These lists were compiled just for interest to show how the people in the area were employed, or not, at the time of the 1851 census. Obviously some of the occupations would have appeared more than once in any one parish, but as the lists were only to give an idea of occupations they are only listed once.

The numbers of people in each parish at the time as roughly as follows:
Balmaclellan - 1167
Carsphairn - 836
Crossmichael - 1397
Dalry - 1255
Kells (New Galloway) - 1129
Parton (& Corsock) - 752.

The Hearth Tax of the late 17th century, which was levied to raise money for the army, taxed everyone except hospitals and the poor. Fourteen Scots shillings were to be paid for every hearth in the house; in some areas almost all the records have been lost and those that are extant should not be taken to be precise, as under reporting was common.

A list from a document relating to this shows that in 1693:
Balmaclellan had about 134 hearths,
Carsphairn about 83,
Crossmichael about 74,
Dalry about 142,
Kells about 199
and Parton about 106