The Burgar/Burgess families in Shetland

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Summary of the Burgar living in Dunrossness, Sandwick & Cunningsburgh in about 1750.

The members of the Burger/Burgher/Burgar family in Shetland in1750 has been obtained from several sources.

These include:

1.       The Communicants List, ⁶

This List was compiled by the Reverend John Mill and is a list of persons attending the Parish Church of Dunrossness in 1749.  In this list are 21 Burgher persons.

See Burgher persons in the Communicants List.

See full details about the Communicants List

2.       Baptism Registers

The above Communicants List only contains adult communicants.  Children are not included in the list.  It is thought that this might apply to children under the age of about 14 years.

Since the baptism records for the Dunrossness area do not start until 1753, the above children are not recorded as being born.  However, those that later marry have children that appear in the Baptism registers from 1753 to about 1800.

Thus it is found that there are about a further 25 Burgher persons born between about 1735 and 1754 who are not recorded in the Baptism Registers..

See Burghers found from the Baptism registers

3       Information from other areas in Shetland

See you Burger's family members from other sources.

4.     Information from other Court and Kirk records.

See George Burgess Testimony in 1756.

See Margaret Burgher accused of Blasphemy in 1766

See Thomas Fea accused of Blasphemy in 1767.

Conclusion

By 1750 there are about 20 adults and around 20 children under the age of about 16 living in Dunrossness parish. 

This suggests that the Burgar/Burger family is growing rapidly, but it also suggests that they have not been in Shetland a long time (although it is possible that they may have had a change of surname).

See a graph of the growth of the Burgar family and where they might have come from.

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