Farr Genealogical Records
Farr Birth & Baptism Records
The baptism registers of Farr are the primary source for birth details before civil registration. A full index to names with original images of the registers are available between 1790 and 1854. Entries usually contain date of birth and/or baptism, parents' names (with mother's maiden name) and occasionally father's occupation and witnesses.
The registers of baptisms for Sutherland provide details on parentage and are the primary source for such information before 1855.
An index to all foreign, domestic, air-borne, consular, High Commission, marine and military births registered by the Scottish government. The index is linked to images of birth registers from 100 or more years ago. They contain a great deal of information, including parent's full names, date and place of birth, date and place of parent's marriage and more.
The baptism registers of Scotland provide details of births from to . Entries usually record parents' names (with mother's maiden name) and date of birth and/or baptism.
A collection of indexes and transcripts of birth and baptism records that cover over 250 million people. Includes digital images of many records.
Farr Marriage & Divorce Records
Index to names and images of the original marriage registers of Farr. They commonly record the bride and groom's names and their parishes. Occasionally parents' names and witnesses may be recorded.
Index to names and images of the original marriage registers of Sutherland. They commonly record the bride and groom's names and their parishes. Occasionally parents' names and witnesses may be recorded.
An index to all foreign, domestic and military marriages recorded by the Scottish government. The index is linked to digital images of records more than 75 years old. Details given include date & place of marriage, full names of all parents and more.
The marriage registers of Scotland are the primary source for marriage details before civil registration. A full index to names with original images of the registers are available between and .
A collection of indexes and transcripts of marriage records that cover over 160 million people. Includes digital images of many records.
Farr Death & Burial Records
The burial registers of Sutherland provide details of deaths from to . Entries usually record no more than the deceased's name; occasionally an age and cause of death are given.
An index to all foreign, domestic, air-borne, consular, High Commission, marine and military deaths registered by the Scottish government. The index is linked to images of death registers from 50 or more years ago. They contain a great deal of information, including parent's full names, date and place of death, age and more.
Images of millions of pages from cemetery and crematoria registers, photographs of memorials, cemetery plans and more. Records can be search by a name index.
The burial registers of Scotland provide details of deaths from to . Entries usually record no more than the deceased's name; occasionally an age and cause of death are given.
A collection of indexes and transcripts of death and burial records that cover over 140 million people. Includes digital images of many records.
Farr Census & Population Lists
Documents listing households and residents throughout Scotland. The records include family relations, gender, age, occupation, place of birth, employment status, number of years married, number of children living and deceased, nationality, whether an individual could speak Gaelic, number of windows in property and some infirmities.
The 1901 census provides details on an individual's age, residence, place of birth, relations and occupation. FindMyPast's index allows searches on for multiple metrics including occupation and residence.
Documents listing households and residents throughout Scotland. The records include family relations, gender, age, occupation, place of birth, employment status, whether an individual could speak Gaelic, number of windows in property and some infirmities.
Inventories of all land and buildings in Scotland. They give a description of the property, the name of the owner, tenant & occupier and the rates due on the property.
The 1891 census provides details on an individual's age, residence, place of birth, relations and occupation. FindMyPast's index allows searches on for multiple metrics including occupation and residence.
Newspapers Covering Farr
A newspaper publishing local news, shipping intelligence, family notices etc. for Caithness, Sutherland, Orkney & Shetland.
A London newspaper that later became The Sun.
A popular Scottish tabloid.
A left-wing, British daily that sold up to 2 million copies a day at its peak.
Digital images, searchable by text, of a British daily tabloid.
Farr Wills & Probate Records
An index to testators and the subject's of other testamentary documents. The index is linked to digital images of the documents. An account is required to search the index.
A index to testators whose will was proved in the Prerogative Court of Canterbury. They principally cover those who lived in the lower two thirds of Britain, but contain wills for residents of Scotland, Ireland, British India and other countries. A copy of each will may be purchased for digital download.
An index and digital images of PCC wills, available on a subscription basis.
A collection of indexes, abstracts, transcripts and digital images of over 5.5 million wills, administrations and other probate records.
An index to almost 78,000 wills that were disputed. The index can lead you to documents that may shed a great deal of genealogical information as disputes often arose between siblings and cousins.
