Sheriff of Aberdeen


The Sheriff of Aberdeen was a royal official who was responsible for enforcing justice in Aberdeenshire, Scotland. Prior to 1748 most sheriffdoms were held on a hereditary basis. From that date, following the Jacobite uprising of 1745, they were replaced by salaried sheriff-deputies, qualified advocates who were members of the Scottish Bar.
In 1870 the sheriffdom was merged with that of Kincardineshire to create the post of Sheriff of Aberdeen and Kincardine. The combined sheriffdom then absorbed Banffshire in 1882 to create the post of Sheriff of Aberdeen, Kincardine and Banff.
This sheriffdom was abolished in 1975 and replaced by the current Sheriffdom of Grampian, Highland and Islands.

Sheriffs of Aberdeen

;Sheriffs-depute
  • William Forbes, 1728-
  • Alexander Grant of Grantsfield 1741–
  • David Dalrymple, Lord Westhall, 1748–1777
  • Alexander Elphinstone of Glack, 1777–1795
  • Alexander Moir, 1795-1822
  • Andrew Murray, 1822-1847
  • John Thomson Gordon, 1847–1848
  • Archibald Davidson, 1848–1865
  • Andrew Jameson, 1865–1870

Sheriffs of Aberdeen and Kincardine (1870)

  • Andrew Jameson, 1865–1870
  • John Guthrie Smith, 1870–1882

Sheriffs of Aberdeen and Kincardine and Banff (1882)