Great Scott! Campbells in My Tree? 

Do you think that you may descend from a Scottish clan? Are kilts, tartans, and bagpipes particularly appealing? Then, you may want to explore Scottish genealogy resources. This month is a great time to do so, as April is Scottish American Heritage Month! 

Begin your search by checking out the library’s Scottish genealogy resources. These include great guides to starting your search for Scottish ancestors as well as more specific publications about Scottish soldiers, ships, and surnames. Also, check out our NEW Genealogy eBook Collection which contains even more relevant resources. Use keywords like Scotland, Scottish, and other regional distinctions to find these resources. 

After exploring the library’s options, you may want to expand your search to other online resources. The National Records of Scotland is a great place to look, and they have excellent research guides to help you navigate their tools. Another superb online option is ScotlandsPeople which allows you to search the index and view non-indexed images for free. You can pay for any records that you find which may be of interest. When it comes to free resources, the FamilySearch Scotland Genealogy wiki is a good option, particularly the clickable Scotland Map and Counties links. Also, the Scotland Online Genealogy Records and Scotland Online Learning pages are comprised of many invaluable links. If you have not had enough with the links, consider the Scotland Cyndi’s List page. 

If you have found Scottish ancestors, you may want to consider joining the Genealogy Society of Chicago Scots. The Society “is open to everyone on the path of discovering their roots. The group convenes lectures, presentations and discussions to educate and promote the identification of Scottish roots through speakers and special programs.” If you prefer an online community, you may want to consider joining groups like Scottish Genealogy or Scotland’s Genealogy and Family History. Working on genealogy with others, even strangers, can be so rewarding! You may even find a relative in the process.