Farr Immigration & Travel Records
A name index connected to original images of passenger lists recording people travelling from Britain to destinations outside Europe. Records may detail a passenger's age or date of birth, residence, occupation, destination and more.
A full index of passenger lists for vessels arriving in the UK linked to original images. Does not include lists from vessels sailing from European ports. Early entries can be brief, but later entries may include dates of births, occupations, home addresses and more. Useful for documenting immigration.
An index to and images of documents recording over 1.65 million passengers who arrived in Victoria, Australia, including passengers whose voyage was paid for by others.
Details on thousands of 17th century British immigrants to the U.S., detailing their origins and nature of their immigration.
A list of over 40,000 passengers traveling from North America to the British Isles. Details of passengers may include: occupation, nationality, gender, age, martial status, class, destination, and details of the vessel they sailed on.
Farr Military Records
A searchable list of over 100,000 British Army POWs. Records contains details on the captured, their military career and where they were held prisoner.
Details on around 165,000 men serving in the British Army, Navy and Air Force who were held as prisoners during WWII.
Index and original images of over 5 million medal index cards for British soldiers It can be searched by individual's name, Coprs, Unit and Regiment. Due to the loss of many WWI service records, this is the most complete source for British WWI soldiers
This rich collection contains contains records for 1.9 million non-commissioned officers and other ranks who fought in WWI. Due to bomb damage in WWI, around 60% of service records were lost. Documents cover: enlistment, medical status, injuries, conduct, awards and discharge. A great deal of genealogical and biographical documentation can be found in these documents, including details on entire families, physical descriptions and place of birth.
An index to nearly 900,000 military personnel who were awarded the Silver War Badge for sustaining injures. Records include rank, regimental number, unit, dates of enlistment and discharge, and reason for discharge.
Farr Court & Legal Records
Digital images, searchable by a name index, of registers recording the admittance and discharge of over 840,000 people to insane asylums.
The Privicy Council dealt with a wide spectrum of issues pertaining to administration, the economy, politics and social affairs.
Details on the parole and revocation thereof, of over 4,400 female prisoners.
A publication giving brief details of bankruptcies, including the names of parties and companies involed.
A list of over 81,000 Presbyterian opponents of the Catholic church. Entries may list name, occupation, residence, names of relatives and other details.
Farr Taxation Records
Inventories of all land and buildings in Scotland. They give a description of the property, the name of the owner, tenant & occupier and the rates due on the property.
An index to 11,000,000 parcels of land and property, connected to digital images of registers that record their owner, occupier, description, agricultural use, size and rateable value.
An index linked to original images of registers recording apprenticeship indentures. Details are given on the trade and nature of apprenticeship. Many records list the parents of the apprentice.
A report detailing the manner in which customs and excise are dealt with in Scotland.
Farr Land & Property Records
Inventories of all land and buildings in Scotland. They give a description of the property, the name of the owner, tenant & occupier and the rates due on the property.
A list of people who owned more than one acre of land in Scotland. Lists a landowner's residence, acreage and estimated gross yearly rental.
An index to 11,000,000 parcels of land and property, connected to digital images of registers that record their owner, occupier, description, agricultural use, size and rateable value.
A collection of various land valuation documents extending as far back as 1650, but primarily covering the period after 1884. Useful for establishing the ancestry of land owners and their tenants.
Poll books record the names of voters and the direction of their vote. Until 1872 only landholders could vote, so not everyone will be listed. Useful for discerning an ancestor's political leanings and landholdings. The collection is supplemented with other records relating to the vote.
Farr Directories & Gazetteers
A detailed gazetteer of localities, geographic features, buildings and other features in Scotland.
Breif details of companies engaged in or related to the engineering, metal and motor trades industries. Organised by trade and place.
Historical and contemporary descriptions of settlements, detailing their governance, churches, schools etc.; to which is appended lists of residents, with their occupations.
A directory of the court, parliament, aristocracy, mayors, civil service, military, militia and banks in the British Empire.
A directory of the Church of England, its institutions and ministers.
Farr Cemeteries
Images of millions of pages from cemetery and crematoria registers, photographs of memorials, cemetery plans and more. Records can be search by a name index.
Photographs and transcriptions of millions of gravestones from cemeteries around the world.
Profiles of several hundred mausolea found in the British Isles.
