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EnglishWhat is the National Records of Scotland (NRS) website?
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The National Records of Scotland (NRS) website at nrscotland.gov.uk is the official online presence of the Scottish government body that collects, preserves, and publishes information about Scotland's people and history. It serves two broad audiences: members of the public who need official records or registration services, and anyone looking for Scottish population statistics or historical data. The site is informational and transactional rather than a commercial service — you come here to order certificates, find registration guidance, or read official statistics.
What NRS does
NRS describes its role as collecting, preserving, and publishing information about Scotland's people and history "to inform current and future generations." In practice, that covers:
- Civil registration — births, marriages, civil partnerships, deaths, and name changes
- Official certificates — ordering copies of certificates and extracts from registers
- Population statistics — including mid-year population estimates for Scotland and its administrative areas by age and sex
- Historical records — physical and selected digital records accessible through its search rooms
Services you can use on the site
The site's "Popular pages" point to the tasks most visitors come for:
| Task | What the page covers |
|---|---|
| Order a certificate | Where to order copies of certificates and extracts from registers |
| Register a marriage or civil partnership | Forms and documents you need to provide |
| Changing your name | How to apply, including cost and processing times |
| Accessing search rooms | How to view physical records and selected digital records |
| Babies' first names | Most popular first names given to babies registered in Scotland in 2025 |
| Mid-2025 population estimates | Estimates for Scotland and administrative areas by age and sex on 30 June 2025 |
If you need a certified copy of a Scottish birth, marriage, or death record, or you want to register a life event, start with the relevant popular page above.
Related sites run alongside NRS
NRS links to three separate services, each with a distinct purpose:
- Scotland's Census — results, case studies, and background on the census, described as the most complete source of information about who lives in Scotland
- Scotland's People — the official Scottish genealogy resource, with over 100 million records
- Scottish Register of Tartans — an online database where you can search for and register tartan designs
Genealogists will usually want Scotland's People rather than the main NRS site; census data lives on the census site; tartan registration is handled separately.
Who the site is for
- Members of the public registering a birth, marriage, civil partnership, or death, or applying to change a name
- Family historians tracing Scottish ancestors (via Scotland's People)
- Researchers and analysts needing official population estimates and statistics
- Anyone needing an official certificate or extract from Scottish registers
Latest news and updates
The site publishes news items, such as a reported 11% rise in drug use deaths in 2025 compared with the previous year (published 23 September 2026), Doors Open Days at General Register House, and a shared curatorial agreement between NRS and TNA covering a rare letter linked to William Wallace.
Practical notes
The site is in British English and includes accessibility, contact, cookies, and privacy information in its footer. It also carries a feedback form, which explicitly asks users not to submit personal information. Pricing for certificates or name changes is not stated on the homepage — check the individual service pages for costs and processing times before applying.