Commissariot of Glasgow
The Commissariot Record of Glasgow
Edited by Francis J. Grant for the Scottish Record Society, this volume is an index to testaments confirmed in the Glasgow Commissary Court. The commissariot covered Glasgow and parts of Ayrshire, Dunbartonshire, Lanarkshire, Renfrewshire and Stirlingshire.
The Guthrie survey contains 36 Guthrie-related index rows: 25 Guthrie testament holders and 11 secondary references. A notable feature is the concentration of Gottray and Guthrie entries in Ayrshire—especially Craigie, Irvine, Riccarton, Loudoun, Ayr and neighbouring parishes.
Collection Overview
Gottray as an Indexed Surname Form
The early entries frequently use Gottray. The published spelling is retained here rather than silently normalized, while the records remain part of the Guthrie surname survey.
Ayrshire Concentration
Craigie, Ayr, Irvine, Riccarton, Loudoun, Monkton, Tarbolton and nearby places form a strong geographic cluster distinct from the Angus Guthrie heartland.
Civic Guthries
The index identifies Guthries as burgesses and tradesmen in Ayr and as civic officeholders and merchants in Irvine, adding occupational and status markers useful for separating same-name individuals.
Women & Household Links
Secondary entries preserve spouses and widowhood, often giving the place-name detail needed to reconstruct households across Craigie, Riccarton, Monkton and Loudoun.
Primary Guthrie / Gottray Testament Holders
These 25 entries are records in which the Guthrie or Gottray individual is the primary testament holder.
| Testament Holder | Description / Relationship | Place | Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| Adam Gottray | in Mountoune | — | 12 Aug. 1617 |
| Alexander Gottray | in Adametone, par. of Craigie | Craigie | 4 Mar. 1606 |
| Alexander Gottray | in Gaitsyde, in Largs | Largs | 7 Jan. 1615 |
| George Gottray | burges of Ayr | Ayr | 10 Aug. 1621 |
| John Gottray | in Chapeltoun, par. of Greenock | Greenock | 10 July 1624 |
| John Gottray | in Adamhill, par. of Craigie | Craigie | 12 Oct. 1676 |
| Jonet Gottray | spouse to George Wallace, in Monktoun | Monkton | 1 Sept. 1607 |
| Jonet Gottray | spouse to George Allan, in Catcraig, par. of Craigie | Craigie | 28 Dec. 1614 |
| Jonet Gottray | spouse to David M‘Murtrie, in Garfer, par. of Kirkmichaell | Kirkmichael | 10 Mar. 1668 |
| Jonet Gottray | relict of Thomas Mitchell, in Bigraeheid, par. of Tarboltoun | Tarbolton | 20 Mar. 1679 |
| Jonet Gottray | daughter lawful of the deceased Hew G., in Skaitis, par. of Torboltoun | Tarbolton | 18 June 1690 |
| Robert Gottray | son to umquhile Patrick G., in Adamehill | Craigie | 12 Nov. 1603 |
| William Gottray | in Dyk, par. of Symounetoune | — | 3 Dec. 1625 |
| Agnes Guthrie | spouse to William Ross, in Bankhous, par. of Galstoun | Galston | 28 July 1606 |
| Alexander Guthrie | cordoner in Ayr | Ayr | 7 May 1673 |
| Isobel Guthrie | spouse to Hew Guthrie, in Adamhill, par. of Craigie | Craigie | 14 Jan. 1679 |
| James Guthrie | in Little Ladytoun, par. of Loudoun | Loudoun | 14 Apr. 1674 |
| James Guthrie | in Fairwelis, par. of Craigie | Craigie | 1 Nov. 1675 |
| Janet Guthrie | relict of John Wallace, in Monktounhill, par. of Munktoun | Monkton | 4 Aug. 1736 |
| John Guthrie | late Provost of Irvine | Irvine | 8 July 1669 |
| John Guthrie | maltman, burges of Ayr | Ayr | 28 May 1678 |
| John Guthrie | in Mugersland-burne, par. of Riccartoun | Riccarton | 10 Jan. 1680 |
| John Guthrie | merchant in Irvine | Irvine | 3 June 1748 |
| Jonet Guthrie | spouse to Peter Wylie, in Nether Newtoune, par. of Loudoune | Loudoun | 18 Apr. 1618 |
| Jonet Guthrie | spouse to Joseph Whyte, in Craigie | Craigie | 7 Aug. 1666 |
Secondary References · Guthrie Relationships
These 11 entries are non-Guthrie testament holders whose index descriptions identify a Guthrie spouse or household connection.
