Tracing your Scottish Ancestry
Genealogy and DNA
Forget Ancestry.com and Familysearch.org. These sites simply do not have the records you need to trace your Scottish heritage. Let Dr Bruce Durie, Scotland’s pre-eminent genealogist, guide you through Scottish genealogy, and the science of DNA testing…
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Scottish Heraldry
We see evidence of our rich heraldic traditions everywhere. Heraldry is a celebration of Scotland’s families and ancient realm. But heraldry is not just for the past – it is a living, growing field and new arms are recorded daily so …
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Ancestral Lands
Scottish surnames are unique in the way they are rooted to the land. Let Jamie, Lord Sempill help you discover your homeland, it’s rich history and how to organise a visit to make the most out of your connection to your ancestral heartlands. To read more…
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Resources
There is a truly fabulous amount of fascinating information on matters historical, ancestral, genealogical and geographical, freely available to download and keep. All you need to know is what’s out there and where to get it, so click here and …
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Introducing…
Dr Bruce Durie
Recognised internationally as one of the leading practitioners in the field of genealogy, Bruce founded the much-acclaimed Genealogical Studies Programme at Strathclyde University, directing it until 2011. He is now a Visiting Fellow and is developing further courses and initiatives with Strathclyde colleagues. Bruce also regularly teaches courses on Genealogy, Documents and Heraldry for the University of Edinburgh.
As well as teaching, Bruce has authored over 30 books on family and local history, including the best-selling Scottish Genealogy (History Press, 3rd ed., 2012), as well as works on Victorian crime fiction and the internet, plus hundreds of published articles.
His BBC Radio Scotland series “Digging up Your Roots” and “A House With a Past” have attracted rave reviews and a solid listener following.
Bruce is also:
- Shennachie to the Chief of Durie
- Shennachie to COSCA
- APG International Board member.
- Recently elected to the prestigious Académie Internationale de Généalogie.
Jamie, Lord Sempill
Lord Sempill is currently engaged in promoting ancestral tourism. He also hosts his own historic and ancestral tours in Scotland.
Over the last 15 years he has been an active member of the Standing Council of Scottish Chiefs, and is credited for building stronger links between the Council and the international clan community. He conceptualised and co-directed The Gathering 2009, which was the centrepiece of the Homecoming Scotland 2009 programme.
Jamie has over 32 years of commercial management experience in marketing and communications, having worked for major corporations at home and abroad. He was actively involved in politics from 1996 to 2006.
He has spent over 12 years living and working overseas, mainly in South Africa, and returned to Scotland at the end of 1992.
In 1995 he inherited one of Scotland’s oldest titles and took his seat in the House of Lords as an independent Crossbench Peer. During 1998 he became actively involved in the Scottish devolution debate, and in May1999 stood in the inaugural Scottish Parliamentary elections. He lost his right to sit in The House of Lords following the reform of the upper house in 2000.
From 2001 to early 2003 he worked for a distiller and traveled extensively in Russia, South Africa, India and the Far East. He then spent 6 months in the USA promoting an affinity card scheme to the Scottish American community. From 2003 up till the end of 2005 he worked for the Caledonian Brewing Company as Director of Marketing.
He is a High Constable of the Port of Leith, and a member of the Standing Council of Scottish Chiefs. He is also a Board Director of the American Scottish Foundation and an Honorary Trustee of COSCA (Council of Scottish Clans and Associations).
His hobbies include looking at fine art, watching rugby, scuba diving, taking the dogs for a walk, reading history and listening to the Blues.
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