Did your ancestors work in one of Scotland’s lighthouses?
You can search the lightkeeper registers held on Scotland’s People to find the answer.
These registers cover people employed by the Commissioners of Northern Lighthouses (Northern Lighthouse Board) between 1837 and 1921.
They give career histories for each keeper, recording their full name, the lighthouses they worked at, promotions, demotions and date of retirement. Later volumes also include date of birth.
You can search either by lightkeeper or by lighthouse – useful if you know where an ancestor was stationed but not the exact spelling of their name.
Each search result links to a digital image of the original register page, giving you a direct connection to the historical record.
Some of the lighthouse records held on Scotland’s People will feature in a free exhibition opening in August at National Records of Scotland in Edinburgh.
For the Safety of All: Scotland's Lighthouses celebrates the fascinating history of Scottish lighthouses and the unique role of the lighthouse keeper.
The Scotland’s People records on display include a staff register for Bell Rock lighthouse, detailing those who served there. Bell Rock is the world’s oldest surviving sea-washed lighthouse, off the Angus coast.
There is also an Ordnance Survey Name Book entry describing the lighthouse and the reef it was built on.
Other items on display are drawn from Scotland’s national archives held by National Records of Scotland.
They include a letter about the Flannan Isles disappearance, when three lighthouse keepers vanished from Eilean Mòr, west of the Isle of Lewis, in December 1900.
The free exhibition runs 3 August – 25 September 2026, Monday to Friday 9am – 4pm in the Adam Dome, General Register House on Princes Street in Edinburgh.
You can also visit during Doors Open Day on Saturday 26 September 2026, 10am – 4pm. The exhibition is suitable for all ages and is part of Edinburgh Festival Fringe.