The Aberdeenshire Ancestry Trail: Tracing Your Scottish Roots in the Northeast

If your Scottish roots lie in the northeast, the Aberdeenshire ancestry trail puts your family’s past within reach.

This corner of Scotland gave the world the Gordon Highlanders, the Forbes merchant families, and thousands of farming households who crossed the Atlantic for a better life. Their records survive. Their clan lands remain. And the northeast of Scotland is ready to welcome you back.

Why Walk the Aberdeenshire Ancestry Trail?

Aberdeenshire was one of the most densely farmed parts of Scotland in the 18th and 19th centuries. When emigration came, it hit hard.

Between 1790 and 1870, tens of thousands of northeast Scots sailed from Aberdeen for North America. Some left because their landlords cleared them from the land. Others went because the harvests failed. Others followed a cousin who had already written home about cheap land in Nova Scotia or Prince Edward Island.

The families from the parish of Logie-Coldstone, in the hills above Deeside, took ship for Prince Edward Island in the 1820s. Their surnames — Farquharson, Leslie, Gauld — still appear in PEI phone directories today. That unbroken thread is what this ancestry trail exists to find.

The northeast also gave Scotland some of its most powerful clan names. Gordon, Forbes, Keith, Hay, Irvine — all were centred here. Their castle seats still stand. Their church records survive. Their stories belong to anyone who carries those names.

Aberdeen City: Where to Begin Your Research

Start in Aberdeen. The city has three key resources for ancestry visitors.

Aberdeen City Archives holds records that go beyond what ScotlandsPeople holds online. You will find burgh records, estate papers, and court books dating to the 1400s. The archives are at Old Aberdeen House on Dunbar Street. You need an appointment — book ahead through the Aberdeen City Council website before you travel.

Aberdeen City Library on Rosemount Viaduct has a strong local studies section. You can view Aberdeenshire newspapers, trade directories, valuation rolls, and historic parish maps. These sources help you place an ancestor in a specific farm or village rather than just a parish name.

ScotlandsPeople.gov.uk is your main database. You can search it from home before you travel. Look for Old Parish Records (OPRs) from the 1600s, statutory registers from 1855, and census records from 1841 to 1921. Most Aberdeenshire parishes have good coverage.

Before your trip, find every record for your family name in northeast Scotland. Note each parish. That list becomes your Aberdeenshire ancestry trail on the ground. For a complete guide to the research process, read our step-by-step guide to tracing your Scottish ancestry.

The Gordon Heartland: Huntly and Strathbogie

From Aberdeen, drive northwest to Huntly. This market town sits at the heart of Gordon country. Clan Gordon ruled Strathbogie — the valley of the River Bogie — for 500 years.

Huntly Castle stands in the centre of town. Historic Environment Scotland manages it and it opens most of the year. The carved heraldic frontispiece above the entrance is one of the finest pieces of Renaissance stonework in Scotland. This was the seat of the Gordon earls and later the Gordon marquesses.

In the 1790s and 1800s, Gordon landlords cleared many tenants from the hills above Strathbogie. The parishes of Glass, Gartly, and Rhynie all sent families to ships bound for Nova Scotia. The kirkyard at Huntly Old Church has headstones from the early 1700s. Many are carved with symbols that tell you what your ancestor did for a living — a plough for a farmer, an anvil for a blacksmith.

For Gordon septs, tartans, and the full clan story, read our Clan Gordon guide.

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The Don Valley: Forbes Country

Drive south from Huntly to Inverurie, then follow the River Don west. You enter Forbes country — a long valley of farmland and river that Clan Forbes held from the 1100s.

Forbes, Bannerman, Fordyce, Lumsden, and Watt are all names tied to this valley. If you carry one of those surnames, the Don Valley is likely where your family started.

Tolquhon Castle, near Tarves, was built by the Forbes family in the 1580s. Historic Environment Scotland manages the site. The carved entrance arch still carries the Forbes arms.

Craigievar Castle sits further upstream near Alford. Pink-painted and seven storeys high, the Forbes of Craigievar completed it in 1626. The National Trust for Scotland manages it today. Few tower houses in Scotland are better preserved or more striking.

Many Forbes families left the Don Valley in the 1820s and 1830s. New Brunswick and Ontario were common destinations. Stand at Craigievar and look across the valley. Your ancestors may have done the same before they sailed.

Read our full Clan Forbes guide for surnames, history, and emigration patterns.

Royal Deeside: Castles, Clans and Clearances

Follow the River Dee west from Aberdeen into Royal Deeside. Queen Victoria made this valley famous when she bought Balmoral in 1852. For ancestry visitors, older names matter more here.

