Portessie, a fishing village in Rathven parish, Banffshire, 1¼ mile ENE of Buckie. In 1727 it consisted of only five houses, but it has made such progress as now to possess 145 fishing boats, employing 290 men and boys; and it has a Wesleyan Methodist chapel. Pop. (1793) 178, (1841) 411, (1861) 575, (1871) 877, (1881) 1061.—Ord. Sur., shs. 95, 96, 1876.

(F.H. Groome, Ordnance Gazetteer of Scotland (1882-4); © 2004 Gazetteer for Scotland)