Photographs and descriptions of Scotland's most illustrious church monuments, often featuring effigies, medieval inscriptions and heraldic devices.
Several thousand transcribed memorials remembering those connected with the nautical occupations.
Farr Obituaries
The UKs largest repository of obituaries, containing millions of searchable notices.
A growing collection currently containing over 425,000 abstracts of obituaries with reference to the location of the full obituary.
A collection of 364 obituaries of Quakers from the British Isles. The volume was published in 1849 and includes obituaries of those who died in late 1847 through 1848.
This transcribed and searchable work by Sir William Musgrave contains 10,000s of brief obituaries. The work is a reference point for other works containing information on an individual.
A text index and digital images of all editions of a journal containing medical articles and obituaries of medical practitioners.
Farr Histories & Books
Photographs and images of churches in Highland.
A growing database including millions of photographs of the United Kingdom, Isle of Man and Ireland catalogued by latitude & longitude and OS grid reference.
Ariel photographs of the British Isles. Browsable by location.
Over 19,000 postcards depicting places in the UK & Ireland.
A collection of 220,000 professional photos covering most towns and villages in Britain, and parts of Ireland.
Farr School & Education Records
Contains dates and information (and photographs of the fallen where available) for members of Edinburgh University who served and fell during The Great War. Also includes a section on orders, decorations and dispatches.
A name index linked to original images of short biographies for over 120,000 Oxford University students. This is a particularly useful source for tracing the ancestry of the landed gentry.
A transcript of a vast scholarly work briefly chronicling the heritage, education and careers of over 150,000 Cambridge University students. This is a particularly useful source for tracing the ancestry of the landed gentry.
A searchable database containing over 90,000 note-form biographies for students of Cambridge University.
Details of around 60,000 alumni who fought in WWI.
Farr Occupation & Business Records
An index to and images of registers recording over 3.7 million trade union members.
Books listing doctors who were licensed to operate in Britain and abroad. Contains doctor's residencies, qualification and date of registration.
A rich collection of records documenting those who worked for railway companies that were later absorbed by the government. Records include: staff registers, station transfers, pensions, accident records, apprentice records, caution books, and memos. Records may include date of birth, date of death and name of father.
Indexed medical journals from British ships containing personal and medical details of patients. The journals list names, ages, rank/status, diseases, illness duration and notes on symptoms and treatment. Contains details on military men as well as people immigrating or being deported to colonies.
This collection gives brief details on the appointment of over 1.4 million people who worked for the Post Office. Includes references to corresponding data in the Postmaster General’s minute books and is a starting point for research in the rich archive of the British Postal Museum.
Pedigrees & Family Trees Covering Farr
Digital images of registers recording those who are eligible to bear coats of arms in Scotland. The records can contain genealogical tracts and renderings of the arms.
Extensive and impeccably sourced genealogies for British, Irish & Manx royalty and nobility. Scroll down to 'British Isles' for relevant sections.
A searchable database of linked genealogies compiled from thousands of reputable and not-so-reputable sources. Contains many details on European gentry & nobility, but covers many countries outside Europe and people from all walks of life.
A searchable book, listing pedigrees of titled families and biographies of their members.
A book containing genealogies and biographies of Britain's titled families.
Farr Royalty, Nobility & Heraldry Records
Digital images of registers recording those who are eligible to bear coats of arms in Scotland. The records can contain genealogical tracts and renderings of the arms.
Extensive and impeccably sourced genealogies for British, Irish & Manx royalty and nobility. Scroll down to 'British Isles' for relevant sections.
A searchable database of linked genealogies compiled from thousands of reputable and not-so-reputable sources. Contains many details on European gentry & nobility, but covers many countries outside Europe and people from all walks of life.
A dictionary of families elevated to the peerage of Great Britain & Ireland. It includes genealogies and biographical details.
Lineages of Britain and Ireland's untitled landed families; supplemented with biographical sketches.
Farr Church Records
The old parish registers of Farr provide details on births, marriages and deaths. They were the primary point of record for such information before 1855.
The baptism registers of Sutherland are the primary source for birth details before civil registration. A full index to names with original images of the registers are available between and . Entries usually contain date of birth and/or baptism, parents' names (with mother's maiden name) and occasionally father's occupation and witnesses.
