Unearth the skeletons in your family closet this Halloween with brand new records

2-3 minute read

By Niall Cullen | October 29, 2021

New crime records on Findmypast

We're conjuring up witchcraft and wrongdoings in Scotland's past this week. What spine-tingling stories will you discover?

Here's what's new on the most frightening Findmypast Friday of the year.

Scotland, Names of Witches 1658

In this small but spooky collection, you’ll find details on some of those accused of witchcraft in early modern Scotland.

1563’s Witchcraft Act made consorting with witches or taking part in witchcraft a crime punishable by death in Scotland. Around 1,500 people were executed, most of them women, until the last Scottish witch trial in 1727.

Scotland, Court & Criminal Database

Unlock criminals and victims in your Scottish family tree with this detail-rich collection. The records include names, occupations, addresses and information about the crimes.

This resource comprises prison records, precognitions and trial papers from all over Scotland, as well as the Fife Kalendar of Convicts. From fiends and felons to bone-chilling revelations, where will the dark side of your Scottish family story take you?

Newspapers

This week, we’ve added 19 new papers, including 13 from Scotland. The latest arrivals include:

Meanwhile, we've updated 15 publications with extra pages, including:

The 1921 Census is coming

In case you missed the news, we're excited to announce that the 1921 Census of England and Wales will be exclusively available online at Findmypast from 6 January 2022.

We're delighted to have been chosen by The National Archives to bring this detailed snapshot of 38 million lives to you.

Findmypast Fridays live

If you like your genealogy with a terrifying twist, why not check out history's spookiest names or help us crack the infamous case of Jack the Ripper? Happy Halloween from everyone at Findmypast.

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About the author

Picture of Niall Cullen - Content Marketing LeadNiall Cullen