Scottish Birth Certificate (1875) 

The following image is of a birth certificate for Mary Horsburgh who was born on 2nd December 1875. As an example this document is not the original birth certificate. The document is a duplicate extract issued by the General Registrar. It was probably requested by Mary for some legal or other reason. The duplicate was made on 20th August 1900. The only things which distinguish it from the original are the word "Duplicate" next to the title and that the date of extract on the bottom is different from the date of registration. It is written by hand and copied from the book which makes up the register for the parish of Lochee in Dundee. Below the image we have put a text description of everything on the certificate.

Scottish Birth Certificate (1875)

Description of Certificate

The form is designed as seven columns.

  1. Entry number
  2. Name and Surname of the child
  3. When and where born
  4. Sex of child
  5. Name, surname and rank or profession of father; Name and maiden surname of Mother; Date and place of marriage.
  6. Signature and qualification of informant, and residence if out of the house in which the birth occurred.
  7. When and where registered, and signature of Registrar.

The section below the form simply notes the district that the extract was taken from, the date of extract, and the signature of the registrar.

The profession (job) of the mother is not asked. This has now been changed in Scotland so that both sexes are asked equivalent questions.

Information on Certificate

The information on this particular extract under the seven columns

  1. 453 - the number of the entry in the register.
  2. Mary Horsburgh
  3. 1875 December Second 4h 30m PM, 20 Burnside Street, Lochee
  4. F (Female)
  5. David Horsburgh, Mason; Sarah Horsburgh M.S. McQueen, 1874 Sept 28th Lochee
  6. signed Sarah Horsburgh her X mark, mother; signed James Brown, Asst Registrar witness
  7. 1875 December 13th at Lochee; signed James Brown Asst Registrar

The informant (Sarah Horsburgh) was unable to write her name and so made her mark (X) on the original register. This is described as "her X mark" on the extract and witnessed by the registrar.

The M.S. is an abbreviation for maiden surname.