Prior to civil registration in 1855, the parish registers of Scotland are the most common place to turn for details on births, marriages and deaths.
Index to names and images of the original baptism registers of Scotland. They commonly record the date of birth or baptism with parents' names (often including the mother's maiden name).
The parish registers of Scotland are a collection of books documenting baptisms, marriages and burials from 1817 to 1934.
Biographical Directories Covering Farr
A searchable book, listing pedigrees of titled families and biographies of their members.
A book containing genealogies and biographies of Britain's titled families.
A book containing genealogies and biographies of Britain's titled families.
Brief biographies of Anglican clergy in the UK.
A compendium of biographies of thousands of Scottish Jacobites.
Farr Maps
Images of maps covering Sutherland.
Detailed maps covering much of the UK. They depict forests, mountains, larger farms, roads, railroads, towns, and more.
Maps showing settlements, features and some buildings in mainland Britain.
An index to 11,000,000 parcels of land and property, connected to digital images of registers that record their owner, occupier, description, agricultural use, size and rateable value.
Maps of parishes in England, Scotland and Wales. They are useful in determining which parish records may be relevant to your research.
Farr Reference Works
A beginner’s guide to researching ancestry in Scotland.
A comprehensive guide to researching the history of buildings in the British Isles.
A service that provides advanced and custom surname maps for the British Isles and the US.
A dictionary of around 9,000 mottoes for British families who had right to bear arms.
A growing collection of heraldic and related clip art that can be used to reconstruct a families' arms. Includes packs for British, German, Austrian, Spanish, Italian, Danish, Polish, Portuguese, French, Swiss and Dutch arms. Images are available in a variety of formats including vectors.
Historical Description
The parish of Far skirts on the confines of Reay in Caithness, and is thirty miles in length, and fourteen in breadth, containing 444 houses, inhabited by 2,408 inhabitants; viz. 1,107 males, and 1,301 females; of whom 949 were returned as being employed in agriculture, and 88 in trade and manufacture. This parish is a mountainous district; eleven miles of it are on the seacoast, besides which it is watered by the rivers Naver and Borgie. Round the coast are numerous extensive caves, in which are immense numbers of seals.— Several remains of Pictish castles are to be met with here.
At a place called Langdale there were the noble remains of a Druidical temple, being a circle of one hundred feet diameter, and surrounded with a trench, so that the earth formed a bank; in the midst of it a stone was erected like a pillar, where the Druid stood and taught. The country people have trenched or delved the ground, and sown it with corn. There was in the town a large round building, and a place where they formerly buried.
A great battle was fought of old in this parish, between Reginald king of the Isles, and Harald earl of Orkney and Caithness. Harald was defeated; and the field of battle is full of small cairns, where the slain were buried, and some large stones erected like pillars shew where persons of note were interred. Torfoeus says that they had bloody skirmishes near the manse of Far, as appears from the number of cairns. There is a most curious sepulchral monument in the churchyard of Far, which may be of that date; it is of hard hill granite, well cut, considering the area of it; but the meaning of the sculpture is unknown: only it may be conjectured that the person for whose sake it was erected was a Christian, because of the cross upon the stone; and that he was a warrior, because we see a shield or target upon it.
There was formerly a chapel in this parish, at a town called Skail, upon the river Naver; another in the extremity thereof at Mondale; and a third at Strathie, the most beautiful and fertile part of the parish.
Between Far and Kirtony, in this parish, is a singular curiosity, being the remains of an old square building, or tower, called Borve, standing upon a small point, joined to the continent by a narrow neck of land, not ten feet wide. This point or head is very high, consisting of rock, and some gravel on the top; on both sides is very deep water, and a tolerable harbour for boats. This tower seems to be built by the Norwegians; and the tradition is, that one Thorkel, or Torquil, a warrior mentioned by Torfoeus, was the person that built it. They speak likewise of a lady that was concealed there; she is said to be an Orkney woman, and Thorkel was an Orkney man. But what is most singular is, that through the rock upon which the tower stands, there is a passage below of two hundred feet in length, like a grand arch or vault, through which they row a boat. The passage is so long that when you enter at one end you fancy that there is no possibility to get out at the other, et vice versa. How this hard rock was thus bored or excavated it is difficult to form any conjecture, but it is one of the most curious natural arches, perhaps, in the known world.
