Genealogy 1-2-3: The CCSNA Genealogy Program
Organized for strictly educational and historical purposes as it seeks reclassification as a 501(c)(3) public charity, the Clan Campbell Society (North America) Genealogy Program serves as a vital central clearinghouse for historical and genealogical data concerning the Campbell surname and its recognized septs.
Our public program operates on a structured, threefold methodology: (1) gathering and processing data, (2) researching these data, and (3) analyzing and reporting findings. Because the ultimate success of our work depends entirely on the cooperation of the historical community, each and every Campbell descendant and sept researcher is encouraged to contribute to this growing public repository.
1. Gathering and Processing Data
The foundation of our research lies in the meticulous collection and cross-referencing of family records.
Data Sources: Primary data is gathered from the Genealogy Data Form submitted by individuals upon application for membership. This is supplemented by family or county histories, pedigree charts, obituaries, census records, and primary source documents donated directly to the CCS(NA) Archives or discovered by our genealogist.
The CCS(NA) Data Bank: Upon receipt, new data is compared against our computerized data bank. Variations are noted, and new information is integrated alongside the contact details of the researchers or members who submitted the line. This crucial step enables the Society’s genealogist to connect distant cousins, allowing them to compare notes and clarify historical discrepancies.
The Value of Documentation: While the Society cannot always independently verify every entry, contributors are strongly urged to cite specific sources (such as wills and their physical locations, exact census pages, etc.). Meticulous source documentation is what makes genealogical research valid and valuable for future generations.
2. Researching the Data
The second aspect of the CCS(NA) Genealogy Program involves the search process required in response to the varied queries which arrive by mail from all parts of the United States as well as from Canada, the United Kingdom, Australia, and New Zealand.
The first source consulted is, of course, the data bank of Family Group Sheets. Other sources in the Society's collection include the Clan Campbell Society (USA/North America) Journal, and a variety of books including George Frazer Black's The Surnames of Scotland (New York: The New York Public Library, 1974), Scots Kith and Kin (Edinburgh, Scotland: Albyn Press, nd), Rev. Henry Paton, ed. The Clan Campbell Abstracts of Entries Relating to Campbells in the Sheriff Court Books of Argyll at Inveraray, 8 vol. (Edinburgh, Scotland: Otto Schulze, 1913-1922), G. Harvey Johnston, The Heraldry of the Campbells (Inveraray, Argyll, Scotland: Beinn Bhuidhe Holdings, 1977, Herbert Campbell's unpublished genealogies of the various Campbell lines, and a wide variety of family and county histories. Alexander Warrack's A Scots Dialect Dictionary (Edinburgh, Scotland: W. & R. Chambers, 1911) and Francis H. Groome's Ordnance Gazetteer of Scotland, 6 vol. (Edinburgh, Scotland: Thomas C. Jack, Grange Publishing Works, 1882) also provide relevant and useful information.
The census records, now easily accessed via the Internet, are used in helping to establish family members and their order of birth. Some primary sources which may be available on the Internet are also be consulted in an effort to verify data.
2. Researching the Data
The second phase involves an active, global search process executed by the Society's genealogist in response to queries arriving from the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, Australia, and New Zealand.
When a query is received, our research team cross-references a vast array of specialized historical literature and digital assets, including:
The data bank of Family Group Sheets and the Clan Campbell Society (USA/North America) Journal.
Essential Reference Texts: George Frazer Black's The Surnames of Scotland (1974), Scots Kith and Kin, and G. Harvey Johnston’s The Heraldry of the Campbells (1977).
Primary Abstracts & Field Guides: Rev. Henry Paton’s 8-volume The Clan Campbell Abstracts of Entries Relating to Campbells in the Sheriff Court Books of Argyll at Inveraray (1913-1922), G. Harvey Johnston, The Heraldry of the Campbells (Inveraray, Argyll, Scotland: Beinn Bhuidhe Holdings, 1977, and Herbert Campbell’s invaluable, unpublished genealogies of the various Campbell lines.
Geographical & Dialect Resources: Alexander Warrack’s A Scots Dialect Dictionary (1911) and Francis H. Groome’s 6-volume Ordnance Gazetteer of Scotland (1882).
Digital Archives: Modern internet records, including indexed census records and verified primary online databases, are utilized to confirm birth orders, family structures, and migration timelines.
3. Analyzing and Reporting
Once all available information within the Society's collections has been located, the data is carefully studied and evaluated.
Comprehensive Ancestry Reports: When a lineage is successfully verified, the genealogy program generates a multi-page ancestry report for the inquirer. This includes a detailed chronology of known life events with exact source citations, photocopies or extracts of relevant historical material, complete bibliographic records, and custom relationship charts to identify cousins and degrees of kinship. We actively encourage corrections and additions to these reports to maintain the highest standard of accuracy.
Alternative Research Guidance: If no matching data is found within our current data bank, the genealogist provides a targeted, highly specific list of suggestions for further independent research, occasionally forwarding the exact forms required to order vital records.
Community Outreach: As a standard practice, queries are drafted for the Kith and Kin column in the next issue of the Journal of the Clan Campbell Society (North America), leveraging our international readership to help break through difficult genealogical "brick walls."
Public Service & Reinvestment Notice The Society provides these genealogical research assistance services as a free public service in alignment with our educational mission. While individuals may choose to make a voluntary donation to support the upkeep of the Society's historical archives, such contributions are entirely optional. Research services are provided regardless of donation history, and all significant findings are incorporated back into the Society’s public-facing archives to benefit the broader historical community.
ADDITIONAL LINKS
- Searching for Ancestors: A Genealogy Primer
- Genealogical Research in Scotland
- Research Contacts and Internet Links
- How to Hire a Professional Genealogist
- Clan Campbell DNA Project
- Campbell Y-DNA Study
- Campbell Ancestry (GEDmatch Project)
Questions?
If you have any questions or would like to submit your lineage forms, please contact the Campbell Genealogy Team at: CampbellGenealogy@ccsna.org.