National Records of Scotland is the national archive for Scotland. Our holdings provide a unique resource for the study of Scottish history from the early 12th century to the present day.
Viewing the records
Records available online
The following records are available to view as digital images:
- birth, death and marriage certificates
- census records
You can view these records online on Scotland’s People.
Accessing records in person
Most of our records are original and can only be viewed in our Historical Search Room.
You can find more details of what we hold on our catalogue.
You'll need to request the majority of our records at least 3 days before your visit. Most of our records are stored off-site.
For more information, read our guide on requesting records from our online catalogue.
Who we collect records from
We collect records from:
- the Scottish Government
- the Scottish Office
- other national government bodies in Scotland
We're also responsible for collecting records of:
- the principal Scottish courts
- the Church of Scotland and its predecessor churches
We may also accept records of private individuals, families, businesses and other kinds of organisations.
Our Collections Development Policy tells you about:
- who we collect records from
- which kinds of records we keep
