Aberdeen City and Aberdeenshire Archives houses the records of Aberdeen City Council and its predecessors dating back to the twelfth century. In addition, the Archives currently administers the records inherited by Aberdeenshire Council.

The holdings also include the records of local businesses, churches, charities, voluntary organisations and individuals, and the Assessor’s records for the Grampian Joint Valuation Board. Some records are held under the Charge and Superintendence of the Keeper of the Records of Scotland. Public access to the archive's collections is facilitated in our Town House and Old Aberdeen search rooms.

Our major holdings at the Town House branch are:
• Local authority records for the City, including those relating to the burghs of Aberdeen, Old Aberdeen and Woodside
• Burial records for City cemeteries - also available to access remotely through Deceased Online
• Registers of shipping and sea fishing vessels for the Port of Aberdeen
• Burgh Register of Sasines (including Town Clerk’s Protocol Books) from 1484 - 1809
• Church records for the ‘City churches’ of the Church of Scotland and many of the congregational churches
• Private records of individuals and businesses including NORCO and Hall Russell
• Tax Lists listing inhabitants of the Burgh of Aberdeen from 1795-1860 (Town House).

The website provides additional information about the collections, access to the online catalogue and indexes and transcripts of certain records.