Commissariot of Aberdeen
The Commissariot Record of Aberdeen
This Scottish Record Society publication is an index to Aberdeen Commissary Court testaments, not a transcription of the wills themselves. Its value is as a finding aid: it identifies people whose testaments were confirmed and often preserves occupation, residence, territorial designation, or family relationship.
The volume indexes about 3,500 wills in 43 bundles. The compiler recorded that the earlier testament material had been lost by fire. Surviving Aberdeen Commissary Court records are held by the National Records of Scotland under CC1.
Master Index · Guthrie Testament Holders
| Testament Holder | Description | Place | Date(s) | Access |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sir Alexander Guthrie | of Ludquharn | — | 19 Jan. 1762 | Entry |
| Mr. Andrew Guthrie | minister at Peterhead | Peterhead | 12 Dec. 1723 & 26 June 1729 | Entry |
| Mr. Andrew Guthrie | minister at Peterhead | Peterhead | 22 Feb. 1782 | Entry |
| George Guthrie | merchant tailor in Cullen | Cullen | 7 Sept. 1759 | Entry |
| Helen Guthrie | eldest daughter of deceased Thomas Guthrie of Blackhouse | — | 8 Feb. 1757 | Entry |
| Sir John Guthrie | of Kingedward | — | 17 Dec. 1722, 16 June 1725 & 14 July 1737 | Entry |
| John Guthrie | in Pittendrum | Pittendrum | 3 Apr. 1728 & 5 Oct. 1743 | Entry |
| Mr. Thomas Guthrie | of Blackhouse | Blackhouse | 8 May 1735 | Entry |
Indexed Guthrie Testaments
Sir Alexander Guthrie
The territorial designation makes this a potentially valuable landed-family record. The published index identifies the testament, but the original court material is required for heirs, executors, inventories, debts, and kinship evidence.
Mr. Andrew Guthrie
The Peterhead ministerial designation is a strong identifier. Because the index contains two Andrew Guthrie entries separated by many decades, they should remain separate individuals unless the underlying records demonstrate otherwise.
Mr. Andrew Guthrie
The Peterhead ministerial designation is a strong identifier. Because the index contains two Andrew Guthrie entries separated by many decades, they should remain separate individuals unless the underlying records demonstrate otherwise.
George Guthrie
The occupational and place information—merchant tailor in Cullen—provides a useful fixed identity for a north-east Scottish Guthrie whose full testament may identify family, debts, trading connections, and personal property.
Helen Guthrie
The index supplies a direct parent-child statement: Helen was the eldest daughter of the deceased Thomas Guthrie of Blackhouse. The underlying testament may clarify siblings, executors, creditors, and the composition of her moveable estate.
Sir John Guthrie
The repeated confirmation dates may represent an original testament with later eiks or supplementary proceedings. The index establishes the Kingedward designation, but the underlying records are needed to determine what each confirmation contains.
John Guthrie
The Pittendrum residence gives a useful local identifier. The two dates may reflect separate confirmations or supplementary material and should be checked in the original court record.
Mr. Thomas Guthrie
The Blackhouse territorial designation may connect this testament with Helen Guthrie’s 1757 entry, but the index alone does not establish more than Helen’s stated parentage.
Using the Index
Testament: In Scots legal usage, a confirmed testament commonly concerns the deceased person’s moveable estate and may include an inventory, debts, executors, cautioners and kinship clues.
Eik: A later addition to a confirmed testament, often recording property or debt omitted from the original inventory.
Best next step: Use the published index to identify the person and date, then locate the surviving Aberdeen Commissary Court record through the National Records of Scotland / ScotlandsPeople. The original record—not the printed index—is the source needed for a full genealogical analysis.
Sources & Access
Published index: John MacLeod, ed., The Commissariot Record of Aberdeen: Register of Testaments, 1715–1800, Scottish Record Society, Old Series No. 6 (Edinburgh: printed for the Society by James Skinner, 1899).
Online copy: Internet Archive · Scottish Record Society, volume 6.
Repository: National Records of Scotland · Aberdeen Commissary Court Records, CC1.
Research access: ScotlandsPeople · Aberdeen county wills and testaments guidance.
Series bibliography: Scottish Record Society · Old Series Publications.
Guthrie Genealogy · Special CollectionsAberdeen Commissary Court · Thistle Archive