Telephone & Street
Electoral Registers or Burgess Rolls
Emigration Records
Estate Records & Maps
Hearth Tax
Heraldic Coats of Arms & Seals
Kirk/Church Sessions
Land Tax Assessments & Returns
Maps & Gazetteers
Militia Lists
Monumental/Memorial Inscriptions
Newspapers, magazines & journals
Old Parish Registers-Baptisms (OPRs)
Old Parish Registers-Burials (OPRs)
Old Parish Registers-Marriages & Proclamations (OPRs)
Passenger Lists
Pedigrees and Family Histories
Poor Law Records
Registers of Deeds (Books of Council and Session)
Statistical Accounts of Scotland
Statutory Registration-Birth
Statutory Registration-Death
Statutory Registration-Marriage
Surname Origins and Distribution
Valuation Rolls & Stent Rolls (Names of tenants)
Wills/Testaments and Inheritance
Where Found
ScotlandsPeople Centre
The ScotlandsPeople Centre located in central Edinburgh includes search rooms for in-person visits. The centre provides access to various historical records including the Particular and general registers and most burgh registers, abridgements and deeds. The General Register of Sasines is indexed from 1617 to 1735. From 1781 to the present day, the sasines are searchable electronically. The centre is run by the National Records of Scotland, a non-ministerial department of the Scottish Government. Many of the records are available via ScotlandsPeople which is the official government website for searching government records and archives related to Scottish family history research.
Registers of Scotland
Registers of Scotland is the government agency responsible for maintaining public registers of land, property and other legal documents in Scotland. They provide services such as ownership and title deed searches including current ownership documents. They are responsible for public records, including:
- Land Register of Scotland
- General Register of Sasines
- Register of Service of Heirs
- Register of Deeds
County Record Offices
Local archives may hold indexes and local abridgements for individual counties.
Period Covered
1617 – 1981
Genealogical Value
- Names of land and property owners (past and present)
- Names of witnesses
- Property address and description
- Father’s name, spouse and children’s names, family relationships
- Occupation of owner
- Date of purchase, sale or transfer
- Name of feudal superior
Further References
Family History Guides
- Adolph, Anthony. Tracing Your Scottish Family History: Collins, 2008
- Bigwood, Rosemary: The Scottish Family Tree Detective: Tracing Your Ancestors in Scotland: Manchester University Press, 2007
- Clarke, T. Tracing Your Scottish Ancestors: The Official Guide: Birlinn, 2012
- Cory, Kathleen B. Tracing Your Scottish Ancestry: Genealogical Publishing Company, 2009
- Durie, Bruce. Scottish Genealogy: The History Press, 2012
- Durie, Bruce. Documents for Genealogy & Local History: The History Press, 2013
- Hamilton-Edwards, Gerald. In Search of Scottish Ancestry: Phillimore, 1983
- Holton, Graham & Winch, Jack. Discover Your Scottish Ancestry: Internet and Traditional Resources: Edinburgh University Press, 2009 (Preview available from Google Books)
- James, Alwyn. Scottish Roots: From Gravestone to Website: The Step-By-Step Guide to Tracing Your Scottish Ancestors: Luath Press, 2005
- Maxwell, Ian. Tracing your Scottish Ancestors: A Guide for Family Historians: Pen & Sword, 2009
- Paton, Chris. Researching Scottish Family History: The Family History Partnership, 2010
- Paton, Chris. Tracing Your Scottish Ancestry through Church and State Records: A Guide for Family Historians: Pen & Sword Family History, 2019
- Stewart, Alan. My Ancestor was Scottish: Society of Genealogists, 2012
- Tovey, Helen. My Scottish Ancestry: Lomond Books, 2011
Other
- Concise Scots Dictionary: Edinburgh University Press, 1999 (Preview available from Google Books)
- Lynch, Michael. Oxford Companion to Scottish History: OUP Oxford, 2011
- Moffat, Alistair & Wilson, James. The Scots: A Genetic Journey: Birlinn, 2011
- Richards, Eric. The Highland Clearances: Birlinn, 2013
- Scots Dictionary: Collins, 2014
- Timperley, Loretta R, (ed). A Directory of Land Ownership in Scotland c 1770: Scottish Record Society, 1976
- Torrance, Richard D. Scottish Trades, Professions, Vital Documents & Directories: Scottish Association of Family History Societies, 1998
- Wightman, Andy. The Poor Had No Lawyers: Who Owns Scotland and How They Got it: Birlinn, 2013
Websites
National Records of Scotland
Research Guide: Sasines. Comprehensive overview and guide to understanding and searching the sasine register.
National Records of Scotland
Research Guide: Inheriting Land and Buildings. Guide to Retours and Services of Heirs.
Registers of Scotland
General Register of Sasines. About the sasine register.
Registers of Scotland
400th anniversary commemorative booklet, 1617-2017. The stories, people and projects that have characterised Scottish land registration over the last 400 years.
Mitchell Library Research Guide
Sasines. This a brief guide to the Register of Sasines for Glasgow and Strathclyde from the 17th to the 20th century.
Scottish Indexes
Learning Zone: Sasines. Scottish Property Records.
Unlock Your Past
The Sasine Registers of Scotland.
ScotlandsPeople Guide
Property ownership, renting and occupancy
Scottish Archive Network
Virtual Vault. View digitised document of the 1845 Sasine abridgement relating to the purchase of the Balmoral Estate by HRH Prince Albert.
Scottish Archive Network
Virtual Vault. List of explanations of abbreviations used in the Sasine abridgements.
Scottish Law Online
Scots Law. Scottish Land Law Glossary
Morayshire Family History
Scottish words and phrases that could be found in deeds, wills other documents
Dictionaries of the Scots Language
DSL Online brings together the two major historical dictionaries of the Scots language: Modern Scots after 1700 in The Scottish National Dictionary; Older Scots before 1700 in A Dictionary of the Older Scottish Tongue.
The Online Scots Dictionary
Translate from Scots to English and from English to Scots.
Online Databases
Scottish Land Information Service (ScotLIS)
Provided by Registers of Scotland, the service offers land and property information from public registers of land, property and other legal documents including the land register and sasine search sheets
Scottish Indexes
Registers of Sasines Search. This is an index of the parts of the General and Particular Registers of Sasines, held at the National Records of Scotland in Edinburgh.
Registers of Scotland
Register of Persons Holding a Controlled Interest in Land. This is the official register of persons holding a controlled interest in land in Scotland. The free to use register is required by law shows who controls the decisions of owners or tenants, for more than 20 years, of land and property in Scotland.
Findmypast
Scotland, General Register Of Sasines Index 1710-1720. This index will lead you to Sasine documents that exist in archives around Scotland.
Ancestry
Edinburgh, Scotland, Extent Rolls, 1580-1847. Browse or search extent rolls which were tax documents comprising information about rental owners’ properties. The land tax was collected annually and typically show the names of the owners and occupiers/tenants, the street address and the occupation of the owner. The extent tax was abolished by parliament in 1896.