Crathes Castle, near Banchory, was home to the Burnett of Leys family for nearly 400 years. The painted ceiling in the long gallery dates to 1602. The formal yew hedges outside are among the oldest topiary in Scotland. The National Trust for Scotland manages the property. If your surname is Burnett, this is your ancestral seat.

Drum Castle, six miles west of Aberdeen, belonged to the Irvine family for 24 generations — from 1325 until 1975. The original tower is one of the oldest surviving tower houses in Scotland. If your name is Irvine or Irving, this is where your family history began. Read our Clan Irvine guide for the full story.

Delgatie Castle, near Turriff, was the seat of Clan Hay. Today it runs as a bed and breakfast — you can sleep under your ancestral clan’s roof. If your name is Hay, Leith, or Garrioch, this castle is where your family’s story began. Read our Clan Hay guide for the full ancestry picture.

The south Deeside parishes of Lumphanan, Aboyne, and Torphins sent many families to Prince Edward Island and Ontario between 1815 and 1850. Their records are on ScotlandsPeople. Their kirkyard headstones are still legible.

The Kincardineshire Coast: Dunnottar and Clan Keith

Head south from Aberdeen along the coast road to Stonehaven. The clifftop fortress of Dunnottar Castle rises above the sea.

Dunnottar was the stronghold of Clan Keith for centuries. The Keiths held the title of Marischal of Scotland — hereditary keepers of the national regalia. In 1651, they used the castle to hide Scotland’s Crown Jewels from Cromwell’s army for eight months.

The castle is a striking ruin on a rock stack cut off from the mainland by a sea ravine. A privately managed site, it opens most of the year. The walk down from the clifftop and up through the gatehouse is one of the most dramatic approaches to any historic site in Scotland.

For Keith surnames and full clan history, read our Clan Keith guide.

The Kincardineshire fishing villages of Catterline, Gourdon, and Johnshaven sent families to Newfoundland and New Brunswick from the 1790s. Their descendants still mark Scottish traditions in communities along the Canadian east coast.

Practical Planning Tips

Getting there: Aberdeen Airport connects directly to London Heathrow, Gatwick, Luton, Manchester, Birmingham, and Amsterdam. Car hire is available at the airport. A car is essential for reaching most castle and parish sites.

How long to allow: Give yourself at least three or four days. A full week lets you research in Aberdeen, cover the Gordon and Forbes heartlands, explore Royal Deeside, and reach the Kincardineshire coast.

Where to stay: Aberdeen has a full range of hotels. For something more atmospheric, look at farmhouse B&Bs in the Don Valley or on Deeside. Delgatie Castle near Turriff takes guests — a remarkable option for Hay descendants.

When to go: April to October gives the best weather and the widest opening hours at castles and archives. Many sites close or reduce hours in winter.

For a full guide to organising a Scottish heritage journey, read our Scottish heritage trip planning guide.

Frequently Asked Questions About the Aberdeenshire Ancestry Trail

What genealogy records can I find for Aberdeenshire ancestors?

Aberdeenshire has strong coverage on ScotlandsPeople.gov.uk. Old Parish Records (OPRs) cover most parishes from the 1600s. Statutory registers run from 1855. Census records cover 1841 to 1921. Aberdeen City Archives holds burgh, estate, and court records not available online.

Which Scottish clans are based in Aberdeenshire?

The main clans include Gordon, Forbes, Keith, Hay, Irvine, Farquharson, Burnett, and Cumming. Gordon country centres on Strathbogie and Huntly. Forbes country runs along the Don Valley. The Keiths held the Kincardineshire coast. Hay country covers the Turriff area in the northeast.

Can I visit Dunnottar Castle on the Kincardineshire coast?

Yes. Dunnottar Castle is privately managed and open most of the year. It sits south of Stonehaven on the Kincardineshire coast. Check the castle’s own website for current opening times and admission prices before you visit.

Did many Aberdeenshire families emigrate to Canada?

Yes. Between 1790 and 1870, northeast Scotland sent tens of thousands of people to North America. Nova Scotia, Prince Edward Island, Ontario, and New Brunswick all received large numbers of Aberdeenshire families. The Gordon estate clearances in the 1790s and 1800s pushed many tenants from Strathbogie towards the emigrant ships.

How do I trace my Aberdeenshire roots from North America?

Start at ScotlandsPeople.gov.uk. Search your surname in the OPRs for Aberdeenshire parishes. If you know a county or approximate location, narrow your search by parish name. Our full step-by-step ancestry guide walks you through every database and what it contains.

Should I visit Aberdeen before heading into the countryside?

Yes. Spend your first day in Aberdeen. Research at the City Library or City Archives, and search ScotlandsPeople from your hotel. Then head into the clan lands with your parish list. You will get much more from the countryside once you know which parishes your family came from.