In this parish there is also a promontory, called Strathyhead; Ptolemy, the geographer, calls it Vervadrum, as he calls Cape Wrath, Tarvedrum, and Dungsbey-head, Berubium. These three promontories run in a line from northwest to north, and jut far out into the sea, having most rapid tides upon them. In Strathy-head is a stately cave, called Uai nei, or cave where they find driven wood or timber. The entrance into this cave is very grand, the natural rock almost forming itself like the sway of an arch. This promontory is as fine pasture for sheep and goats as any in the north of Scotland.
To the northeast of Strathy there is a stone erected near the highway, with a cross upon it, which shews its antiquity as a sepulchral monument. Erected stones were the distinguishing marks of the graves of persons of note in the time of Paganism: and after Christianity was planted in this kingdom, the distinction of Pagan from Christian was, that a cross was cut upon the sepulchral monuments of the latter.
Most Common Surnames in Farr
| Rank | Surname | Incidence | Frequency | Percent of Parent | Rank in Sutherland |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | McKay | 945 | 1:2 | 21.99% | 1 |
| 2 | Munro | 131 | 1:15 | 15.25% | 7 |
| 3 | McLeod | 129 | 1:15 | 7.09% | 2 |
| 4 | McDonald | 122 | 1:16 | 13.72% | 6 |
| 5 | Campbell | 73 | 1:27 | 13.90% | 10 |
| 6 | Murray | 38 | 1:51 | 4.75% | 8 |
| 7 | McKenzie | 34 | 1:57 | 2.83% | 4 |
| 7 | Ross | 34 | 1:57 | 2.85% | 5 |
| 9 | Sutherland | 31 | 1:62 | 1.84% | 3 |
| 10 | Anderson | 29 | 1:67 | 28.43% | 27 |
| 11 | Gunn | 25 | 1:77 | 5.90% | 12 |
| 12 | Gordon | 20 | 1:97 | 7.30% | 15 |
| 13 | McPherson | 16 | 1:121 | 7.84% | 18 |
| 14 | Robertson | 15 | 1:129 | 19.23% | 31 |
| 15 | McKintosh | 14 | 1:138 | 45.16% | 65 |
| 16 | Kerr | 12 | 1:161 | 5.53% | 17 |
| 16 | Sinclair | 12 | 1:161 | 26.09% | 44 |
| 16 | Gun | 12 | 1:161 | 100.00% | 127 |
| 19 | Henderson | 11 | 1:176 | 26.83% | 49 |
| 19 | McIntosh | 11 | 1:176 | 4.26% | 16 |
| 21 | Morrison | 10 | 1:194 | 2.23% | 11 |
| 21 | Duncan | 10 | 1:194 | 32.26% | 65 |
| 21 | Falconer | 10 | 1:194 | 33.33% | 67 |
| 21 | O'Brine | 10 | 1:194 | 100.00% | 148 |
| 25 | Waters | 9 | 1:215 | 100.00% | 159 |
| 26 | Wilson | 8 | 1:242 | 15.69% | 40 |
| 26 | Simpson | 8 | 1:242 | 25.00% | 64 |
| 26 | French | 8 | 1:242 | 100.00% | 178 |
| 29 | Matheson | 7 | 1:277 | 1.26% | 9 |
| 29 | McBeath | 7 | 1:277 | 9.72% | 32 |
| 31 | Fraser | 6 | 1:323 | 1.59% | 13 |
| 31 | Gillies | 6 | 1:323 | 85.71% | 203 |
| 31 | Waugh | 6 | 1:323 | 85.71% | 203 |
| 31 | McBeth | 6 | 1:323 | 66.67% | 159 |
