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Highland Archive Service

Family history

Explore your family history with the Highland Archive Service

Whether you're just beginning your family history journey or delving deeper into your Highland ancestry, the Highland Archive Service is here to help.

All four of our archive centres offer advice on how to research your family history. Each centre provides access to research resources and family history reference material. 

Our expert Family Historians are based at The Highland Archive Centre in Inverness. They can help you delve deeper into your family history by undertaking research for you, offering one-to-one family history consultations, and building your family tree. 

Family history room 

Located on the first floor of the Highland Archive Centre, Bught Road, Inverness, the Family History Room offers a wealth of resources for anyone researching their Highland heritage. Our knowledgeable staff specialise in Highland and Scottish genealogy and are ready to support your research and help you develop your knowledge and skills in family history research. 

The Family History Room is also the only venue in the Highlands with direct access to Scotland’s People Network, providing access to a wealth of historic records from across the whole of Scotland including Census Returns from 1841 to 1911, Old Parish Registers up to 1854, and Births, Marriages and Deaths (from January 1855). Access to Scotland's People Network must be booked and charges apply, please see our Scotland's People Network page for more information. 

Two people standing indoors holding a large printed family tree chart. The chart contains multiple names arranged in a genealogical structure, and they are positioned so the chart is clearly visible between them.

Family tree presentation

Two people sit at a desk across from an archivist who is working on a computer with dual monitors. The desk is covered with papers, folders, and printed documents, including a booklet with a crest on the cover. Behind the desk are bookshelves filled with books, and a large wall chart is partially visible.

Family Historian Anne in a one-to-one consultation

A group of people, both Highland Archive Service staff and service users, holding an extensive family tree

A commissioned family tree being handed over

Family history services

A man with dark hair sits at a desk with three laptops, a desktop monitor displaying the Scotland's People website, a printer, and various office supplies. Shelves with files and papers are in the background, and a large chart with handwritten notes is pinned to the wall.

Can’t visit? We can help

Expert archival and family history research carried out for you by the Highland Archive Service

Two people sit at a desk across from an archivist who is working on a computer with dual monitors. The desk is covered with papers, folders, and printed documents, including a booklet with a crest on the cover. Behind the desk are bookshelves filled with books, and a large wall chart is partially visible.

One-to-one consultations and family trees

Get expert guidance on family history research, a personal consultation, or a fully researched family tree

A black and white photograph of a formal school group. Many of the children are barefoot and one holds a sign indicating that the children are pupils of Embo School in 1912.

Archive and Family History classes

Archives and family history classes run by the Highland Archive Service

Logo for Scotland’s People featuring a blue stylized knot design

Scotland' s People Network access

Highland Archive Centre in Inverness is the only venue in the Highlands where you can access the Scotland's People Network

Banner for the Highland Family History Society featuring a scenic view of misty mountains reflected in a calm loch. The text “Highland Family History Society” is written in a large cursive font, with a Celtic cross symbol above it. Below, smaller text reads “Comunn Sloinntearachd na Gaidhealtachd.”

Highland Family History Society

Based at the Highland Archive Centre in Inverness, the Society offers additional support and resources

Contact our Family Historians

For research enquiries and family trees

Donate to Family history

The Archive Service preserves, conserves and makes accessible over 700 years of Highland history. There is no charge to visit our Archive Centres and access the collections we hold, but High Life Highland is a charity and we rely on your donations.

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