| Primary Person | Guthrie Relationship / Cross-Reference | Place | Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| William Ross | in Bankhouse, par. of Galston (See Agnes Guthrie) | Galston | — |
| Jonet Bowie | spouse to James Guthrie, in Faldwalls, par. of Craigie | Craigie | 15 Apr. 1671 |
| John Wallace | in Monktoune-hill, par. of Monktoun (See also Jonet Guthrie) | Monkton | — |
| Jonet Cleland | spouse to John Guthrie, late bailie of the burgh of Irvine | Irvine | 12 Sept. 1661 |
| Agnes Gemmill | spouse to John Guthrie, in Muggersland-burne, par. of Riccartoun | Riccarton | 9 May 1683 |
| Jonet Hay | spouse to John Guthrie, in Muggerslandburne, par. of Riccartoun | Riccarton | 12 May 1680 |
| Isobel Smith | spouse to John Guthrie, in Mugersland-burne, par. of Riccartoun | Riccarton | 6 July 1668 |
| Agnes Tod | spouse to John Guthrie, in Adamehill, par. of Craigie | Craigie | 12 Aug. 1667 |
| Peter Wyllie | in Nether Newtoune (See Jonet Guthrie) | Loudoun | — |
| Joseph Whyte | in Craigie (See Jonet Guthrie) | Craigie | — |
| Jonet Murdoch | spouse to William Guthrie, in Westoune, par. of Ochiltrie | Ochiltree | 6 Aug. 1663 |
Research Leads from the Index
The following clusters are especially worth following into the original CC9 testaments.
Robert Gottray, son of the deceased Patrick Gottray in Adamehill (1603); John Gottray in Adamhill (1676); Agnes Tod, spouse to John Guthrie in Adamehill (1667); and Isobel Guthrie, spouse to Hew Guthrie in Adamhill (1679). These records may represent more than one household or generation and should not be merged without the underlying testaments.
James Guthrie in Fairwelis, parish of Craigie, was indexed in 1675, while Jonet Bowie was indexed in 1671 as spouse to James Guthrie in Faldwalls, parish of Craigie. The similar place-name and chronology make this a useful comparison target, but identity is not yet proved.
John Guthrie appears at Muggersland-burne in 1680. Separate entries name Isobel Smith (1668), Jonet Hay (1680) and Agnes Gemmill (1683) as spouses of a John Guthrie at the same place. The sequence is potentially important for household reconstruction, but the index alone does not establish whether all references concern one man.
John Guthrie, late Provost of Irvine, appears in 1669; Jonet Cleland was indexed in 1661 as spouse to John Guthrie, late bailie of Irvine; and a John Guthrie, merchant in Irvine, appears in 1748. The first two may belong to the same civic figure, but the original records are needed before making that identification.
Terms & Practices
Testament: In Scottish commissary practice, the confirmed record commonly concerns moveable estate and may include an inventory, debts, executors, cautioners and kinship clues.
Umquhile: Scots legal term meaning “late” or “deceased.”
Relict: Widow or widower of the deceased.
Burgess: A person formally admitted to the privileges and obligations of a burgh.
Best research practice: Use Grant’s published register as the finding aid, then consult the relevant Glasgow Commissary Court testament through NRS / ScotlandsPeople before making detailed genealogical conclusions.
Sources & Access
Published index: Francis J. Grant, W.S., ed., The Commissariot Record of Glasgow: Register of Testaments, 1547–1800, Scottish Record Society, Old Series No. 7 (Edinburgh, 1901).
Online copy: Internet Archive · Scottish Record Society Old Series No. 7.
Repository: National Records of Scotland, Glasgow Commissary Court, CC9. Browse the NRS catalogue.
Research access: ScotlandsPeople · Glasgow wills and testaments guidance.
Series bibliography: Scottish Record Society · Old Series Publications.
Guthrie Genealogy · Special CollectionsGlasgow Commissary Court · Thistle Archive