| 31 | McArdie | 6 | 1:323 | 100.00% | 231 |
| 36 | Ferguson | 5 | 1:387 | 16.67% | 67 |
| 36 | Munn | 5 | 1:387 | 45.45% | 135 |
| 38 | Miller | 4 | 1:484 | 19.05% | 88 |
| 38 | Forbes | 4 | 1:484 | 3.64% | 26 |
| 38 | Mathieson | 4 | 1:484 | 5.88% | 33 |
| 38 | Percy | 4 | 1:484 | 100.00% | 282 |
| 38 | McNiel | 4 | 1:484 | 100.00% | 282 |
| 43 | Douglas | 3 | 1:646 | 7.50% | 52 |
| 43 | Nicol | 3 | 1:646 | 8.57% | 58 |
| 45 | Brown | 2 | 1:969 | 6.90% | 70 |
| 45 | Martin | 2 | 1:969 | 12.50% | 104 |
| 45 | Parker | 2 | 1:969 | 100.00% | 368 |
| 45 | Graham | 2 | 1:969 | 1.79% | 25 |
| 45 | Paterson | 2 | 1:969 | 14.29% | 112 |
| 45 | Watt | 2 | 1:969 | 7.41% | 72 |
| 45 | Allison | 2 | 1:969 | 28.57% | 203 |
| 45 | Hardie | 2 | 1:969 | 100.00% | 368 |
| 45 | Douglass | 2 | 1:969 | 40.00% | 256 |
| 45 | McDougal | 2 | 1:969 | 100.00% | 368 |
| 45 | Pring | 2 | 1:969 | 100.00% | 368 |
| 45 | Tomson | 2 | 1:969 | 100.00% | 368 |
| 45 | Chisolm | 2 | 1:969 | 100.00% | 368 |
| 58 | Roberts | 1 | 1:1,937 | 33.33% | 335 |
| 58 | Clark | 1 | 1:1,937 | 2.78% | 56 |
| 58 | Clarke | 1 | 1:1,937 | 4.17% | 80 |
| 58 | Cook | 1 | 1:1,937 | 100.00% | 459 |
| 58 | Pearson | 1 | 1:1,937 | 100.00% | 459 |
| 58 | Reid | 1 | 1:1,937 | 2.38% | 48 |
| 58 | Webster | 1 | 1:1,937 | 100.00% | 459 |
| 58 | Davidson | 1 | 1:1,937 | 2.86% | 58 |
| 58 | McLean | 1 | 1:1,937 | 0.72% | 20 |
| 58 | Cameron | 1 | 1:1,937 | 1.25% | 30 |
| 58 | Armstrong | 1 | 1:1,937 | 2.17% | 44 |
| 58 | Burns | 1 | 1:1,937 | 50.00% | 368 |
| 58 | McGregor | 1 | 1:1,937 | 2.33% | 47 |
| 58 | Hogg | 1 | 1:1,937 | 100.00% | 459 |
| 58 | McKinnon | 1 | 1:1,937 | 4.76% | 88 |
| 58 | Bain | 1 | 1:1,937 | 2.63% | 53 |
| 58 | Stuart | 1 | 1:1,937 | 5.56% | 94 |
| 58 | McRae | 1 | 1:1,937 | 0.52% | 19 |
| 58 | Ellison | 1 | 1:1,937 | 50.00% | 368 |
| 58 | Stephen | 1 | 1:1,937 | 33.33% | 335 |
| 58 | Vernon | 1 | 1:1,937 | 100.00% | 459 |
| 58 | Manson | 1 | 1:1,937 | 2.94% | 60 |
| 58 | Nicolson | 1 | 1:1,937 | 6.25% | 104 |
| 58 | Glass | 1 | 1:1,937 | 100.00% | 459 |
| 58 | Mathers | 1 | 1:1,937 | 100.00% | 459 |
| 58 | Ingles | 1 | 1:1,937 | 100.00% | 459 |
| 58 | Robison | 1 | 1:1,937 | 100.00% | 459 |
| 58 | Marshal | 1 | 1:1,937 | 100.00% | 459 |
| 58 | Aitkin | 1 | 1:1,937 | 16.67% | 231 |
| 58 | Stell | 1 | 1:1,937 | 100.00% | 459 |
| 58 | Dalgliesh | 1 | 1:1,937 | 100.00% | 459 |
| 58 | Webbe | 1 | 1:1,937 | 100.00% | 459 |
| 58 | Carnaby | 1 | 1:1,937 | 100.00% | 459 |
| 58 | Catanach | 1 | 1:1,937 | 100.00% | 459 |
| 58 | McKaskill | 1 | 1:1,937 | 4.00% | 76 |
| 58 | Malonie | 1 | 1:1,937 | 100.00% | 459 |
| 58 | Nikleson | 1 | 1:1,937 | 100.00% | 459 |