Aberdeenshire, Scotland

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For a grouping of profiles associated with Aberdeenshire, see the category for Aberdeenshire

County Team Leader: Laura Bozzay

Aberdeenshire

(Scottish Gaelic: Siorrachd Obar Dheathain)

https://www.wikitree.com/photo/jpg/Scotland_-_Clan_Tartans-198

As of 2018, Aberdeenshire consisted of an area of 2,439 sq miles (6,317 sq. km) and had a population of 261,470 people. It is one of 32 council areas of Scotland.^[1] Its boundaries include what once was all ofAberdeenshire (except Aberdeen), Kincardineshire and part of Banffshire. The old boundaries are still used, primarily for lieutenancy ^[2] and land registration. The County now borders Angus, Perth and Kinross on the south, Highland and Moray on the west, and the city of Aberdeen on the east. The County represents approximately 8% of Scotland’s territory. ^[3].

Historical Timeline

In the time of the Romans, the land that later formed the counties of Aberdeen and Banff was the home of a possibly Pictish tribe known to Ptolomy as the Taixall. He therefore called their lands Taixalon. To the Romans, the major town in the district was known as Devana. Although there has been some historical conjecture regarding the location of Devana, it is now thought, based on archaeological evidence, to have been at Peterculter, now an outer suburb of Aberdeen. The Roman camp at Normandykes and Roman camps on the upper Ythan and Deveron support this assumption. However other than Roman marching camps there is no evidence of permanent occupation by the Romans in the county.^[4]

However, the presence of the Picts is found throughout the county and may indicate their presence before or after the Romans, or both. Their weems (earth-houses) occur fairly-commonly in the west. Relics of crannogs (lake-dwellings) exist at Loch Kinord, five miles (8 km) northeast of Ballater, at Loch Goul in the parish of New Machar, and elsewhere. Duns (forts) occur on hills at Dunecht, where the dun encloses an area of two acres (8,000 sq. meters), Barra near Old Meldrum, Tap o' Noth, Dunnideer near Insch, and other places. Monoliths, standing stones and "druidical" circles of their period abound, as do many examples of the sculptured stones of the early Christian epoch.^[5]

Efforts to convert the Picts started in the 5th century, and continued through Gaelic influence from Columba, who founded a monastery at Old Deer, Drostan, Maluog, and Machar.^[6]

Historically, Aberdeenshire consisted of five geographic districts:

• Mar, later an Earldom, which was mostly between the Dee and Don valleys, nearly covered the southern half of the county and included the city of Aberdeen (although the Earldom didn't). ^[7]

• Formartine (Fermartyn), was originally a Thanage, but later gave the title of Viscount to the Earl of Aberdeen; lay between the lower Don valley and Ythan. It has a sandy coast, which is followed inland by a clay-like, fertile, tract. This is followed by a section of low hills, moors, mosses, and tilled land.^[8] NOTE: Thane was the title given to a local royal official in medieval eastern Scotland, equivalent in rank to the son of an earl, who was at the head of an administrative and socio-economic unit known as a shire or thanage. ^[9]

• Buchan, later an Earldom, lay north of the Ythan. It comprised the north-east portion of the county and is next in size to Mar. Parts of the coast are bold and rocky, the interior is bare, low, flat, undulating and, in places, has peaty soil. Along the coast, about six miles (10 km) south of Peterhead, are the Bullers of Buchan; a basin in which the sea, entering by a natural arch, boils up violently in stormy weather. Buchan Ness is the most-easterly point of Scotland. ^[10]

• Garioch, later an Earldom; is in the centre of the county. It consists of a beautiful, undulating, loamy, fertile valley, formerly called the granary of Aberdeen.^[11] It was in these lands that the Battle of Harlaw was fought in 1411.

• Strathbogie, is a large area south of Deveron that consists of hills, moors and mosses.^[12] These were the lands of the Lord of Strathbogie but, as a result of marriage, later held by the Earl of Atholl.

Traditionally, Aberdeenshire has been economically dependent on Agriculture, fishing and forestry, and their related industries. The development of the oil and gas industry over the last four decades has broadened the County’s base and caused a 50% increase in population growth.^[13]

Map Resources

• [1] - GENUKI Aberdeen Parish Map

• [2] - Historical Maps - A Vision of Britain Through Time

• [3] - Ordinance Survey Election Maps

Genealogy Resources for Aberdeenshire:

• [4] - Inverurie and the earldom of the Garioch; a topographical and historical account of the Garioch from the earliest times to the revolution settlement. With a genealogical appendix of Garioch families flourishing at the period of the revolution settlement and still represented; John Davidson; 1878.

• [5] The Thanage of Fermartyn, including the district commonly called Formartine, its proprietors, with genealogical deductions; its parishes, ministers, Churches, churchyards, antiquities, etc; William Temple; 1894.

• Visitation(s) of England and Wales County Index entries for persons whose pedigree first entry in the Visitation(s) commences in Aberdeenshire, or who appears listed in a pedigree, addendum or correction to the Visitations.

• Aberdeen and NE Scotland Family History Society

Sources

1. ↑ Wikipedia Article Council Areas, accessed 02 Dec 2019
2. ↑ Wikipedia Article Lieutenancy Areas of Scotland
3. ↑ Wikipedia Article Aberdeenshire
4. ↑ Wikipedia Article Aberdeenshire (historic county)
5. ↑ Wikipedia Article Aberdeenshire (historic county)
6. ↑ Wikipedia Article Aberdeenshire (historic county)
7. ↑ Wikipedia Article Geography
8. ↑ Wikipedia Article Geography
9. ↑ Wikipedia Article: Thane
10. ↑ Wikipedia Article Geography
11. ↑ Wikipedia Article Geography
12. ↑ Wikipedia Article Geography
13. ↑ Wikipedia Article Aberdeenshire